Everyday pain management ideas

For the 14% of Americans who suffer from migraine headache, remedies come in many forms. There are prescription devices and medication  of many sorts on the marketplace; over-the counter medications such as Tylenol or Excedrin Migraine are the product of choice for others. For yet another group, there's nothing more effective than lying in a dark quiet room and waiting for the storm to pass. One study claims that use of peppermint oil may be just what the doctor ordered.   A product known as Stopain Migraine (a menthol gel formulation) was studied at Thomas Jefferson University.  This may not be a treatment of choice for everyone. For example, if a person becomes sensitive to aromas during a migraine attack, this may not be a good option.  On the other hand, peppermint is a pretty benign substance.  Also, there is no rebound headache following use--which can be a problem with some other treatment options. Sources: StopainMigraine.com; Foxnews.com; Wikimedia

Persons with chronic pain disorders know that regular discomfort is a part of every day life.  And while we all know that there are some ways to manage that discomfort, it is ever present.  Wouldn't it be great if there was a way to just...turn if off? The exciting news I have for you today is...maybe someday in the future it will be possible to do just that! About a year ago, researchers at the University of Saint Louis discovered that pain pathways originating in the brain could be the key.  According to their findings, if a certain chemical receptor in the brain and spinal cord was turned on,  the pain pathways in animal models of chronic neuropathic pain were turned off.  Activation of the A3 receptor was accomplished using a naturally occurring substance known as adenosine. Synthetic molecules developed by NIH were also tested during the study. The beauty of using a system such as this is that there are no risks of analgesic tolerance or intrinsic rewards in contrast

Whether you are a chronic pain patient, or anyone else for that matter, here is some food for thought. Every medication known to us has the potential to present us with at least three types of problems-- 1) Medications can interact with other medications in a person's system. 2) Medication can interact with foods that people eat. 3) All medications have side effects . Let me elaborate a bit: Medications can interact  with other medications  in a person's system. Many drugs have the potential to interact with other drugs; it's probably a lot more common than one might believe.  A common reason for this type of problem occurs when both drugs in question are metabolized in the liver, commonly through the cytochrome P-450 system.  In this scenario, both drugs are competing for the same enzyme, and usually one drug will predominate.  This results in a change of effectiveness and/or drug toxicity for one or all of the drugs involved.  The opioid drugs are an examp

A relatively new approach to reducing opioid usage and improving ability to combat chronic pain is the MORE technique. This practice focuses on developing mindfulness skills, i.e. positive psychology. Participants in an 8 week course of treatment learn to reduce their dependence and craving for pain controlling medications by learning to "feel good" through the techniques they learn. It is thought that over the course of time, a person with chronic pain is less able to experience the joys in life because they have been worn down by living in discomfort so much of the time.  Mindfulness Oriented Recovery Enhancement helps these folks to work on their positive emotions by focusing on the positives, such as the beauty of nature.  In this way, a patient learns to resort to the learned techniques instead of medications when they feel bad and need to feel better. Early indications from the initial study at the University of Utah are promising.  It is believed that these s

Moxibustion is an ancient Chinese medical practice employed by some practitioners of acupuncture. These practitioners employ an herb known as "moxa" during an acupuncture session in order to warm and improve blood flow to the area being treated.  Some claim that this practice is effective in relieving chronic pain, especially arthritis. The practice of moxibustion has been around for thousands of years, but...is it true? An article in MedPage Today from 2014 cites a study about this very topic.  A randomized clinical trial was conducted, involving 110 osteoarthritis patients who were unfamiliar to this type of treatment.  It was reported that after six weeks of treatment,three times per week, pain scores were reduced by about half in those who received active treatment. In a similar manner. their physical function difficulty scores also improved greatly! It is interesting to note that after a certain period of time--around 24 weeks of treatment..no further imp

The human nervous system uses several different neurotransmitters to send messages throughout the body. The names of some of these compounds are very familiar: serotonin, norepinephrine, GABA, dopamine, and acetylcholine may come to mind.  One of the lesser known neurotransmitters is the compound glutamate. Fortunately or unfortunately, it appears that this lesser known compound may play a role in pain transmission for those who suffer from fibromyalgia, and perhaps other chronic pain conditions.  It is an excitatory neurotransmitter, meaning that it has a stimulant effect on the nervous system. Researchers report that higher than normal levels of glutamate can be correlated with self reports of increased pain.  For those with fibromyalgia, higher levels of glutamate in the brain (on a chronic basis) may contribute to the prolonged chronic pain experience associated with this condition. Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is a flavor enhancer that is used in the food industry to enhan

" If you can imagine it, you can achieve it. If you can dream it, you can become it."                                          William Arthur Ward This is what I'd like to reflect on in today's post.  I am not talking about the latest breakthrough in pain management research. I am simply asking you to think about some of the non-drug pain management ideas we've explored on this blog in the past--such as dietary changes, weight loss, smoking cessation, and exercise.  It's not easy to find the motivation to make these changes for many of us. These lifestyle changes begin as every journey does--by taking the first step.  But what is the first step?  Is it heading for the gym tomorrow, or starting a  new diet tomorrow?  It is not. What is the first step, then, you ask? And so I will tell you. The first step requires time to think about what you really need to do.  It requires accepting the challenges you will face when you make that very fi