Maybe your knees aren’t what they once were, and a leisurely walk around the block has become a painful ordeal. Perhaps too much time hunched in front of the computer has left your shoulders an aching mess. Young or old, you’re in good company. More than 11 percent of Americans suffer from chronic pain, according… Continue reading Exploring Options for Relieving Chronic Pain
Tag: pain
Aging and Chronic Pain
Age may play a difference in how severely and for how long a person experiences chronic pain, according to a small, preliminary University of Florida Health study. This could mean that older adults could be at risk for developing chronic pain and may benefit from taking anti-inflammatories soon after an injury or procedure, according to… Continue reading Aging and Chronic Pain
The Emotional and Physical Pain of Fibromyalgia
Sometimes, not knowing the truth about something of immediate importance can create some of the most intense stress, says former chronic pain sufferer Janet Komanchuk. “The families of victims who’ve been missing for years or decades – identifying the body of their loved one, for example, can bring closure. For me, being diagnosed with fibromyalgia… Continue reading The Emotional and Physical Pain of Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia: What You Need to Know
Fibromyalgia is a long-term (chronic) pain condition that affects 5 million or more Americans ages 18 and older. Most people diagnosed with it are women, though men and children may also have it. And some disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis or lupus, may also occur simultaneously with fibromyalgia. Here, from the experts at the National… Continue reading Fibromyalgia: What You Need to Know
Women with Knee Osteoarthritis Experience More Pain Than Men Do
Among patients with osteoarthritis of the knee, women experienced greater sensitivity to various pain modalities — such as lower tolerance to heat, cold, and pressure — and greater widespread pain than men. The study was published in October 2015 in Arthritis Care & Research. A release from the pubisher notes that the findings may be… Continue reading Women with Knee Osteoarthritis Experience More Pain Than Men Do
3 Signs Your Feet Need Help
Everybody’s feet ache from time to time. But according to podiatric surgeon Trevor Prior, of Homerton University, London, the following symptoms are signals that your feet need some serious attention: 1. Your shoes hurt. Many foot problems are related to inappropriately fitting shoes. A Homerton University Hospital study demonstrates that 90% of patients & 90%… Continue reading 3 Signs Your Feet Need Help
The Placebo Effect May Really Work
The placebo effect – being “cured” by something that really isn’t medicine – seems to work even if you know what you’re getting is fake, researchers say. The discovery, by University of Colorado-Boulder researchers, was published in The Journal of Pain. But the investigators also found that the subjects need ample time – four sessions… Continue reading The Placebo Effect May Really Work
Coping with Chronic Pain
Chronic pain is one of our most common health issues, and too often people put up with it rather than try to eliminate it. Here, from the experts at the National Institute on Aging, are your best strategies for solving a debilitating problem: Acute Pain and Chronic Pain There are two kinds of pain. Acute… Continue reading Coping with Chronic Pain
A New Treatment for Fibromyalgia?
Women who have fibromyalgia appear to benefit from treatment in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber, according to researchers at Rice University and institutes in Israel. The painful condition improved in every one of the 48 women who completed two months of hyperbaric oxygen therapy, the researchers said. Brain scans of the women before and after treatment… Continue reading A New Treatment for Fibromyalgia?
An End to Cancer Pain?
A study led by University of Toronto researcher Dr. David Lam, head of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at the Faculty of Dentistry, has discovered the trigger behind the most severe forms of cancer pain. Released in the journal Pain this in April 2015, the study points to TMPRSS2 as the culprit: a gene that is… Continue reading An End to Cancer Pain?
ER Patients Need to Know More about Pain Management
Patients in the emergency room want to know more about the possibilities for pain management than their doctors are telling them. They also want to know about the risk of opioid dependency. The study, by researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, used semi-structured open-ended telephone interviews with 23 patients… Continue reading ER Patients Need to Know More about Pain Management
More Ways to Fight Migraine Pain: An FDA Update
Thought there was no hope for treating your migraine headaches? Don’t give up. In the past year, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given adults new options for treating migraines by allowing the marketing of two prescription devices for such headaches. People who don’t tolerate drug treatments well might find relief by using the… Continue reading More Ways to Fight Migraine Pain: An FDA Update
Solving the Problem of “Sundowning”: Tips for Caregivers
Editor’s note: Sundowning, the time of day when Alzheimer’s symptoms worsen, is often frustrating and debilitating for a caregiver as well as a patient. Here, from the National Institute on Aging, is a guide that offers strategies on how to cope: Late afternoon and early evening can be difficult for some people with Alzheimer’s disease.… Continue reading Solving the Problem of “Sundowning”: Tips for Caregivers
Spinal Surgery Can Help Patients Over 80
Patients over 80 can still benefit from spinal surgery, according to a new study. The finding has broad significance, since the U.S. population age 80 and older is increasing rapidly, with a jump of 22 percent between 2000 and 2010. Along with that goes an increase in the number of patients with acute spinal conditions.… Continue reading Spinal Surgery Can Help Patients Over 80
Male/Female Differences: Not as Big as You Think
Although conventional wisdom says men and women are very different – men are stoic, women are emotional, for example – a new study indicates that the two genders are much more alike than commonly believed. Zlatan Krizan, an associate professor of psychology at Iowa State University, and colleagues conducted a synthesis of more than 100… Continue reading Male/Female Differences: Not as Big as You Think
Celebrate National Yoga Month!
Yoga, once a relatively unknown practice that many considered exotic, has gone so mainstream that September has been declared National Yoga Month. According to the federal Centers for Disease Control (CDC), more than 13 million adults in the U.S. practice yoga. And the number seems to be growing. People have several different reasons for taking… Continue reading Celebrate National Yoga Month!