Everyday pain management ideas

In this episode of TalkZone.com, you can listen to Dr. Scott Fishman, a leading management specialist speak on This Week in America with Rick Bratton: "Help for Chronic Pain". I listened to this before posting; nothing here that has not been addressed in this blog before--but I hope listening to Dr. Fishman will help someone out there! Dr. Fishman is an anesthesiologist/pain medicine physician who is affiliated with UC Davis. He is an author/contributor of several books about pain management.

   For some chronic pain conditions, there are few or no medications to help treat the condition.  For other conditions, there are medications..but the pain persists on one level or another.  Adding complementary pain management techniques can help you to get the fullest relief possible.  Seek to control pain on three levels: mind,body and soul! This is a story about Summer Suleiman, a blogger and contributing writer for CNN…(based on the source below…) Years of dreaded episodes of fatigue, nausea and dizziness had come and gone. They would last for days at a time, haunting as a ghost, then disappearing without a trace. This began at age 5. At 24, she was still battling the debilitating symptoms that wreaked havoc on her body. And no one knew why. Finally, two years ago, a doctor provided the answer. The diagnosis: a rare genetic disorder called Familial Mediterranean Fever, a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by frequent attacks of fever, s...

Ever watch the popular TV show, "Doctor Oz"? In this first of a three part video series on pill free pain solutions, he explores cold laser therapy with his chiropractor guest.  Click the caption to have  a look! Get Dr. Oz's latest pill-free pain solutions! Whether you live with back, joint or inflammatory pain, Dr. Oz has ways for you to heal yourself without medication. Find out why cold laser therapy and dietary changes could provide you with the relief you've been waiting for. Source : Dr. Oz website

Ultrasound therapy has been in existence in the world of physical therapy for over 50 years. While most of us know the use of ultrasound in the world of diagnostics, and of course to determine the health and gender of a baby in utero , a lot of us don't know that it can be used in pain management as well! There are mixed opinions as to whether the real benefit of therapeutic ultrasound is a placebo effect, but it is believed that the sound waves generated during treatment generate heat very deep in the affected tissue--far deeper than a heating pad or warm compress could provide.  There are no known harmful effects to ultrasound treatments. This type of pain management treatment is most often provided by a physical therapist, but there are some devices available for home use.  For further information about this treatment modality, visit About.com:Therapeutic Ultrasound in Physical Therapy.

Did you know that there are internet radio programs/networks for chronic pain sufferers? Here is one such item. Let me know what you think by commenting on this post. If this is something my readers would like to see, look for more is about this in the future! Blog Talk Radio: Fibromyalgia and Chronic Pain

As we venture along the behavior modification journey, things we did not see or know before become readily apparent.  We find new and improved ways to do the things we set out to do. A course correction is not a bad thing. It might even make achieving goals easier than we ever thought possible! So, in this final post on behavior modification we focus on the concept of learning.  We are never too old to learn new ways!  Never give up on learning; never be afraid to change paths on the road to becoming a better you! Coming up next week "Fibromyalgia Week!" Sources: http://solidstatelighting.files.wordpress http://www.hometownsevier.com/wp-

      per·sis·tence noun \pər- ˈ sis-tən(t)s, - ˈ zis-\ : the quality that allows someone to continue doing something or trying to do something even though it is difficult or opposed by other people : the state of occurring or existing beyond the usual, expected, or normal time   --Merriam Webster

Today I am addressing the element of Behavior Modification that pertains to belief.  Simply stated, in order to change any behaviors that will help you to manage chronic pain--you need to believe in the rationale for changing that behavior and also believe in yourself. This is where creating small goals and coming up with a strategy really come in handy. By making changes by taking small steps you are more likely to succeed !

Strategic planning is an individual's process of determining how they are going to reach a predetermined goal, and making decisions based on the intended goal. In order to determine  future direction  it is necessary to understand one's current position and the possible ways through which  particular courses of action can be pursued. Generally, strategic planning deals with at least one of three key questions: What am I going to do? How am I going to do this? What is my definition of success?            When making plans to change a behavior on your road to better pain management, make sure you know what your goal is going to be.  Try to be realistic because if you set the bar too high it will be much more difficult to succeed. It is much better to accomplish your goal, whether it is to quit smoking or drinking, lose weight, or try a new form of therapy, through a series of small steps rather than one giant step....

For many of us, some of the things that would have the most benefit in terms of pain management are indeed lofty goals.  Trying to quit smoking, lose weight, begin an exercise program...each one of these is a big change in and of itself.  It is possible to make these changes, but it's not going to happen overnight. So now, we come to the obvious question:  Where do I start?  And the answer is: At the beginning, of course.  But for any given person, the beginning is not the same thing. It is up to an individual,  and no one else, what the first step is going to be.  Perhaps you are not a smoker and you already exercise and have good control of weight....for you, maybe it's time to try the anti-inflammatory diet or try occupational therapy or biofeedback.  Maybe you are the person who really needs to cut back on cigarettes.  No matter what it is that needs to change, it is up to you and you alone what to change and what the prioritie...

I have just discovered something wonderful to share with all of you: The Arthritis Kitchen Blog!  It is written by someone who has been dealing with RA since the age of 8, and believes, as I do, that healthy eating is an essential part of overall treatment.  Kitchen Salli, as she calls herself, also loves to cook and shares recipes and thoughts here. Have a visit when you have some time (the link is in the underlined name above). You will not be disappointed!

Do you agree? Note: Next week's posts will be about behavior modification, since much of the material I present is really a matter of behavior modification!

Occupational therapy is an interesting field.  The role of the occupational therapy is to live and function to the fullest degree possible.  It is the occupational therapist who helps disabled children, stroke victims, and even people with autism and other such disorders to improve functionality.  Chronic pain is yet another area where these therapists play a role. Occupational therapy is based upon the sciences of physical medicine, psychiatry, and behavioral psychology. For chronic pain patients objectives of occupational therapy are: to help the pain patient decipher which activities or behaviors intensify pain teach methods to help decrease the amount of time in pain teach techniques to decrease pain intensity help patients to improve function in daily activities and in the workplace show patients how to adapt to a lifestyle based on good health habits Source: About.com: Ways to Manage Your Arthritis Pain

Thinking back on last week's series on the Anti-Inflammatory diet, I realized that you now have lots of information on what to eat--but not much information on what NOT to eat. So here is a short list to help you along: As discussed in my post on fruits and vegetables ,some RA patients do not tolerate members of the nightshade family because these foods can provoke the inflammatory response. Alcohol intake in excess is known to provoke inflammation.  Regular consumption of alcohol can promote the inflammatory response from head to toe, especially the larynx, liver, and stomach. Beware of processed, packaged, or prepared foods --there is some likelihood that they contain harmful oils, sugar, and artificial sweeteners.  Sometimes we really don't know what we are eating! Avoid hydrogenated and trans fats . There are known healthy alternatives to these ingredients, but in many cases they are not used by grocery stores and bakeries. White sugar and sweets are...

For my final post this week, I am sharing a sample  menu ideas  from an article about creating your own anti-inflammatory diet plan.  There are, of course, many other options but this should help anyone who is interested to get off to a good start! Diet Menu There are certain food items which help in the prevention of inflammation, and certain foods which cause inflammation. An anti-inflammatory diet is a healthy diet that ensures prevention of serious conditions. Here is a sample diet menu. Feel free to modify the menu. You can add your favorite dishes to the menu or remove the ones you don't like. However, keep in mind that the foods which you include in your menu are among anti-inflammatory foods. Breakfast Ideas Oatmeal Mixed fruits with whole grain toast Whole grain toast with almond butter spread and grape juice Lunch Ideas Salad and chicken with steamed vegetables Turkey curry with brown rice Apple with spinach (whole ...

    Arthritis The number one cause of disability in America, according to the Center for Disease Control is arthritis. Symptoms of arthritis include finding it difficult to perform daily tasks where you use your hands, or  a painful, sharp sensation in your joints. If you experience these symptoms, you may have arthritis. A compound in green tea called epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) was found by University of Michigan researchers  to alleviate arthritis pain. Drinking green tea in the morning and night may help soothe joint pain. Hot green  tea works better is of more benefit, because the steam releases more of the EGCG compound. Psoriasis Green tea can help combat psoriasis, a sometimes painful condition in which the skin flakes and causes lesions. Medical College of Georgia researchers tested green tea in association with psoriasis, finding that the tea reduced skin cell production rates, therefore benefiting persons with this autoim...

Here's Your Gold Watch - Rheutired: Let Me In on Rheumatoid Awareness Day : February 2 is Rheumatoid Arthritis Awareness Day and also Groundhog Day. We're nothing like the groundhog. Every morning when we get up ...

This is a share from fellow blogger RA Warrior... 3 Rules of Fair Play for People Living with Rheumatoid Disease