Everyday pain management ideas

In all the time this blog has been in existence, many complementary and alternative medical practices have been discussed.  I must apologize that I never really explained the meaning of those terms. So today, I am going to explain more fully about these concepts. Image source: Wikipedia First, let me explain the concept of alternative medicine . Alternative medicine refers to medical practices outside the scope of the traditional practice of medicine.  One practices alternative medicine when they opt to use a treatment method in place of traditional medicine.  One example is using mindfulness or yoga as a means to control chronic pain instead of using medication.  Another example is the use of herbal supplements in place of traditional medication...perhaps using Saint John's Wort instead of a prescription antidepressant. With that in mind, I can explain the term complementary medicine . Complementary practice means that a person is using a non-traditional medical pract

Until recently, I never heard of the Alexander Technique.  But it has been around since the mid-1900s. Frederick Mathias Alexander was an  Australian actor who suffered bouts of laryngitis when performing.  Doctors could not seem to help him; in time he came to find a way to help himself. He came to realize that excess tension in his neck and body were at the root of his problems, and his discovered a method by which he could help himself to reduce the stress and the tension...and thus the Alexander Technique was born! The doctors who treated Mr. Alexander were quite impressed with the outcome of his efforts. He was persuaded to help others with what he had taught himself.  Over a span of about fifty years he refined his technique to become the Alexander Technique we know today.  Following his death, a number of people who learned from Mr. Alexander taught the technique to others.  Even though you may have never heard of it, this method is alive and well for those who wish to l

Osteoporosis is a common problem.  This condition is basically a softening of the bones, and, if left untreated, can be a risk factor for other, more serious problems.  Risk factors for osteoporosis include the following: Female gender is more at risk than male gender Risk increases with age Those of Caucasian or Asian races have higher risk Family history positive for osteoporosis, especially parent or siblings Those who have smaller body frames have increased risk Low levels of sex hormones (low testosterone or post menopause) have elevated risk History of hyperthyroidism increases risk of osteoporosis Overactive adrenal and/or parathyroid glands have been associated with osteoporosis While having osteoporosis is not a painful condition in and of itself, it can to the risk of fractures which can be debilitating. The most debilitating of these is hip fracture, which is beyond  the scope of this discussion.  Another issue is spinal compression fractures, which are

In August 2014, I wrote a post for this blog about an exciting new approach to pain management known as "optogenetics."  You can read the post in its entirety here ...but here is a brief refresher: Optogentics is an evolving new field that sheds promise on the treatment of many conditions including chronic pain management.  In a nutshell, optogenetics is a technology that employs beams of light to control  selected areas of the brain, essentially turning them on or off. The use of various forms of light to treat disease is not a new idea...consider the use of UV light to treat psoriasis...or light boxes for seasonal affective disorder...or lasers used in surgical procedures. It's not surprising to think that light beams can be used in other ways to treat other disorders..right? Fast forward to November 2015. Now there are reports of studies of implantable optoelectronic systems for treatment of many health conditions via wireless.  These implants, when strateg

Today I just wanted to share a recent article from Pain News Network . Guest columnist Fred Kaeser is a chronic pain patient; he is sharing his experience with readers.  I commend the author for sharing his thoughts and experiences with us. He has much to offer if you're willing to read his article! Click here to have a look--it's a great read! Sources: Pain News Network; Wikimedia

The human brain is a most interesting organ.  Have you ever stopped to think about all the functions carried out by the brain in a typical day?  The brain is sort of like the conductor of an orchestra...sending signals to all parts of the body to control blood pressure, heart rate, ambulation, thoughts, moods, and everything in between.  Pretty amazing stuff, if you stop to think about it. A most fascinating phenomenon known as phantom limb pain illustrates just how complex and amazing the human brain really is.  Phantom limb pain is something that occurs in patients who have experienced an amputation. The brain is telling them that they are having pain in an arm, a foot, a leg that has been surgically removed. But the reality is, that arm, foot, or leg is no longer there! According to medical literature, physicians have been aware of this phenomenon since the 1860s;  In more recent years, there have been many amputations due to injuries of war and diabetes, and this has spur

Researchers are always looking for ways to connect the dots; to try to understand how two things that are seemingly unconnected might really be related.  Today's topic is no exception to that statement. A study based in the United Kingdom has done just this.  The authors report in Journal of Rheumatology about a large scale study of persons with sleep apnea and how it might be related to gout. Their findings indicate that persons who suffered sleep apnea were almost twice as likely to have gout as someone who does not suffer from the sleep issue. The highest risk of having both diagnoses was increased in persons with elevated body mass indexes (BMI). Two things about this study are worth pointing out: 1) Increased BMI is a   strong risk factor for both gout and sleep apnea . 2) Due to episodes of hypoxia, persons with sleep apnea are prone to elevated uric acid levels , thus increasing the risk of developing gout. You might recall that gout results from excess uric