February 1, 2011
Sufferers of chronic pain will do anything to gain relief from what they experience every day. Chronic pain sufferers lead a very stressful life because of the constant battle they have with pain. Pain management is what they constantly strive for and this may be quite difficult to find. Some find relief in drugs, which is the common way of dealing with pain.
The problem with pain management with drugs is that it can lead to a drug dependence that could have long-term harmful effects for the patient. That’s why chronic pain sufferers should coordinate closely with their doctors in order to ensure that they won’t develop a dependence to pain medication.
January 14, 2011
Acupuncture is more than just about pins & needles & it is certainly more than just about picking up the phone & dialing the magic numbers from the acupuncture directory. It is a whole new way of looking at health & healing.
Being a bit of a mystic myself I believe that Western medicine does not always have the answers for everything. Everything is connected in a way that is not always easy for us to understand.
Acupuncture cherishes the mystery that surrounds the body & the mind.
A woman or a man is a nexus of energy that flows in & out of his system & acupuncture restores the balance or harmony that could get lost while dealing with the daily grind. It is fun. It is relaxing.
The pain will go away in an instant. It is like getting a massage but the hands that attend to your physical or emotional needs are very tiny indeed. In this sense it is better than reflexology since its focus is more minute or precise. In this sense size is irrelevant.
Healing comes in a variety of surprising shapes & sizes. What is important is to keep a very healthy outlook in life. But if you ever want to try something new perhaps you would find what you’re looking for in something as inconspicuous as an acupuncture directory on your computer.
July 10, 2010
The program should include most of the following features:
* Biofeedback training
* Group therapy
* Counseling
* Occupational therapy
* Family counseling
* Assertiveness training
* TENS units
* Regional anesthesia (nerve blocks)
* Physical therapy (exercise and body mechanics training)
* Relaxation training and stress management
* Educational program covering medications and other aspects of pain and its management
* Aftercare (follow up support after leaving the program)
Family members should be required to be involved in your treatment. Special educational sessions for family members should be provided and joint counseling for you and your family should also be made available.
June 10, 2010
It is not always possible to completely get rid of chronic pain. Your goal may be simply becoming able to do more of your normal activities of daily living than before.
Your doctor may ask you to rate the pain on a scale from 1 to 10. You also need to report whether it is possible to go to work, go shopping, exercise, sleep, or have sexual intercourse.
Sometimes, the only measure of effectiveness of treatment is that you can do certain things that were not possible before the treatment started. This is what your doctor needs to know in order to make decisions about your treatment.
If nothing else works for your pain and your doctor is unwilling to use opioids to control your pain, consider asking for a referral to a pain specialist or a pain clinic.
Source: emedicinehealth.com
October 15, 2009
We can’t deny the fact that the pain we are experiencing even it is mild or acute limits to do our normal activities. It’s hard but we are still finding ways on how to get rid of it right?! So to be able for us to distinguish and control the pain, here are some advice to follow:
1. See your doctor and discuss the pain what you are going through.
2. Ask your doctor about do’s and don’ts while undergoing medication.
3. If your doctor asked you to rate the pain, explain them in detail so that it will not be hard for them to decide about your problem and the treatment. Remember there are lots of pains and the symptoms are all almost the same.
4. If you see that the pain doesn’t change, ask for referral to a pain specialist.
March 10, 2009
Researchers have found that cognitive and behavioral therapy are making headway in terms of pain management which if managed with proper dosage of drugs can even neutralize the debilitating effects of chronic pain. A recognizable reduction of pain in sufferers have been seen with people who have been prescribed counseling and therapy to adjust behavioral aspects and psychological wellness as well. Left untreated, chronic pain can reduce the quality of life of an individual and given the right combination of circumstances may even lead to more suicidal tendencies. (more…)
January 30, 2009
A previous study has come up with alarming statistics that shows smokers to have more tendencies to be suffering from chronic back pain than non-smokers. Researchers are saying that most chronic back pain sufferers tend to turn to tobacco for relief of their ailment which is painful and can be debilitating to most. People who were surveyed showed that people who have smoked for more than 26 years are more likely to have been suffering from the discomfort of back pain for quite sometime.
(more…)
December 30, 2008
Researchers have found that chronic pain and testosterone have a link that translates to the greater number of women who suffer from chronic pain. As it turns out, testosterone has influence on the way muscles in the human body heals thus making men less likely to suffer from chronic pain. The research proves that there is a biological link between pain and fatigue through molecular analysis and the mechanisms that bring out fatigue. The muscles of men deal better with protecting them from damage with the help of the hormone testosterone which occurs only in small amounts in women explaining their higher incidence rate. Researchers are trying to establish a better approach at managing chronic pain to help women better deal with the painful condition.
September 29, 2008
Image Source: klaveness.no
My sister in-law Janet, 35, has a joint problem in her finger, ankle and knee. Unknown cause, it left her to endure the excruciating pain that made it hard for her to sleep and move around. As a mother of two boys, she worked hard to take care of them while the dad is at work. The pain grew worst with stabbing pains in her joints and the inflammation is spreading to other parts of her body. This time her husband took her to a rheumatologist.
The first step in treating chronic pain is to identify the source of the pain, if possible. Many people with chronic pain try to tough it out like what Janet did. Common types of chronic pain include back pain, headaches, arthritis, cancer pain, and neuropathic pain, which results from injury to nerves. But persistent pain should never be ignored because it could signal disease or injury that will worsen if left untreated. Sometimes, it turns out that the cause of pain is unknown.
Treatment for chronic pain is about much more than medication. It can also involve stress relief and relaxation, physical therapy, improved sleep and nutrition habits, and exercise.
Right now, no definite cause of her rheumatoid arthritis but by going up and down the 3 floors the inflammation of her ankle subsided but the pain in her finger is still there especially when it’s cold. She finds relief by taking Arcoxia at night and over the counter mefenamic during the day.
Any given pain is discomforting and can drag us down. But it is about being a mother first that kept her strong and not letting pain define what she can or cant do.
August 8, 2008
image source: www.topnews.in
Chronic pain is a common problem in many long-term illnesses. Chronic pain often has a mental, as well as a physical component. Pain is not all in you head, but you thoughts and feelings about the pain often affects in any way on how much pain you feel. Feeling is anxious, angry, frustrated, or out of control will not do any help in easing the pain and in fact it only makes the pain worse. Our minds and bodies are important allies in effort to manage the pain.
Dealing with chronic pain
Chronic pain is often caused by arthritis, osteoporosis, back problems, cancer or any other conditions. No medicine offers the complete and total relief; it only relieves our pain for a short time. And taking up too many medications can be bad to our body since some active ingredients of the medicine can cause a bad effect despite to the relief that it offers.
