Everyday pain management ideas

As we age, everything we do in our lives takes its toll on our bodies.  At least 90 per cent of adults age 65 or over will have evidence of degenerative disease upon x-ray exam.  Some people will not experience symptoms even though this process is taking place.  Genetics also play a role in the development of this condition; some families will be more affected by it than others.  I also feel that our daily activities may play a role--maybe those of us who spent our work lives sitting at a desk doing paperwork or using a computer will have more problems those whose job activities are different. As I just mentioned, sometimes people have this condition and experience no symptoms at all. Unfortunately for some, the story is very different--the space occupied by the spinal cord can become narrowed, causing entrapment of the spinal cord.  This situation can cause an array of problems, such as loss of bowel or bladder control, tingling or weakness of the extremities, or problems wi

The science of optogenetics is an exciting and new field of study. This branch of neuroscience focuses on controlling brain cells with light. At present, researchers are focused on learning exactly which cells in the brain control which functions; and finding ways to turn those specific cells on or off using light.  At this point in time, optogenetics is an evolving science--but there is tremendous potential here in the treatment of many conditions.  Perhaps in the future the treatment of conditions like schizophrenia, depression, fibromyalgia, or chronic pain may involve this technology.  No one really knows for sure, but it sure is exciting! Here is a brief video featuring Professor Ed Boyden from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology describing this very interesting new idea: Sources: YouTube; University of Oxford

In addition to exercise, there are a few more non drug treatments that come to mind for those who are dealing with arthritis of the hands. These ideas are great things to try when you are having more discomfort than usual.  They are not necessarily a panacea, but they are worth a try. The first one that comes to mind is hot/cold applications , (aka contrast hydrotherapy), which I wrote about very recently.  You can go back to that blog post by clicking the link above. The second idea that comes to mind is heat application , which is another of my earlier posts.  At the time I was not writing specifically about osteoarthritis of the hands, as it is a useful tool for many pain conditions.  Related to this idea--but perhaps more appropriate for hands or feet--is the spa-like treatment of a paraffin dip .   Last but not least, compression gloves can help to reduce pain and swelling in the bony joints of the hands.  They are available from a number of internet sites

Many of us don't really fully appreciate how much we use our hands in the regular activities of daily life.  If you have ever had an injury to the hand or wrist, you may have more appreciation for this. But for those who suffer from chronic conditions involving the hands and fingers, these activities can be a real struggle.  Rheumatoid arthritis is one such debility; this is a fairly serious medical condition; what I am about to say here may help, but non drug measures will never be enough to combat the condition. The treatment of osteoarthritis, in contrast, focuses more on non drug measures.  The occasional acetaminophen or ibuprofen will help manage short term pain.  There are no joint replacement options for the joints of the hands at this point. Since that is the reality, what is one to do? For persons with osteoarthritis in other joints, such as knees or hips, the usual recommendation for preserving joint function is two fold:  exercise and weight management. The ex

People with arthritis definitely suffer from chronic pain....some more than others, of course. And while medications can help control pain sometimes, there are many non drug remedies for that pesky joint pain. We've discussed many of these in prior posts...exercise, weight control, and dietary modifications, including omega-3 supplements and glucosamine.  Today's post is about a newer dietary measure that I find most interesting...milk consumption! Dr. Bing Lu of Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston recently shared the results of a study on this very topic . In this study, 2,148 men and women  with osteoarthritis of the knee were followed over a period of four years with respect to their health, diet, and behaviors.  X-rays were obtained on each subject every year during the duration of the study. Using the X-rays researchers  were able to determine the speed of arthritis progression in the subjects. At the study conclusion, researchers found that people who

When preparing for this post, I found a couple of things in the news recently that I thought would be of interest to readers, especially those with fibromyalgia.  I don't know which news you'd rather have first...but I think I'm gonna tell you the bad news.... so we can end on a positive note! The bad news is that a recent study has revealed a connection between exposure to hepatitis B virus and fibromyalgia.  It appears that a a protein in some strains of the hepatitis B virus is to blame.  Maybe this is actually good news in the sense that, the more we know about fibromyalgia, the better we can understand how to prevent, diagnose, and treat it. The good news that I have for you--has nothing to do with the bad news.  A meta-analysis of various medications and other modes of treatment for fibromyalgia were studied.  Winifred Hauser, an expert in the field, made the following statement: "There is no magic drug against fibromyalgia, and

We've all heard of applying heat or an ice pack to an injury. Recently I came across a different twist on these ideas.  I kind of put it on the back burner, until a friend was telling me that she used it for a foot injury and that it worked really well.  So without, further ado I am passing the idea on to those who never heard of it before! The idea is known as "Contrast Hydrotherapy."  Basically it involves immersing an injured body part into ice water or using cold packs for five or so minutes--immediately followed by application of heat or immersion into a warm water bath. The exercise can be repeated multiple times.  The theory is that the warm application causes the blood vessels to dilate...the cold causes them to constrict.  As this occurs, the lymphatic system follows suit.  The blood vessels have a central pump (the heart!) but the lymphatic system does not.  The hot/cold treatment essentially provides the pumping action for the lymph nodes to pump stagna