Everyday pain management ideas

Not long ago, I posted some surprising causes of chronic pain.  These were things you might not think as the root cause of an ache or pain that just won't go away no matter what you try. Today I have a different take on that theme.  Today I am going to talk about a few more of these everyday things that might be the source of a pain problem for some of you.  It's interesting--we don't always think about the things that are right in front of us, but sometimes that's exactly what we need to think about!  So, without further ado... ~ An old mattress can be the source of neck or back pain.  In addition, mattresses that are too hard or too soft can be problematic.  The solution here is to replace an old mattress with one that provides proper support.  Another idea is to sleep on your side or back.  Placing a pillow under the knees can also offer relief. ~A purse or shoulder bag can cause misalignment of the spine and guess what else? Pain of course. Ideally a purse s

Here's a new idea for those of you who suffer from back pain--meet Valedo!  This product is an electronic device which has been FDA approved.  The device is manufactured by Hocoma, who also manufactures products for people who are rehabilitating from other conditions, such as multiple sclerosis and stroke. I never heard of this device... until I read a post on an independent tech news website.  The author of the post, Katherine Boehret, suffers from back pain and and decided to give this product a try. In her report, she says that the device basically consists of two wireless sensors that are attached to the lower back and chest with special stickers that come with the product.  These sensors are to be worn while playing a specially designed video game on Android or iOs devices (which is connected to the sensors via blue tooth). The game actually tricks the user into exercise movements that help to strengthen the muscles in the back!  The developer says that the user will

In today's post I am going to do something that I have wanted to do for a long time...and while I can't prove or disprove its effectiveness, I can tell you some things about the guaifenesin protocol for fibromyalgia. This treatment was developed by an endocrinologist who himself has been diagnosed with fibromyalgia.  He theorizes that people with fibromyalgia have low energy because they have low levels of ATP (adenosine triphosphate).  His theory goes on to say that the deficiency of ATP is due to an excess of phosphate.  The drug guaifenesin, he says, helps the patient's kidneys to rid the body of the phosphate excess, allowing the body to produce more ATP. There is very little information about whether or not this theory is true or untrue, and whether or not guaifenesin is actually an effective fibromyalgia treatment.  One thing is for sure; this drug has been around forever and ever and is generally free of interactions with other drugs and is well tolerated by

In my early pharmacist days, I worked in a number of retail pharmacies and got to know the customers pretty well.  I remember one woman in particular who was dealing with breast cancer and came for prescriptions on a regular basis.  She was always very polite, and well dressed too.  On any given day, no matter how she was feeling, Anne was always dressed in a skirt with matching jacket and blouse, dress with scarf, or similar attire. Image source: Flickr I will never forget. one particular occasion when Anne came to the store for her prescriptions. She was, as usual smiling and well dressed.  In an effort to be complimentary and positive, I said to her: "You're looking spiffy today!" I was totally unprepared for her reaction...she immediately began to cry and said, "Well, I really don't feel so spiffy today." The lesson I learned on that fateful day will stay with me for the rest of my life.  It was in those brief moments that I came to underst

Most of us can relate to a favorite recipe from childhood, or even in adult life.  If you're a cook, you could even relate to the idea of finding a recipe and "making it your own" by adding omitting ingredients till you get it just right.  It may take weeks, months or even years to get the recipe just right.  Is it worth it?  Well, this is usually true... Image source: Weber.edu This concept has a role in pain management as well.  If you have a chronic pain issue you may have tried some treatments that worked really well and others that did no good whatsoever.  The good news is that the options/combination of options is nearly endless .  It might take a really long time to find the "perfect blend" of remedies to manage the aches and pains of chronic illness. I am here to tell you that whether you're the cook or the pain sufferer, it really is worth persevering to find the right combination of ingredients to achieve the best result.  It takes time,

Recently news in the pain world has pointed to a possible connection between migraine headaches and carpal tunnel syndrome. These two chronic pain conditions that would otherwise seem unrelated, but this study out of Dallas, Texas suggest that people with carpal tunnel syndrome are more likely to suffer from migraine, and vice versa.  The study authors seem to think that there is some common neurologic or systemic risk factor, but that has yet to be identified. Dr. Huay Zong Law and his colleagues at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center surveyed about 26,000 Americans to collect data for this study.  Here are some interesting statistics that they gathered during the study: Thirty four percent of those who reported having carpal tunnel syndrome also reported that they had migraine headache.  In those who do not have carpal tunnel issues, the incidence of migraine is about sixteen percent.  This means that the risk of migraine headache issues is 2.6 times higher for

Today's post is about a little different kind of chronic pain condition.  TMD (or TMJ), officially known as Temporomandibular Joint Disorder, affects the hinge-like joint that connects the jaw to the temporal bones of the skull.  Without this skeletal feature, life would be quite different, for it is used for chewing food, speaking, and yawning. The cause of TMJ/TMD is unclear, but it is thought to arise as a result of whiplash or injury.  Other possible causes include grinding of the teeth, stress,  or arthritis of the temporomandibular joint. There is a cushion-like disk within this joint that may fall out of alignment, potentially leading to TMD. This condition is more common in women, and usually affects persons between the ages of 20 and 40. Common symptoms of TMJ/TMD include clicking, popping or grating sounds when chewing or opening the mouth. Sometimes the jaw will actually lock open or closed. Facial pain, or perhaps pain in the neck or shoulders can be indicativ