Everyday pain management ideas

The FDA recently approved a new approach to treat (and hopefully, eliminate) chronic low back pain in the last several weeks.  Known as INTRACEPT®, this new therapy uses minimally invasive surgery to deliver radio frequency to select portions of the lower spine.  The goal of this treatment is ablation of the basivertebral nerve. As such, it is said to be the first treatment of its kind for those who have failed conservative treatment of   > 6 months duration  You can read more about this newly approved treatment by clicking here. Relievant Systems, the innovators of the INTRACEPT system, have provided a video via YouTube which shows a simulation of the procedure using this device.  You can view the video here: As of the time of this writing , Relievant Systems has not yet updated their website to indicate where or when this product will be available in the US.  For future reference, you can access that site by clicking here . Sources: Painweek; Relievant.com;YouTube;PRNews

Recently, I posted a piece about using genetics to predict who would most benefit from opioid prescribing and who would be most prone to addiction.  As if that isn't interesting enough, I came across another study...a study that looked back at opioid usage to find out if there was a relationship between pain levels and Opioid Usage Disorder (OUD). Interestingly, this study (Olfson et. al.) does indicate that there is a relationship between these two things.  This study authors found that the risk of OUD was higher in those persons who reported higher pain levels.  Those who reported elevated pain levels and OUD were also more likely to have recent substance abuse disorders, family history of alcohol abuse, and/or anxiety and mood disorders Their was also an increased risk of OUD in males and young adults. The study authors caution that under-treating pain can lead to addiction; they do not advise against opioid prescribing but advise exercising caution. You can read

Another new way to treat chronic pain is on the horizon...and while we are in the midst of an opioid crisis, these developments can't come soon enough. A study of  a group of addicted veterans in treatment compared this emerging therapy to a more conventional one...and the results are promising! Known as ImPAT (Improving Pain During Addiction Treatment), this new strategy combines cognitive behavioral therapy(CBT) and acceptance and commitment therapy.  These two (ACT) psychological treatments are not usually available as a combined therapy, but when utilized together in this study : the intensity of their pain decreased their ability to function increased alcohol consumption decreased One of the best things about this type of therapy include the fact that it's very inexpensive and as such, it's cost effective. In addition, those who participated in weekly sessions for 10 weeks experienced the benefits of therapy for up to a year. All I can say is... wow!

Are you a chronic pain patient who has been on opioids for a long time?  Or maybe a physician who has patients like this?  As you might know, there is no magic formula for "getting off" of an opioid regimen.  The risks of long term use of opioids is quite clear. In addition, after a period of use, the effectiveness of an opioid regimen seems to diminish. One thing is for certain.  If a patient has been on an opioid regimen for an extended period of time, an abrupt discontinuation can lead to withdrawal symptoms. That is certainly not a good plan of action! So, how can a patient find their way off of one of these treatment regimens in a healthy way? Here are some suggestions based on a lecture at the World Congress of the World Institute of Pain in May 2016: 1) For patients on multiple opioid regimens, decrease long acting opioids first . This way the patient still has the shorter acting opioids available if necessary. 2) Go slowly .  Reduce dosage of remaini

Serotonin  is an important chemical in the human body.  In a nutshell, it's a neurotransmitter that's involved in many body processes.  The current thinking on depression and anxiety (which often accompany chronic pain syndromes) is that there is an imbalance in the central nervous system mainly due to low levels of serotonin.  Many of the medications we use to treat depression belong to a class of drugs known as SSRIs, or  S elective S erotonin R e-uptake I nhibitors. These drugs help the body to make the most use of the serotonin a person has in their body by keeping it "active" as much as possible. But this is not the only way serotonin levels can be boosted.  There are many natural phenomenon that help fulfill this purpose.  It's good to know that these practices can help to accomplish the same goals that these medications do.  If you are a person who does not wish to take these medications, I would like to share these ideas with you today! So, wit

Today's post is for all those who struggle to get a good night's sleep. Insomnia is a problem for many people, and when you have chronic pain it's part of the picture to be sure.  The traditional approach to insomnia often includes hypnotics, also known "sleeping pills." These products are effective but can lead to sedation during daytime hours, and also dependency. Other traditional methods to improve quality of sleep include improving "sleep hygiene." This includes rituals such as avoiding eating for a given period of time before bed, setting regular bedtime and awaking times, and avoiding light from cell phones, TVs, digital clocks and the like during sleeping hours.   Now we have a new option...available by prescription only, the Cereve Sleep System was approved by the FDA in June 2016.  As I understand it, the device is attached to a pad which the user wears on the forehead during sleep periods.  The device gently cools the foreh

If you have been in your local drugstore lately...or maybe seen on TV...the makers of " Aleve " have a new product on the market.   Aleve Direct is a tens unit that you might find in the pain relief section of the store.  I also noticed that the makers of Icy Hot have a similar product on store shelves as well. This is a brilliant move by the manufacturers in my opinion.  By attaching a familiar name to these new products, maybe some people will be less skeptical about trying them out.  That is definitely a step in the right direction! While this product is not currently available at Amazon.com, it must have been in the past. Here is a link  to the customer reviews section for this product. While there are less then 10 reviews of this writing for the most part it's pretty positive feedback! Sources: Aleve.com; Amazon.com. Wikimedia