Everyday pain management ideas

When someone is dependent on opioids, it's difficult to stop the drug and try a new form of treatment for a number of reasons: 1) There may be a fear that a different form of treatment will not work as well as current treatment. 2) Withdrawal from opioids can be a very uncomfortable process. This can include muscle aches, restlessness, anxiety, tearing of the eyes, sweating, insomnia, abdominal issues (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, cramping), racing heart, and hypertension.  Knowing this in advance must surely be a deterrent to stopping these drugs! 3) The euphoria that some people experience when taking opioids will no longer be a part of life. Some addiction medicine specialists use prescription drugs such as Subutex or Suboxone to treat patients who have used or abused opioids and need to stop.  The problem here is that these drugs will block the withdrawal symptoms but that's all.  The dependency problem is still there underneath it all. When I worked as a ho

I really like to crochet...and one day when I was showing someone a few pictures of my work, I was told that persons who are under treatment for PTSD are shown how to knit or crochet for therapeutic reasons.  Hmmm...I thought--I am going to do a little research on that topic! One of the things I found was this story from CNN that illustrates this point exactly.  According to the article, crafting can help anyone with anxiety, PTSD, chronic pain, and/or depression.  While no specific research has been done on crafting, studies have shown that the same cognitive skills used to complete crossword puzzles may be used when a person is crafting. I can tell you from experience that I have a little anxiety and have a history of some chronic pain disorders. When I have my yarn and hook working away, I could care less about any of those issues. I just get lost in my project and loose all sense of reality. And before you know it, I have produced a blanket, a scarf or a hat...made with lo

At the moment, there is much debate about whether or not pain levels should be considered "the fifth vital sign."  This idea came about some years ago when pain control became one of the quality measures in hospital care. The hospitals, in turn, relied mostly on medication to score well on those quality measures.  Who does this idea really benefit in the end...the hospital, who may benefit from higher insurance or Medicare reimbursements due to higher scores...or the patient? I am interested in what you might think about this topic; feel free to comment if you like.  My own personal opinion is that pain is NOT a vital sign because it's not a measure of life and death.  But I also believe that it is important to help people manage their pain levels as much as possible.  It means that those who are suffering should learn self-management from the earliest point possible, and showing them all the options that are possible, and where to find those options. In the p

Many patients who are diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) find themselves on a serious, and intensive medication regimen..and while these are definitely effective, it's good to know that sometimes there are alternative choices.  If effective, alternative remedies can save a patient from side effects and drug interactions and can be cost saving as well. Fish oil capsules Here is one example of an alternative treatment that can be effective.  Fish oil has been studied in patients with existing RA back in the 1990s and found to be minimally effective. But in the past year, an Australian study, published in Annals of Rheumatic Medicine. The study compared the use of high dose fish oil , low dose fish oil, and standard treatment regimens in patients who had RA for less than one year.  Those patients who were on the high dose fish oil regimen were less likely to progress to more advanced forms of treatment, and seemed to score better on remission assessments than those t

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can really affect the quality of a person's life. Just ask anyone who has been diagnosed as such, or one of their family members or friends.  More than likely, they will have a lot of information to share with you. In a prior post, "Rheumatoid Arthritis IS A Deadly Disease"  you will find a list of some things that cause an RA patient to suffer above and beyond the usual.  You will see that there are some things on the list that these patients can control...and that's what today's post is about. Himalayan Pink Salt Some of these things are lifestyle changes--and while they are not easy, they can happen. One of those things is modification of salt intake.  The American diet is pretty high in sodium as is. Opting for reduced sodium food products and using salt substitutes such as "Mrs. Dash" or pink himalayan salt can be a good place to start.  While himalayan salt does contain sodium, it has slightly less sodium than ta

Do you suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome?  I have been dealing with it for twenty five years or more. I am hesitant to opt for the surgery because of the long recovery times, and because it does not necessarily guarantee a cure. I have known people who benefitted from the surgery, and some who required more surgery after the first one. In the meantime, I go through periods of time when it's not bothersome and other periods where I awaken during the night with the feeling of pins and needles from elbow to hand.  I have rigid wrist braces and they really do offer some relief. The disadvantages I find are that they are cumbersome and make it difficult to do just about anything involving hands during waking hours.  I tend to wear them overnight when I do use them. A study published in the June issue of CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) compares this traditional method of splinting vs. splinting with electroacupuncture for treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome.  Of the

You may (or may not) realize it--but there are antacid products on the US pharmaceutical market that contain "salicylates"--which are a form of aspirin.  One example it Pepto-Bismol®: just look at the active ingredients and you'll see the term "bismuth subsalicylate". Herein lies the problem..as salicylates are a form of aspirin, they carry all the risks of aspirin and all the other NSAID drugs.  Recently the FDA has been monitoring reports of increased bleed risk with use of these drugs.  Many people take a daily dose of aspirin to reduce the risk of stroke or heart attack. Who would think that taking a product for an upset stomach on top of this could be such a serious problem? My advice to you...ALWAYS read labels carefully when you purchase over the counter products. Just because a product is available over-the-counter does not mean it's risk free.  Make sure you understand exactly what you are taking and why you are taking it!  Check with your