Everyday pain management ideas

Each year, the American Pain Society sponsors a scientific meeting. It is the place where researchers in pain management and health care practitioners converge to share "the latest" in their respective areas of expertise.  This year's meeting included a session on fibromyalgia which was presented by Daniel Clauw, MD who is a professor of anesthesiology at University of Michigan, Ann Arbor During his presentation, Dr. Clauw made some very interesting points about this poorly understood disorder.  It is the second most common rheumatic disorder after osteoarthritis--and tends to stay with a patient for a lifetime. Patients with fibromyalgia experience higher levels of pain than other individuals, even at the slightest touch. It is believed that a mechanism in the brain and spinal cord that seems to be responsible for this exaggerated pain sensation. Dr. Clauw suggested to his fellow physicians that fibromyalgia should be suspected in patients with lifelong histories o

I write this blog especially for people who have chronic pain..but today's post is sage advice for all of us, whether chronic or occasional pain is an issue.  We all experience some discomfort at different points in our lives, and making good choices on how to address this problem can make all the difference in the world. First of all...an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.  To that end, it is important to take the best care of yourself every day.  Healthy habits such as exercise, a nutritious diet and avoidance of tobacco products are a good starting point.  The better your overall health, the better you will feel every day. Choose medications wisely.  Try to minimize use of the most potent pain medications (if prescribed) or avoid altogether to eliminate the possibility of addiction.  Be careful never to exceed the amount prescribed. In the case of over the counter medications, keeping your overall health situation in mind when choosing a product.  For in

I have had a thyroid problem for years. I was diagnosed as hypothyroid (low levels of thyroid hormone) about thirty years ago.  Once I started taking medication and following up regularly, things were great for a long time. Then, after menopause, I started having problems again.  At that point, my levels were abnormal because of all the changes a woman's body undergoes at this point in life.  In case you are uninformed about the problems caused by thyroid imbalance, here is a short list...it's incomplete but it will give you the idea: Symptoms of Hypothyroidism                                          Symptoms of Hyperthyroidism  ( underactive gland)                                                            ( overactive gland) depressed mood                                                               anxious or agitated sluggish                                                                           jittery slow heart beat                           

A little background about this post: You are what you eat...or so it is said.  And as I am growing older, I see the wisdom in those words. It all started with a bowl of popcorn. I love popcorn, I could eat it by the carload.  I never was particular about brand, and the kind you buy in the microwave bags was good enough for me.  Then when I began my weight loss journey some years ago, I discovered that popcorn was not a bad thing to eat on the plan I followed, if it wasn't drowning in butter or other topping.  I purchased a re-useable microwave popper and a jar of Orville Redenbacher's best.  It certainly did the trick when it came to trimming fat and calories.  In the meantime I noticed that I would have abdominal discomfort whenever I consumed this food as a snack.  I guess that I always had that problem with it but it became more noticeable over time. I started thinking about why I had this problem.  One thought was that I did not drink enough water to help my food pass

After writing the post about the Serenity Prayer, I thought it would be appropriate to share a few thoughts about acceptance.  You might not think this is really an appropriate topic for a pain management blog, but if you'll bear with me for a few paragraphs, you'll see the connection. Image source: Wikipedia What is acceptance? Wikipedia seems to give me the most appropriate description for purposes of  this discussion.  The first paragraph under this topic goes like this: Acceptance  in  human   psychology  is a person's assent to the reality of a situation, recognizing a process or condition (often a negative or uncomfortable situation) without attempting to change it, protest. The concept is close in meaning to 'acquiescence', derived from the Latin 'acquiēscere' (to find rest in). [1] When a person is accepting of a situation or condition--it changes everything!  In chronic pain syndromes this simply means that you know that a cert

Many of you might be familiar with "The Serenity Prayer." It's used at places like Alcoholics Anonymous....but I believe it has its place in the chronic pain world...for those who believe in God, that is.  There's a lot of wisdom here, about acceptance and guidance from above in when we're making decisions about life situations and how to address them. So, without further ado,it goes like this: Image source: Flickr

If you have ever had painful condition, most likely you have taken one of the opioid drugs...and some may take these drugs for chronic pain.  You might know that one of the big side effects of the opioids is constipation. Image source:Flickr Recently some drugs have been developed and FDA approved for this condition. OIC (opioid induced constipation), as it's called is now a medical condition that stems from chronic opioid use. According to the drug manufacturers,  the solution to the problem is...to take a second medication for a problem that's caused by the original medication! I'm sure the people reading this blog have many different opinions about this.  Personally, I think that the only time chronic opioid therapy is appropriate is for people with terminal illnesses.  And for them, I guess these OIC drugs are a blessing.  When your lifetime is going to be shortened by a painful terminal illness, it's not unreasonable to do whatever is needed to minim

If you have an unbearable headache, especially one that is due to high blood pressure...try this simple remedy for rapid, drug free relief. First, find some gauze or light cotton fabric to use for a compress.  Fold the fabric so it has eight layers, and set it aside for a few minutes. Next, measure out 250 ml (8 1/2 ounces) of hot water (140-160) degrees Fahrenheit.  Add two teaspoonfuls of salt to the water and stir until dissolved. What you will now have is an 8% saline solution.   Wash your forehead, ears and neck with a little bit of water. Soak the fabric or gauze in the saline solution and wring out the excess liquid. Lay down and apply the compresses to your forehead, neck and ears.  Once the compresses are applied, lay still for 20 minutes (even though you may start to feel relief very quickly!)   After the twenty minutes have passed, remove the compresses. Rinse the areas where the compresses were applied with plain water. You should be feeling better

I wanted to share this video of Dr. Kent Smalley.  He's a pain management physician who is also a chronic pain sufferer. I've shared things about him before...this time he's answering a question as to whether or not pain medications can cause weight gain.  The answer is more complex than a simple yes or no but he explains it here in about a minute..so have a look! Source:YouTube;Pixabay

Neuropathic pain is one type of chronic pain problem.  The pain is the result of damage to the actual nervous system. Most who experience this type of pain describe it as "pins and needles", burning, stinging, "on fire" or similar.  It must be really annoying to suffer from this, be it a result of diabetic neuropathy, postherpetic neuralgia, or any other neuropathic disorder.  I can't even begin to imagine what it feels like. Shingles (Herpes Zoster) rash on chest However, I have some good news about this topic. I am here to tell you some exciting news about some research  developments in this field.  Recently UC Davis researchers announced that they have discovered a key mechanism in neuropathic pain syndromes. They are saying that a biological process known as endoplasmic reticular stress , or ER stress for short, is a key driver of neuropathic pain. Why is it good news? Because now that this mechanism has been identified, a search for agents/metho

Source: Washington Post You've probably seen some news articles about this topic lately...I thought it was relevant to share in this forum.  The use of opioid pain medications for chronic pain is/was a standard practice for decades.  At this point, there are still many folks out there with chronic pain syndromes who are still being prescribed these medications.  They are, in fact. at increased risk of addiction due to that fact alone.  Now that medical practitioners are starting to think differently about this prescribing practice, some patients are left addicted to these medications but no longer have access to them.  Some of these are actual patients, others may be someone who abused/borrowed Oxycontin and other narcotic analgesics by obtaining them via less than legitimate means.  It's a lot easier to obtain heroin in the present day, so it has become an attractive alternative.   Statistics show that deaths due to heroin overdose have quadrupled since about 2

Because of my blog, I follow a lot of social media.  As you might expect, I have a Twitter account so that I can share my posts and find new material for future blog posts.  One day, I discovered Dr. Harvey Jenkins through my Twitter account.  He is highly educated, knowledgeable pain management physician from the state of Oklahoma. Dr. Jenkins wrote a a very concise, easy to read book that he asked me to read and review on Amazon. After reading the book and doing as he asked, I thought it would be good to share my thoughts with my readers.  The book is entitled "The Patient's Guide to Pain Management." To be perfectly honest, I think this book is a must read for anyone who is looking for medical help with chronic pain issues.  In reading this material, you will understand many things from the doctor's perspective that you might not understand now.  For instance, many pain practitioners have their patients sign treatment contracts when treatment begins.  The con

Today's post is about another of the many pain devices out there.  This time we're looking at sam® , a product that is marketed by ZetrOZ, Inc.  It's an ultrasound device that was approved by the FDA in 2014 for select medical indications.  It is said to have advantage over other devices out there because because it can be worn for up to four hours at a time.  Of course, like the other devices in this category it's drug free...and that is a good thing indeed! Here's where the story gets interesting. A clinical study on this device has received by ZetrOZ...because it has potential use in space!  Apparently, the human spine is elongated by some 2 inches during space travel due to low gravity situation.  The sam® device is being studied for use by astronauts in this situation.  Meanwhile, here on earth, sam® is available by prescription.  Here is a link to a brochure about the device. sam® is said to increase local circulation, improve the ant-inflammatory re

In the ever constant struggle for gender equality comes this news from the world of pain management...and in this case, it would be much easier for science and medicine to resolve if it did not exist. Chronic pain is one of the most prevalent conditions in the medical realm. Nearly one in four Americans has experienced it. Pain management is a very tricky business...medical practitioners are struggling with when to use potentially addicting medications, antidepressants, complementary and alternative medical practices..the list goes on.  This has now become more complicated...because a recent study published in Nature Neuroscience reports that pain sensitivity differs with respect to gender. In other words, this study (conducted in mice) concluded that pain is transmitted via the nervous system differently in men than it is in women. This opens up a whole new avenue into the world of pain management.  In the future we may see different treatment options depending on the gender

Cryotherapy takes the idea of icing an injured body part to a whole new level. Imagine standing inside a tubular structure stark naked, and feeling the effects of liquid nitrogen that's been cooled to a mind-boggling 200 degrees below zero.  It sounds crazy, but some are saying that it works wonders for chronic pain problems. Cryosauna unit Image Source: Wikipedia "Cryosaunas", as they are called, are not widely available here in the US...but they are beginning to appear in various locales. That being said, since its introduction in Japan in the 1970s, there are some true believers.  There's not much in the way of scientific study to back the claims, but those who have regular treatments have said the following: that they experience a feeling of euphoria during treatment sleep quality is improved relief from joint pain, arthritis calorie burn--over 500 to 800 calories are burned over the next several hours! flushes out toxins pain relief is instantan

Many people believe that massage is for the wealthy; that it's a way to be pampered in the same way that going for a facial or pedicure would be.  In truth, a good massage can be a way to make ourselves feel pampered... but it is so much more than that ! According to the Mayo Clinic, massage therapy can decrease swelling and improve joint mobility. Muscle spasms are eased, and blood circulation increases when undergoing massage. It is also possible that this form of therapy can increase the level of endorphins--i.e., the body's naturally occurring pain killer. Stress and anxiety are reduced, and some studies suggest that immune system function improves when massage therapy is applied. There are many health conditions that benefit from massage therapy--among them are cancer, heart disease, digestive disorders, insomnia, fibromyalgia, headaches, and nicotine dependency. Keep in mind that there are many massage techniques available.  Here is a sampling: Swedish Massag

This story about a research study in the United Kingdom is interesting...it brings a whole new meaning to the phrase "keep your fingers crossed." According to the article, the test subjects were exposed to a phantom pain sensation known as thermal grill illusion, and asked to cross their fingers, and uncross their fingers.  It is believed that crossing of the fingers causes brain confusion and helps to reduce pain like sensation. Thermal Grill Image source: Flickr What does this mean for future pain sufferers?  It's not really clear but the concept of using finger crossing or select body postures to relieve pain may come in handy! Here is an excerpt about thermal grill illusion--you can read in entirety by clicking here. "The ‘thermal grill illusion’ refers to paradoxical sensations of heat and pain, resulting from simultaneous application of interlaced warm and cold stimuli to the skin. It provides an interesting model of integrative mechanism

In searching for material for this blog, I came across an interesting article written by Ted Jones, Ph. D., a psychologist.  He begins by saying that good pain management is like a 3 legged stool.  The legs of the stool represent the 3 elements of treatment: interventions, medications, and psychological education/counseling.  All these elements must be in place in order for the stool to remain upright and stable...right? The article goes on to point out more detailed information about each leg of the stool.  As the author is a psychologist, he goes on to say that many people are treated only with interventions and medications...but the psychological leg of the stool is left out, leaving treatment sorely lacking. Why is the psychological aspect of treatment so important?  Because this part of a pain management treatment can help a patient to learn very important coping skills that enhance the overall effectiveness of treatment.  According to Dr. Jones, there are five skills that a

Today's post is based on an interesting story about a woman named Esther Gokhale.  Who, you might ask? She is an acupuncturist in the San Francisco Bay area.  The short story is that she was having some spinal issues.  Unfortunately, she had to have surgery.  After that, she travelled across the globe and into history and anthropology books to understand why some cultures are more prone to spinal issues than others.  Esther's observations are fascinating.  She has some good tips for back pain sufferers, too! You can read this very interesting story by clicking here.    I think it's fascinating and I hope you will too! Sources: NPR; Wikipedia

Most people have taken one or more of drugs from the NSAID class at one time or another. Maybe you're not familiar with the term NSAID, but I bet you know the names ibuprofen or naproxen, or the trade names: Motrin, Advil, Aleve.  The National Ambulatory Study,  conducted in recent years, revealed that 95% of those questioned over a period of 7 years had taken this type of drug. My whole reason for writing this blog is to promote the "less is more" mentality when using medication for pain, and this class of drugs illustrates my point very nicely. So, without further ado, let me elaborate a little bit. While we are greatly familiar with what a great tool these drugs are in the world of pain management, many do not know the risks/side effects that go along with them.  The first one that comes to mind is damage to the GI mucosa...leading to ulcer formation, or even worse, GI bleed.  The more regularly you take these drugs, the more likely you will be to have the