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Oxygen Chamber Therapy May Benefit Patients With Fibromyalgia

Hyperbaric oxygen chambers have been used therapeutically for many years. Best known to most of us as decompression therapy for scuba divers, hyperbaric oxygen is also used for a number of other conditions including carbon monoxide poisoning, wound healing, and radiation burns.  Now, it appears that this treatment may also prove useful for patients with fibromyalgia. And that is exciting news indeed! A small scale study of about 48 women with fibromyalgia preliminarily revealed just that. After two months of this form of treatment, seventy percent of subjects showed significant symptomatic improvement, along with improved brain function.  They were almost indistinguishable from their non fibromyalgia counterparts following treatment, according to one expert. The study findings were reported in the June 2015 edition of PLOS One.  You can read further about this promising research by clicking here . One thing to point out before you get too excited about finding this sort o

Zika Virus: Pain Management Advice From the CDC

The Zika virus has been all over the news lately; nearly a million persons in Brazil have been infected. In addition, may people in Central and South American have become ill due to this mosquito borne virus. Approximately one in five persons who contracts Zika virus will become ill. Symptoms include joint pain, fever, conjunctivitis, and rash.  These symptoms seem to last for about a week, and then go away. Some symptoms of Zika virus closely resemble Dengue fever and Chikungunya. As a matter of fact, all three of these viruses have been known to be carried by the same  variety of mosquitoes! This virus was first identified in Americans sometime around 2007; those who were infected initially contracted the illness due to travel.  However, at this point in time, infected mosquitoes are commonplace in the US. Cases of Zika virus are on the rise here in the states.   While NSAIDs including aspirin and ibuprofen are effective in relief of virus associated joint pain a

New Recommendations on Pain Management for Babies

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recently announced an updated policy with regard to pain management in newborn babies.  Interestingly, they are saying that  painkilling drugs should be a choice of last resort, and that advance planning is key to pain management in a given situation. Instead of medications, the AAP is strongly advising that sensory stimulation should be used to help infants deal with pain.  This would include the use of breastfeeding, skin-to-skin contact, and /or visual, or auditory stimulation.  Gustatory stimulation-- i.e.,the use of aromas-- can also be employed. The AAP goes on to say that administration of glucose/sucrose can be used during individual procedures, but does not recommend it as a continuous method of pain control. These sugars, when used as such, are considered medications, and appropriate monitoring parameters should be in place. Data suggests that opioids, such as morphine, have limited favorable effect. Physicians should be s

The "Hows and Whys" of Using a Pain Diary

Anyone with chronic pain has good days and bad days. They all know that sometimes a bad day can be triggered by changes in weather, diet, activity, and the like.  That's why a pain diary can be a very important tool in the management of a chronic pain condition.  It doesn't cost much money to use this tool, and anyone who is able to read and write can make use of it.  Alternatively, caregivers can keep pain diaries for those in their care. By keeping track of day to day life, chronic pain patients can identify the relationship between painful flare-ups and potential causes of those flare-ups.  By identifying these patterns, a person can learn how to predict problems in advance, and and how to best manage the situation . Additionally, this information can also be shared with health care providers during medical visits. What should be recorded in a pain diary?  The following elements are key: Time and date Recent activities, weather patterns, foods, and possible

The Ups and Downs of Scleroderma

A lesser known condition related to rheumatoid arthritis is scleroderma.  It is also an autoimmune disorder that afflicts some 300,000 Americans.  The name "scleroderma" comes from the Greek language and it can be literally translated as "hard skin." Persons who are afflicted with this disorder experience local or systemic hardening of the connective tissues.  It is a chronic disorder and over time can become life threatening. A human finger affected by scleroderma In similar fashion to rheumatoid arthritis, the joints may be affected, as well as internal organs. This can be painful, and that aspect of scleroderma is the topic for today's post.   Persons with scleroderma experience joint stiffness , especially in the morning, and it is common in the hands.  The hands may feel "puffy" as part of the reason for the stiffness is accumulation of fluid that seems to improve over the waking part of the day.  Unfortunately, medica

Chronic Pain: Why Should Opioids Be Reserved As A Last Resort?

If you look around this blog, you will clearly see that I believe opioid medications should NOT be a first line treatment for chronic pain conditions.  Today I would like to raise a few points as to why I think this is the case.  I know there are many people who use this form of therapy for chronic pain and who would refute my arguments. Perhaps for them this post is too little, too late. But for those of you who are contemplating various treatment modalities, here is what I'd have to say... During the 1990's physicians believed that patients using opioid medications for pain would not have problems of addiction if they took medications as prescribed.  In the years that have passed since then, we have learned that this is not really the case.   Addiction can develop very rapidly. According to the Cleveland Clinic, there are 15,000 to 18,000 deaths per year in the U.S. due to overdoses. There are also a number of side effects associated with opioid usage, including

Rheumatoid Arthritis IS A Deadly Disease!

Most of us know someone who has rheumatoid arthritis (RA). And while we are all familiar with the disfiguration and disability it can cause, we don't think about it being a fatal disease.  The recent death of the Eagle's Glenn Frey brings this issue front and center.  His death was apparently due to rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis, and pneumonia.  That brought me to thinking that this is an appropriate time to raise this issue. First off, while many of my posts are about complementary and alternative medicine...my main reason for sharing these is to help people to understand that opioid therapy should be a last resort rather then a first line therapy.  Rheumatoid arthritis is really a systemic disease, and while many of the posts I share can be of help, they should not be used as stand alone treatments for this particular condition.  Early medical intervention is key to getting RA under control before too much damage is done. I shared a post earlier on in my blog

A Car With Four Flat Tires

I have shared a link to this video before...it was posted on YouTube by the American Chronic Pain Association.  It very accurately explains why anyone with chronic pain should approach the situation with multiple modes of attack.  If you have two minutes to watch this video, it might just change your life! It might also be a good idea to visit the American Chronic Pain Association web site when you have more time.  If you have never done so, it's worth having a look..they have some great resources to explore. Have a great weekend! Sources: YouTube; American Chronic Pain Association

Long Term Opioids Linked To Increased Risk Of New Onset Depression

Chronic pain, by its very nature, has been linked to anxiety and depression.  People with chronic pain frequently suffer anxiety due to the unpredictability of living with a chronic pain condition.  They may also experience depression due to the feelings of incapacity and isolation caused by living with a chronic illness.  Perhaps these individuals can no longer work or care for themselves; perhaps they feel isolated from the world because they cannot experience the daily life that they were once accustomed to. Perpetual Calendar Image source: Wikimedia Now comes a new study in the January/February 2016 issue of Annals of Family Medicine that concludes that the risk of depression is increased when chronic opioid therapy is used to treat these same chronic pain conditions.  According to the authors, the risk is more closely associated with longer duration of therapy and less closely related to the opioid dosage. The study, conducted by Scherrer et. al. at Saint Louis Univers

Foot Pain Combined With Knee Pain....A Disabling Recipe

 A 2014 study of Australians with osteoarthritis of the knee revealed that one in four subjects also had foot pain for at least half the days in the previous month.  The patients who reported pain in both feet and knees also reported a lower quality of life, and higher pain levels. Interestingly, more women than men reported having concurrent foot and knee pain.  Hinman and colleagues, who authored the study, also noted that these patients had higher body mass indexes. It was also noted that in 55% of this patient group experienced pain in both extremities. The authors' analysis of the findings suggests that the foot pain may result from a patient's compensatory response to the knee pain.  That is to say, that knee pain may cause a patient to change their posture in such a way that they put undue pressure on their feet. You can read about this study and all the other findings by the authors by clicking here . Source: MedPageToday; Pixabay

Reducing risk of gout...without medication!

Gout is a painful condition..ask anyone who has it, and I am sure they will have plenty to say about it. The underlying cause of gout is an elevated serum level of uric acid, otherwise known as hyperuricemia.  Elevated uric acid levels have also been associated with other health conditions including cardiac issues and type 2 diabetes.  For this reason, it makes sense to try to control the condition by controlling uric acid levels. Traditionally, this goal has been accomplished using medications. There is a class of drugs known as xanthine oxidase inhibitors . These drugs limit the amount of uric acid that the body can produce. While they are very effective, they have side effects, including low blood counts, reduced liver function, rash and nausea.  NSAID drugs, such as colchicine and ibuprofen are used to combat an acute attack of gout.  These drugs are safe and effective during short term use, but long term use can precipitate GI problems, bleed risk, and cardiovascular or ki

If you have, gout...watch out!

A long term study conducted in the UK found something interesting about patients with gout...something that might sound surprising at first glance. Over the multiple year study, 45,378 patients were followed.  Gout patients smoked more cigarettes and consumed more alcohol than their non-gout counterparts...and they were at a significantly increased risk for atrial fibrillation. During the study, 12% of subjects diagnosed with gout developed atrial fibrillation within 5 years!  It is believed that the elevated uric acid levels of gout patients are the common denominator. Although this study may have its faults, it certainly sheds light on the fact that more research is needed in this area. You can read specifics about the study by clicking this link. Sources: MedPageToday; Wikimedia

Weighted Blankets: Helping to battle anxiety and insomnia

Chronic pain disorders are often associated with anxiety and insomnia...and that is surely no secret! While some patients turn to medications to battle these issues, there are some natural ways to fight back...and today I am going to share one with you! Originally, occupational therapists used weighted blankets to help children with sensory disorders to combat anxieties associated with those conditions.  These blankets are constructed with "pockets" of plastic pellets from top to bottom. The extra weight of the blanket has a calming effect on the person under it; it is thought that the added weight signals the brain to release neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin, causing relaxation. In present day, these blankets have become a powerful tool in the world of psychiatry for other individuals as well...particularly those with anxiety.  These blankets weight anywhere from fifteen to thirty pounds, and act much like a firm hug on those who need relief from

Gluten Free Diet: Beware of unexpected sources of gluten!

Looking back on a previous post about Celiac Disease ,  I thought it might be a good idea to follow up with a post about gluten free diets, which are the only known treatment for this malady.  At first glance, it may seem simple enough to eat gluten free...but when you need to eliminate all gluten from your diet, it's not quite that simple. To this point, here are some examples.  You might be surprised after reading these! 1) Soy sauce, salad dressings, and soups can contain gluten.  Soy sauce is made from fermented wheat; soups and salad dressings often contain malt or flour as a thickening agent. 2) Medications are not necessarily gluten free.   "Gluten Free Drugs" is a good reference for those who need to be in the know.  You can reach it by clicking the link. 3) Condiments are not guaranteed to be gluten free unless they are labelled as such.  Thickening agents and stabilizers are  used in ketchup and barbecue sauce may contain gluten.  The best advice

Osteoarthritis of the Foot: Reducing Pain the Drug Free Way!

Maybe you are familiar with "rocker soles" and foot orthoses...or not. Rocker soles are a feature on some footwear designs today. As the name implies, the bottom of the shoe is somewhat rounded in appearance.Manufacturers of these shoe styles claim that they are beneficial to persons who suffer from various forms of foot pain. Here is a sample image of a shoe with a rocker heel. Foot orthoses are inserts that fit inside the shoe.  There are various styles available. Some can be bought off of a store display such as Dr. Scholl's product line; others are custom made and can be obtained from certain health care professionals, such as chiropractors and podiatrists. These products can serve various functions, such as relief of foot pain or back pain. The question is: do they really work?  A recent study that compared rocker soles and foot orthoses in patients with osteoarthritis of the feet, which is present in at least 35 percent of adults over the age of 35.  Th

Breakthrough in Chronic Pain Relief Just Ahead?

 In late 2015, a very big breakthrough came about in the world of pain management. It's so big, in fact, that a whole new method for treating pain could be just a few years away! University College London scientists made this discovery by examining people with a rare condition which inhibits them from feeling any pain sensation at all.  The scientists that discovered that some "channels" in the nervous system (particularly channel Nav1.7)  conduct the sensation of pain to the brain.  Persons who are deficient in Nav1.7 channels are the rare folks who cannot experience pain. At this point, the focus of the research is to develop drugs that block the transmission of the pain signal along the Nav1.7 channel.  There are a few drugs currently in development, but the effect of the current drugs is weak.  Development of a drug with the appropriate potency could eliminate the need for opioids, or at least greatly reduce it.  While opioids are effective, the addiction po

Surgery or Physical Therapy?? Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Pain, 6 and 12 Months After Treatment

This is good news indeed!  I have had carpal tunnel syndrome for years .  I never opted for the surgery because I can't bear the thought of being out of commission, even if it is only for a few weeks.  I've also heard of surgeries "gone awry"--or perhaps that someone didn't follow post-operative care instructions too well, but still...that just means...more surgery.  Carpal tunnel syndrome here in the US is a cause of lost wages and lost productivity for those affected.  And it can be painful as well. If you're like me , you have new reason for new hope!  A Spanish study followed 120 females with carpal tunnel syndrome for a 12 months, and found that physical therapy vs surgery outcomes were about equal.  So for those of you who feel as I do--here's an option to explore! You can read more about this exciting finding by clicking here.

After Breast Cancer: Aromatase Inhibitor Use Linked to Carpal Tunnel

We all know someone who has had breast cancer...and we all know that many of those affected are survivors. That is indeed good news!  And while we are all grateful that advances in treatment have made this possible, cancer survivors have complications due to the disease, or the treatment of the disease,or both,  that go on for years and years. Aromatase Molecule One such complication of breast cancer treatment was featured in a study that was recently featured in the Journal of Clinical Oncology .  The study compared incidence of carpal tunnel syndrome in patients prescribed anastrazole (an aromatase inhibitor commonly ordered for breast cancer patients) to placebo.  The incidence of carpal tunnel was four times higher in the anastrazole group! The study authors believe that there are two important points with respect to their findings: 1)The anti-estrogen effects of aromatase inhibitors may be to blame for the increased incidence of carpal tunnel syndrome. 2) Development

Pain Shield® Delivers Ultrasound Therapy Via Topical Patch!

The Pain Shield®   was introduced last summer by NanoVibronix , a New York based medical device company.  This device delivers "slow release" ultrasound  via a topical patch.  This presents a new way to treat many types of pain that have been problematic in the past.  The testimonials on the company's website come from patients with many difficult to treat conditions.  Some report trying to treat trigeminal neuralgia for more than 20 years with no apparent success, until this device became available.  Others report positive results for other maladies--foot and shoulder problems, for example. The device is expensive to buy--approximately $800 according to the company website.  The company's FAQs about the product reports that some patients were able to obtain financial assistance through their medical insurance coverage.  If you would like to read more about the device and related information, you can access the company site via this link. It's very exc

What is Trigeminal Neuralgia?

Have you ever heard of trigeminal neuralgia?  It is a relatively rare, but painful condition that affects the nerves between a person's face and their brain.  Most commonly those affected are persons over fifty years of age--and more women than men are affected.  This condition is also referred to as tic douloureux . The causes of this condition include, but are not limited to, stroke, injury, or brain lesions. Trigeminal nerve=area in yellow Those affected with this condition typically experience short, mild attacks . Simple everyday personal care such as shaving or brushing teeth can be excruciating!  A doctor will suspect this condition if a person: --experiences shock--like jolts of pain intermittently in areas of the face --the location of the pain is important; it's tell tale if someone is truly affected by this condition --the circumstances that trigger the pain also help to indicate whether or not this is trigeminal neuralgia A neurological exam will be