Everyday pain management ideas

Given that fibromyalgia is such a painful condition, it may seem logical to think that treatment should include chronic opioids. After all, the "tender points" that are the hallmark for diagnosing this condition are so excruciatingly painful to the slightest touch . That leads us to question why the practice of prescribing Oxycontin and similar products for round the clock relief...right? If the truth be told, the American College of Rheumatology treatment guidelines for fibromyalgia  specifically state the following in this regard: "Doctors do not recommend opioid narcotics for treating fibromyalgia. The reason for this is that research evidence suggests these drugs are not of great benefit to most people with fibromyalgia. In fact, they may cause greater pain sensitivity or make pain persist." There are currently three drugs on the market that have FDA approval for chronic treatment of fibromyalgia--and all three of them are antidepressants.  Whethe

Have you ever noticed that your body tends to "tense up" in response to discomfort?  If not, maybe it's worth paying attention to.  Many of us actually hold our breath during those difficult moments... I recently read a column written by Sarah Anne Shockley about this very topic.  Ms. Shockley suffers from thoracic outlet syndrome, a condition in which nerves, muscles and blood vessels are compressed in her thorax, making something as simple as breathing very difficult to do without pain. After years of attempts to treat the condition with physical therapy, medications, meditation, exercise and such, she found little to no relief. With a little thought and some experimentation, Ms. Shockley came to discover a whole new approach to her condition. Her breathing awareness technique evolved; this has done much to help her cope with her condition.  I have often stated in this blog that it takes some trial and error on the part of the patient to find what is

An observational study of older Taiwanese adults with migraine suggests that there is a link between migraine headache and the development of Parkinson's disease.  While the study has its shortcomings, it does suggest the possibility that older persons who endure these very debilitating headaches should be monitored for the development of Parkinson's. The exact relationship between these two conditions is unclear; further study is needed determine the connection. Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurological disorder that develops slowly over time.  Early symptoms may include slurred speech, and/or a lack of facial expressions.  Eventually, the patient may develop a tremor, slowed movement, changes in speech and/ or handwriting, and impaired posture or balance. While there is no cure for Parkinson's disease, there are many medications available in the present day that can help control symptoms.  An active lifestyle, including aerobic exercise and a healt

Researchers at Tulane University School of Medicine are working on a genetically engineered version of endorphin.  For those of you who don't know, endorphins are the feel-good, pain killing substance that the human body produces as a way of relieving pain. Endomorphin The genetically engineered version, known as endomorphin, seems to work at least as well as morphine in preliminary studies.  The best part is, the risks of morphine usage--such as respiratory depression and impaired motor skills--do not seem to occur when endomorphin is used.  In addition, endomorphin does not appear to be addictive in nature. According to lead researcher James Zadina,  it's unprecedented to that a peptide such as endomorphin can fight pain so well without the side effects of the opioid drugs currently in use.  Clinical trials are expected to begin within a couple of years. Source: PainWeek; Wikimedia

Today I am sharing a link to WebMD's slide show on chronic pain. Many Americans suffer from various forms of chronic pain:  arthritis, migraine headaches, post herpetic neuralgia, back pain, etc. etc. I would encourage you to have a look at the slide show.  There's a lot of good advice in this short presentation about pain relieving solutions that just might be of help.  If you take nothing else from this post, here is the main thing to remember: If you suffer from pain on a regular basis--even if it's mild pain--it's worth your while to seek medical attention.  You might just be able to prevent a potentially serious condition from becoming disabling or even fatal. Your body talks to you...so please listen carefully! Sources: WebMD; Pixabay

Did you know...that for individuals with chronic pain, forty percent of the problem can be traced to their diet? Well, it's true. And sadly, the foods that are the most problematic are the very foods we love oh so much .  Eating these foods, especially when we know they are triggers, can mess us up for weeks on end.  Doctors and other health care providers are not always in the loop about this.  They do need to become more knowledgeable so they can help patients to help themselves.  In the end, those same patients will feel better more of the time and rely on medications much less.  That's a winning combination! So, which foods should be avoided?  Start with bread, flour, sugars, artificial sweeteners, fruit juices, potatoes, and hydrogenated fats.  Those seem to affect most everyone.  Read the ingredients on all the foods you eat.  You'd be surprised how many wheats, fats, etc. you are consuming without even thinking about it.  This kind of diet is not about losi

According to a 2015 NIH study, nearly 50 million Americans suffer from some form of chronic or severe pain. That number is alarming. And if that isn't bad enough, chronic pain not only affects an individual, but all family, friends, husbands, wives, and others connected to that individual. Maybe those not affected by chronic pain don't stop to think about the impact of this statistic.  For one thing, chronic pain affects the most intimate relationships because it can impact the ability to be physically intimate.  Consider fibromyalgia as an example... even the slightest touch can be excruciating. That's only one example--many other possibilities exist. At some point, someone with chronic pain may even "opt out" of physical love completely, just because it hurts too much . Pain management medications take their toll on these relationships as well.  In as much as they benefit the patient, side effects such as decreased libido and fatigue can be a problem.