Everyday pain management ideas

Now that summer weather has arrived, I don't know about you...but I drink a lot more water.  It might seem obvious at first, but have you ever considered why staying hydrated.. .all year round ...is important?  Here are some good reasons to consider drinking more water, if you are not one of those who are already working at increasing water intake. Staying well hydrated, believe it or not, plays a role in pain management. For one thing, it can improve your mood . Many people with chronic pain suffer from anxiety and/or depression.  So, in a manner of speaking, water is a natural antidepressant. When the human body is well hydrated, so is the cartilage of all the skeletal joints. By serving as a lubricant, there is less joint pain when lubrication is sufficient. Headaches can be caused by dehydration.  Maintaining adequate hydration will increase the odds that these types of headaches will stay out of your life! Water plays many other roles in human life and survival. Di

Following an outbreak of shingles, there is a risk of developing a chronic pain condition known as post-herpetic neuralgia.  The risk is greater for those who are over 50, or who have a severe shingles outbreak.  If the original outbreak occurs on the face, the risk of post herpetic neuralgia is also greater. Example of Shingles Rash You can read more about shingles in two of my earlier posts: 1 ) The Hearbreak of Shingles 2) New Drug Treatment on Horizon for Chronic Pain from Shingles Post herpetic neuralgia occurs if the pain of the original shingles outbreak lingers after the rash and blisters have disappeared.  It is commonly described as a burning or tingling sensation; it often interferes with normal daily body functions, such as sleep or appetite. It is important to see a doctor at the earliest signs of a shingles outbreak; getting a head start with antiviral medications is a good way to stay ahead of possible post herpetic neuralgia. ( Note :The risk of devel

Fibromyalgia is difficult to diagnose; many times it's a process of elimination. Weeks, months, and years of suffering go by before those who are afflicted ever know what's happening to them. If you think you have fibromyalgia and have been struggling to confirm the diagnosis, this self-assessment tool   might help you and your physician to come to a conclusion. This might also be worth sharing with friends or family members who might find it useful. Source: WebMD, gvarc.org,wikimedia

Have you ever heard of oxytocin?  It is a naturally occurring hormone/neurotransmitter.  If you have heard of it, you probably know that it has a role in pregnancy, childbirth, and lactation. It is also a powerful neurotransmitter, and has a role in pair bonding.  Human chorionic gonadotropin is another hormone produced in pregnancy; its usual role is in the production of progesterone in the first trimester. These two substances have recently been under investigation for a possible role in pain management. Although studies are very early on, there is some excitement about the possibilities! A recent small scale study by PAINWeek faculty member Forest Tennant, MD, DrPH, indicated that  administration of oxytocin and human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) to 9 patients resulted in a 30-40% decrease in pain in 7 of the 9 patients studied. In addition, these patients reported longer pain free periods between flares, and the need for pain medication was reduced by 30-40 pe

In all the months I have been writing posts for this blog, I have observed that people with fibromyalgia are eager for relief.  The current recommendation for fibromyalgia treatment is multi modal--that is to say, it includes approaching the condition from multiple angles--medication, exercise, improvements in sleep duration and quality, etc.   For today's post, I am sharing recent article from National Pain Report that discusses the medication aspect of fibromyalgia treatment.  After reading it, you will see why medications alone won't help most people.   Drugs for Fibromyalgia: How Good Are They? March 5th, 2014 by Dr. John Quintner Most fibromyalgia sufferers will at some stage be offered a prescription for one or more the  officially approved drugs – Lyrica, Cymbalta, and Savella. Many will ask their doctors two important questions: How good are these drugs and what harm can they cause me? Many would be surprised by the answers they g

Listening to the sermon this Easter morning, the words "All Aboard!" were used, in the context of being all aboard in the spirit of the Risen Lord.  It got me to thinking about being all aboard in a different context...the context of daily living. I got to thinking that people who are depressed fall away from this idea as they become internally focused, shutting off everything on the outside while dwelling on their inner pain. People who suffer from chronic pain can fall into this trap as well; the struggle of living with daily aches and pains. Sometimes it becomes so all-consuming that that the sufferer falls out of touch with the life outside the scope of their illness.  Family events, travel, adventures--all fall by the wayside because the pain gets in the way.  Meanwhile, life is going by...and those who are not "all aboard" miss out on much that life has to offer. It is my hope that some of the pain management tips I offer you will make it possible

Karen Lee Richards, co-founder of the National Fibromyalgia Association, wrote an article for  HealthCentral a couple of years ago entitled "10 Causes of Fibromyalgia Flares."  You can read the article in entirety by following the link.  Here is my summarized version of her article: Fibro flare-ups are temporary increases in number/severity of symptoms in those who suffer from fibromyalgia. These can include worsening pain, fatigue, memory and concentration problems, and sleep and/or digestive disturbances. These flares can last anywhere from a couple of days to weeks. Not unlike migraine headaches, these flares are usually triggered by something. It is important to note that a flare is a delayed reaction--it can take up to 48 hours after the trigger event to feel the symptoms. What kinds of things are these "triggers?" Here is a list of 10 common things that can initiate a fibro flare. 1) Weather Changes     --most commonly due