Archive for the ‘Alternative Medicine’ Category
Bruce Bailey, Ph.d. asked:
Perhaps the hardest part of having arthritis or a related condition is the pain that usually accompanies it. Managing and understanding that pain, and the impact it has on one’s life, is a big issue with most arthritis sufferers. The first step in managing arthritis pain is knowing which type of arthritis or condition you have, because that will help determine your treatment. Before learning different management techniques, however, it’s important to understand some concepts about pain.
No. 1: Not All Pain is Alike
Just as there are different types of arthritis, there are also different types of pain. Even your own pain may vary from day to day.
No. 2: The Purpose of Pain
Pain is your body’s way of telling you that something is wrong, or that you need to act. If you touch a hot stove, pain signals from your brain tell you to pull your hand away. This type of pain helps protect you. Chronic, long-lasting pain, like the kind that accompanies arthritis, is different. While it tells you that something is wrong, it often isn’t as easy to relieve.
No. 3: Causes of Pain
Arthritis pain is caused by several factors, such as (1) Inflammation, the process that causes the redness and swelling in your joints; (2) Damage to joint tissues, which results from the disease process or from stress, injury or pressure on the joints; (3) Fatigue resulting from the disease process, which can make pain worse and more difficult to bear; and (4) Depression or stress, which results from limited movement or no longer doing activities you enjoy.
No. 4: Pain Factors
Things such as stress, anxiety, depression or simply “overdoing it” can make pain worse. This often leads to a decrease in physical activity, causing further anxiety and depression, resulting in a downward spiral of ever-increasing pain.
No. 5: Different Reactions to Pain
People react differently to pain. Mentally, you can get caught in a cycle of pain, stress and depression, often resulting from the inability to perform certain functions, which makes managing pain and arthritis seem more difficult. Physically, pain increases the sensitivity of your nervous system and the severity of your arthritis. Emotional and social factors include your fears and anxieties about pain, previous experiences with pain, energy level, attitude about your condition and the way people around you react to pain.
No. 6: Managing Your Pain
Arthritis may limit some of the things you can do, but it doesn’t have to control your life. One way to reduce your pain is to build your life around wellness, not pain or sickness. This means taking positive action. Your mind plays an important role in how you feel pain and respond to illness.
Many people with arthritis have found that by learning and practicing pain management skills, they can reduce their pain. Thinking of pain as a signal to take positive action rather than an ordeal you have to endure can help you learn to manage your pain. You can counteract the downward spiral of pain by practicing relaxation techniques, regular massage, hot and cold packs, moderate exercise, and keeping a positive mental outlook. And humor always has a cathartic effect.
No. 7: Don’t focus on pain.
The amount of time you spend thinking about pain has a lot to do with how much discomfort you feel. People who dwell on their pain usually say their pain is worse than those who don’t dwell on it. One way to take your mind off pain is to distract yourself from pain. Focus on something outside your body, perhaps a hobby or something of personal interest, to take your mind off your discomfort.
No. 8: Think positively. What we say to ourselves often determines what we do and how we look at life. A positive outlook will get you feeling better about yourself, and help to take your mind off your pain. Conversely, a negative outlook sends messages to yourself that often lead to increased pain, or at least the feeling that the pain is worse. So, “in with the good, and out with the bad.”
Reinforce your positive attitude by rewarding yourself each time you think about or do something positive. Take more time for yourself. Talk to your doctor about additional ways to manage pain.
Bruce Bailey, Ph.D.
[Whittier Chiropractor]
Perhaps the hardest part of having arthritis or a related condition is the pain that usually accompanies it. Managing and understanding that pain, and the impact it has on one’s life, is a big issue with most arthritis sufferers. The first step in managing arthritis pain is knowing which type of arthritis or condition you have, because that will help determine your treatment. Before learning different management techniques, however, it’s important to understand some concepts about pain.
No. 1: Not All Pain is Alike
Just as there are different types of arthritis, there are also different types of pain. Even your own pain may vary from day to day.
No. 2: The Purpose of Pain
Pain is your body’s way of telling you that something is wrong, or that you need to act. If you touch a hot stove, pain signals from your brain tell you to pull your hand away. This type of pain helps protect you. Chronic, long-lasting pain, like the kind that accompanies arthritis, is different. While it tells you that something is wrong, it often isn’t as easy to relieve.
No. 3: Causes of Pain
Arthritis pain is caused by several factors, such as (1) Inflammation, the process that causes the redness and swelling in your joints; (2) Damage to joint tissues, which results from the disease process or from stress, injury or pressure on the joints; (3) Fatigue resulting from the disease process, which can make pain worse and more difficult to bear; and (4) Depression or stress, which results from limited movement or no longer doing activities you enjoy.
No. 4: Pain Factors
Things such as stress, anxiety, depression or simply “overdoing it” can make pain worse. This often leads to a decrease in physical activity, causing further anxiety and depression, resulting in a downward spiral of ever-increasing pain.
No. 5: Different Reactions to Pain
People react differently to pain. Mentally, you can get caught in a cycle of pain, stress and depression, often resulting from the inability to perform certain functions, which makes managing pain and arthritis seem more difficult. Physically, pain increases the sensitivity of your nervous system and the severity of your arthritis. Emotional and social factors include your fears and anxieties about pain, previous experiences with pain, energy level, attitude about your condition and the way people around you react to pain.
No. 6: Managing Your Pain
Arthritis may limit some of the things you can do, but it doesn’t have to control your life. One way to reduce your pain is to build your life around wellness, not pain or sickness. This means taking positive action. Your mind plays an important role in how you feel pain and respond to illness.
Many people with arthritis have found that by learning and practicing pain management skills, they can reduce their pain. Thinking of pain as a signal to take positive action rather than an ordeal you have to endure can help you learn to manage your pain. You can counteract the downward spiral of pain by practicing relaxation techniques, regular massage, hot and cold packs, moderate exercise, and keeping a positive mental outlook. And humor always has a cathartic effect.
No. 7: Don’t focus on pain.
The amount of time you spend thinking about pain has a lot to do with how much discomfort you feel. People who dwell on their pain usually say their pain is worse than those who don’t dwell on it. One way to take your mind off pain is to distract yourself from pain. Focus on something outside your body, perhaps a hobby or something of personal interest, to take your mind off your discomfort.
No. 8: Think positively. What we say to ourselves often determines what we do and how we look at life. A positive outlook will get you feeling better about yourself, and help to take your mind off your pain. Conversely, a negative outlook sends messages to yourself that often lead to increased pain, or at least the feeling that the pain is worse. So, “in with the good, and out with the bad.”
Reinforce your positive attitude by rewarding yourself each time you think about or do something positive. Take more time for yourself. Talk to your doctor about additional ways to manage pain.
Bruce Bailey, Ph.D.
[Whittier Chiropractor]
Dr. Barton asked:
So you thought your back pain would go away by itself…
A recent study involving sufferers of low back pain in the British Medical Journal (2/05/98), contradicted the previous claim in the BMJ that back pain resolved itself naturally. A follow up found that 91% of those in the survey were still experiencing back pain 12 months later.
Make no mistake; if you have low back pain, you have a problem.
Most low back pain is the result of an injury. Sometimes these injuries happened years ago. I often have patients tell me that they have had low back pain before, but it has “always gone away”. This is usually the worst type of problem. Our body uses pain to tell us that we have a problem. (I promise the problem is not a shortage of Motrin in your body!) In our infinite wisdom, we take the drugs, cover up the back pain without fixing the problem, and our back pain temporarily goes away. We think we are fine, until it happens again and it always does. This time the back pain is a little worst and takes longer to go away and we continue this insanity until the problem is severe.
What causes low back injuries resulting in low back pain?
There are many ways low back injuries occur. The more important question is what do I do now?
Few GP’s will admit, as Dr Phil Hammond does in his book Trust Me I’m A Doctor that “they are not very good at treating back pain”. Most GP’s are reluctant to refer outside the NHS, even though chiropractors are specially trained to identify and advise on the specific cause of your spinal dysfunction (back pain). The bones of your spine protect the spinal cord as well as the nerve roots, sometimes they lose their normal motion or position (vertebral subluxation complex), and this can irritate the nerves that branch off the spinal cord to all the tissues of your body, resulting in back pain being experienced.
In order for the spine to be flexible, the vertebrae are joined together by soft tissue structures known as discs. Each disc is made up of two parts – a central soft core and outer rings of tough cartilage. The discs allow movement and also help to absorb shock. A slipped disc is the rather inaccurate term used to describe the condition, often in the lower back, where trauma or ‘wear and tear’ have caused damage to the outer rings of cartilage, so that the core is squeezed outwards. This can result in a bulge which can press on the spinal cord, the nerve root or the nerve itself. It can cause excruciating back pain, or referred elsewhere – for example in the lower leg or foot. Over my 22 years in practice, I have developed techniques that mobilize the spine to reduce any pressure around the spinal cord or nerves; offering patients not only back pain relief, but correction of the problem that is causing the back pain.
Do Medical Treatments and Surgery help?
The medical approach is at times necessary – even back surgery has a place. But according to some studies, most spinal surgery for acute lower back pain should be rarely performed. Many people who have had back surgery report a recurrence of their back pain within a year or two of the operation and may return to the operating table. In some cases the surgery makes no difference in their back pain whatsoever, and in some cases it does not give long-term relief.
The Chiropractic Approach:
Barton Chiropractic in Concord has helped thousands of people with low back pain, saving them from pain, disability, drugs and surgery. The approach at Barton Chiropractic in Concord is to make your spine and its nerves, discs ligaments and muscles healthier, stronger and more stable by correcting your vertebral subluxation. Anyone suffering from back pain should contact Barton Chiropractic in Concord to make sure they have no subluxations and have them corrected with a chiropractic adjustment if necessary. This may make the difference between a life of ease, health and comfort and a life of back pain, disease and disability.
What did the Government Studies reveal?
Major government studies from the US, Canada and UK have reaffirmed what chiropractic patients have been telling their friends with back pain for years: “Why don’t you see my chiropractor? You’ll get better much faster than from drugs or surgery- and it’s safer too.
In 1991 the Medical Research Council established chiropractic as one of the preferred and most effective methods of care for acute low back pain. “Chiropractic almost certainly confers worthwhile long term benefits in comparison with hospital outpatient management”. “If all these patients were referred for chiropractic instead of hospital treatment, the annual cost would be a reduction of some 290,000 days in sickness absence during 2 years, saving about 13 million in output and 2.9 million in social security payments”. British Medical Journal, June 2nd 1990 – www.chiropractic-uk.co.uk.
A panel of medical experts spent 2.5 years reviewing nearly 4,000 studies and reported that expensive tests (MRI, CAT scans) and therapies typically used to diagnose and treat acute lower back pain are largely useless. Instead the experts recommended the non-drug chiropractic approach.
The Manga Report commissioned by the government of Ontario in Canada, found that chiropractic care for patients with low back pain is superior to medical care in terms of safety, scientific evidence of effectiveness, cost and patient satisfaction.
Chiropractic is better for you!
Studies have shown chiropractic works better, is safer and less costly than standard medicine for lower back pain.Why are the results so overwhelmingly in favor of Barton Chiropractic in Concord? Because Drugs (painkillers, muscle relaxants, Valium…), physical therapy and surgery are not designed to correct vertebral subluxation only cover up your back pain and allow you to die more comfortably. Call us today at 925 685-2002 to make an appointment. We Can Help You!
Whittier Chiropractor
So you thought your back pain would go away by itself…
A recent study involving sufferers of low back pain in the British Medical Journal (2/05/98), contradicted the previous claim in the BMJ that back pain resolved itself naturally. A follow up found that 91% of those in the survey were still experiencing back pain 12 months later.
Make no mistake; if you have low back pain, you have a problem.
Most low back pain is the result of an injury. Sometimes these injuries happened years ago. I often have patients tell me that they have had low back pain before, but it has “always gone away”. This is usually the worst type of problem. Our body uses pain to tell us that we have a problem. (I promise the problem is not a shortage of Motrin in your body!) In our infinite wisdom, we take the drugs, cover up the back pain without fixing the problem, and our back pain temporarily goes away. We think we are fine, until it happens again and it always does. This time the back pain is a little worst and takes longer to go away and we continue this insanity until the problem is severe.
What causes low back injuries resulting in low back pain?
There are many ways low back injuries occur. The more important question is what do I do now?
Few GP’s will admit, as Dr Phil Hammond does in his book Trust Me I’m A Doctor that “they are not very good at treating back pain”. Most GP’s are reluctant to refer outside the NHS, even though chiropractors are specially trained to identify and advise on the specific cause of your spinal dysfunction (back pain). The bones of your spine protect the spinal cord as well as the nerve roots, sometimes they lose their normal motion or position (vertebral subluxation complex), and this can irritate the nerves that branch off the spinal cord to all the tissues of your body, resulting in back pain being experienced.
In order for the spine to be flexible, the vertebrae are joined together by soft tissue structures known as discs. Each disc is made up of two parts – a central soft core and outer rings of tough cartilage. The discs allow movement and also help to absorb shock. A slipped disc is the rather inaccurate term used to describe the condition, often in the lower back, where trauma or ‘wear and tear’ have caused damage to the outer rings of cartilage, so that the core is squeezed outwards. This can result in a bulge which can press on the spinal cord, the nerve root or the nerve itself. It can cause excruciating back pain, or referred elsewhere – for example in the lower leg or foot. Over my 22 years in practice, I have developed techniques that mobilize the spine to reduce any pressure around the spinal cord or nerves; offering patients not only back pain relief, but correction of the problem that is causing the back pain.
Do Medical Treatments and Surgery help?
The medical approach is at times necessary – even back surgery has a place. But according to some studies, most spinal surgery for acute lower back pain should be rarely performed. Many people who have had back surgery report a recurrence of their back pain within a year or two of the operation and may return to the operating table. In some cases the surgery makes no difference in their back pain whatsoever, and in some cases it does not give long-term relief.
The Chiropractic Approach:
Barton Chiropractic in Concord has helped thousands of people with low back pain, saving them from pain, disability, drugs and surgery. The approach at Barton Chiropractic in Concord is to make your spine and its nerves, discs ligaments and muscles healthier, stronger and more stable by correcting your vertebral subluxation. Anyone suffering from back pain should contact Barton Chiropractic in Concord to make sure they have no subluxations and have them corrected with a chiropractic adjustment if necessary. This may make the difference between a life of ease, health and comfort and a life of back pain, disease and disability.
What did the Government Studies reveal?
Major government studies from the US, Canada and UK have reaffirmed what chiropractic patients have been telling their friends with back pain for years: “Why don’t you see my chiropractor? You’ll get better much faster than from drugs or surgery- and it’s safer too.
In 1991 the Medical Research Council established chiropractic as one of the preferred and most effective methods of care for acute low back pain. “Chiropractic almost certainly confers worthwhile long term benefits in comparison with hospital outpatient management”. “If all these patients were referred for chiropractic instead of hospital treatment, the annual cost would be a reduction of some 290,000 days in sickness absence during 2 years, saving about 13 million in output and 2.9 million in social security payments”. British Medical Journal, June 2nd 1990 – www.chiropractic-uk.co.uk.
A panel of medical experts spent 2.5 years reviewing nearly 4,000 studies and reported that expensive tests (MRI, CAT scans) and therapies typically used to diagnose and treat acute lower back pain are largely useless. Instead the experts recommended the non-drug chiropractic approach.
The Manga Report commissioned by the government of Ontario in Canada, found that chiropractic care for patients with low back pain is superior to medical care in terms of safety, scientific evidence of effectiveness, cost and patient satisfaction.
Chiropractic is better for you!
Studies have shown chiropractic works better, is safer and less costly than standard medicine for lower back pain.Why are the results so overwhelmingly in favor of Barton Chiropractic in Concord? Because Drugs (painkillers, muscle relaxants, Valium…), physical therapy and surgery are not designed to correct vertebral subluxation only cover up your back pain and allow you to die more comfortably. Call us today at 925 685-2002 to make an appointment. We Can Help You!
Whittier Chiropractor
Igor Stiler asked:
Most of us who have had to see a loved one or friend spend many an agonizing hour in the hospital would agree that no patient deserves to suffer from pain, especially from chronic pain. Whether chronic or acute, pain is something which distresses those afflicted by it, often interfering in their daily activities and ruining their sleep. Pain management programs incorporate several modalities used in tandem with one another and ranging from massages to the surgical insertion of electrotherapy devices.
Pain management programs are used in the treatment of a multiplicity of pain types including:
• Back pain
• Neck pain
• Myofacial pain
• Cancer pain
• Neuropathic pain
• Headaches
• Pain that follows a surgery
• Pediatric pain
Pain management programs are directed at enhancing the physical, social and psychological functioning of the individual. A patient should be wise in selecting the right program from the right pain management clinic to get maximum benefit. The first step in selecting a suitable program is finding a suitable clinic in close proximity to your home and which has a separate, specialized pain management section. The section should include such medical professionals as neurologists, psychiatrists, anesthesiologists, physical therapists, and nurses; and these professionals should be well-versed in the pain management techniques. The program should also offer features such as counseling for both the patient and his family, facilities for exercise training, and follow-up services.
The techniques used in pain management programs can be non-invasive or invasive. Common among the non-invasive methods of managing pain are manual methods (like osteopathy and chiropractics), exercise, use of narcotic medications and analgesics, electrotherapy and cognitive therapy. Invasive methods include radiofrequency radio ablations, prolotherapy, and medications.
Pain management programs offered by competent pain management clinics focus on personalized care. Once the program has started, the progress made by the patient is reviewed at intervals and changes are made if necessary, to the program of care. The reality is that a particular pain management program may sometimes initially not work for a patient. Though results can’t be expected overnight, once the patient has found himself the right approach, the road to recovery wouldn’t be too far off.
Whittier Chiropractor
Most of us who have had to see a loved one or friend spend many an agonizing hour in the hospital would agree that no patient deserves to suffer from pain, especially from chronic pain. Whether chronic or acute, pain is something which distresses those afflicted by it, often interfering in their daily activities and ruining their sleep. Pain management programs incorporate several modalities used in tandem with one another and ranging from massages to the surgical insertion of electrotherapy devices.
Pain management programs are used in the treatment of a multiplicity of pain types including:
• Back pain
• Neck pain
• Myofacial pain
• Cancer pain
• Neuropathic pain
• Headaches
• Pain that follows a surgery
• Pediatric pain
Pain management programs are directed at enhancing the physical, social and psychological functioning of the individual. A patient should be wise in selecting the right program from the right pain management clinic to get maximum benefit. The first step in selecting a suitable program is finding a suitable clinic in close proximity to your home and which has a separate, specialized pain management section. The section should include such medical professionals as neurologists, psychiatrists, anesthesiologists, physical therapists, and nurses; and these professionals should be well-versed in the pain management techniques. The program should also offer features such as counseling for both the patient and his family, facilities for exercise training, and follow-up services.
The techniques used in pain management programs can be non-invasive or invasive. Common among the non-invasive methods of managing pain are manual methods (like osteopathy and chiropractics), exercise, use of narcotic medications and analgesics, electrotherapy and cognitive therapy. Invasive methods include radiofrequency radio ablations, prolotherapy, and medications.
Pain management programs offered by competent pain management clinics focus on personalized care. Once the program has started, the progress made by the patient is reviewed at intervals and changes are made if necessary, to the program of care. The reality is that a particular pain management program may sometimes initially not work for a patient. Though results can’t be expected overnight, once the patient has found himself the right approach, the road to recovery wouldn’t be too far off.
Whittier Chiropractor
Igor Stiler asked:
Pain management is one area of medicine which has seen several technological advancements across the globe. Spurred by this global happening, chronic pain management clinics in developing countries have also begun using novel techniques in the areas of pain imaging, pain assessment, and intervention for chronic pain management.
Chronic pain can refer to any type of pain that endures even after an injury has been healed, pain connected to any degenerative or relentless disease, long-standing pain for which the cause cannot be identified, or cancer pain. In general, pain that continues even after six months is chronic and requires treatment.
The diagnosis and treatment of a particular patient at a chronic pain management clinic usually requires the involvement of several specialists including anesthesiologists, psychiatrists, physiatrists, neurologists, and nurses. Several therapies are combined in order to at least make the patient feel more comfortable if the pain cannot be stopped, to help him/her return to work, to do away with his/her depression, and to improve his/her physical functioning. Thus, these therapies are medication, surgery, psychological counselling, therapies to stimulate the nerves, lifestyle changes, anesthesiological therapies, and rehabilitation.
Medication recommended for patients in chronic pain management clinics can vary from NSAIDS for pain that is not too bad to narcotic drugs for more severe pain. Physical therapy is one common therapeutic technique used in the management of chronic pain in such clinics. It involves training the patient to enhance his flexibility, endurance, and strength; to move in a way that is structurally correct and safe; and most importantly to handle pain. Therapeutic exercise is an important feature of physical therapy.
Another important technique used in chronic pain management clinics is Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS). This technique provides relief for patients suffering from conditions such as arthritic pain or pain in the lower back, by the use of low-voltage electric current.
To sum up, once pain has become chronic, complete freedom from the pain is difficult. However, chronic pain management clinics, through the use of multiple techniques used in conjunction with one another, can help sufferers of chronic pain enjoy a happier and more active life.
[Whittier Chiropractor]
Pain management is one area of medicine which has seen several technological advancements across the globe. Spurred by this global happening, chronic pain management clinics in developing countries have also begun using novel techniques in the areas of pain imaging, pain assessment, and intervention for chronic pain management.
Chronic pain can refer to any type of pain that endures even after an injury has been healed, pain connected to any degenerative or relentless disease, long-standing pain for which the cause cannot be identified, or cancer pain. In general, pain that continues even after six months is chronic and requires treatment.
The diagnosis and treatment of a particular patient at a chronic pain management clinic usually requires the involvement of several specialists including anesthesiologists, psychiatrists, physiatrists, neurologists, and nurses. Several therapies are combined in order to at least make the patient feel more comfortable if the pain cannot be stopped, to help him/her return to work, to do away with his/her depression, and to improve his/her physical functioning. Thus, these therapies are medication, surgery, psychological counselling, therapies to stimulate the nerves, lifestyle changes, anesthesiological therapies, and rehabilitation.
Medication recommended for patients in chronic pain management clinics can vary from NSAIDS for pain that is not too bad to narcotic drugs for more severe pain. Physical therapy is one common therapeutic technique used in the management of chronic pain in such clinics. It involves training the patient to enhance his flexibility, endurance, and strength; to move in a way that is structurally correct and safe; and most importantly to handle pain. Therapeutic exercise is an important feature of physical therapy.
Another important technique used in chronic pain management clinics is Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS). This technique provides relief for patients suffering from conditions such as arthritic pain or pain in the lower back, by the use of low-voltage electric current.
To sum up, once pain has become chronic, complete freedom from the pain is difficult. However, chronic pain management clinics, through the use of multiple techniques used in conjunction with one another, can help sufferers of chronic pain enjoy a happier and more active life.
[Whittier Chiropractor]
Alan Densky asked:
The axiom “no pain, no gain” simply is not true. Envision all of the times pain has hindered you from engaging in activities that you enjoy – perhaps running, playing tennis, fishing and even sitting can be impossible when you are in pain. Did you gain anything from missing out on memories?
However, the adage that “Pain is all in your head” can, in fact, be true. If that is the case, then the cure is all in your head, also. With hypnosis, pain can disappear completely. Despite what you may think, hypnosis is simply a mental state during which messages can reach the unconscious more easily. The state of hypnosis is characterized by deep relaxation. In fact, with regular practice of a self hypnosis pain elimination regimen, you will feel much more calm over all.
Pain is a signal that something in your body is amiss. So pain is actually a positive thing. But after you have your doctor check you out to ensure that the pain is not indicating a harmful condition like a tumor, it’s time to manage or even eliminate the pain.
There is no risk in a hypnotherapeutic pain relief program. You cannot “get stuck” in a hypnotic state. The worst that would ever happen when you use self hypnosis for pain reduction is that you could fall into a natural state of sleep for a half hour- think of all of the nights that pain has kept you from sleeping!
This is not to say that a hypnotherapeutic pain management system is similar to sleep, because that is the major misunderstanding about hypnosis. When you are asleep, you’re unconscious. If you are unconscious, then you cannot hear anything. If you cannot hear anything, then a hypnotherapist cannot assist you. Hypnosis is actually a state of keen awareness.
Despite being consciously aware of everything, hypnotherapeutic pain management programs can tackle both physical and mental causes and introduce many effective avenues to eliminate pain. Medicines only block the reception of the physical symptoms of pain briefly, but hypnotherapeutic pain regimens can actually decrease the amount and strength of pain signals that you sense. You can literally reprogram your body to send less pain-inducing chemicals to your receptors. This means that you can use fewer pain-killing medications, or in many cases no medications at all.
Endorphins are opiate-like elements that are manufactured in the brain. They are the elements that cause athletes to get a high when they workout very hard. Using self hypnosis, you can also discover how to program your brain to create pain-relieving endorphins on demand and then send them to the painful area where they are required.
Thanks to endorphins, the brain is capable of inducing analgesia, which is a mild anesthesia, as well as complete anesthesia (numbness). Medical journals are full of reports both in pre-anesthesia days, as well as in modern times, when major surgery has been completed under hypnoanesthesia.
Hypnosis can also be used to program the mind to direct your attention away from pain, which will help you perceive much less discomfort. Further, hypnotherapeutic pain management CDs can help our mind realize and understand that the pain is there, but not to let us feel it. A qualified hypnotherapist will know how to completely address additional hypnotic suggestions that will aid in your recovery.
A very effective hypnosis pain remedy lies in Neuro-Linguistic Programming, or NLP. No doubt that after dealing with chronic pain, you may be doubtful that a hypnotherapeutic pain program will get the job done. In many cases, NLP techniques actually are more successful for modern thinkers than traditional hypnosis does because it was created for people like you who are brought up to question and analyze everything. When we analyze, we tend to put up barriers to the acceptance of post-hypnotic suggestions.
Stressful feelings always make us perceive far more pain than we are actually experiencing. One of the most successful NLP patterns for eliminating stress is known as the “Flash.” This tool reprograms the unconscious mind to use mental images that create stress to actually trigger thoughts that create feelings of relaxation in their place. After you have used this technique, it will be difficult or impossible to think the thoughts that trouble you, because your unconscious will instantly and automatically exchange them in a Flash for thoughts that relax you instead.
Self hypnosis and pain relief go hand in hand. If you are exhausted from coping with prescriptions that render you in no condition to drive or to fully experience life, or worse, of living with the throbbing, stabbing or shooting pulsations of discomfort, a hypnosis pain elimination program can provide safe, natural and instantaneous relief.
[Whittier Chiropractor]
The axiom “no pain, no gain” simply is not true. Envision all of the times pain has hindered you from engaging in activities that you enjoy – perhaps running, playing tennis, fishing and even sitting can be impossible when you are in pain. Did you gain anything from missing out on memories?
However, the adage that “Pain is all in your head” can, in fact, be true. If that is the case, then the cure is all in your head, also. With hypnosis, pain can disappear completely. Despite what you may think, hypnosis is simply a mental state during which messages can reach the unconscious more easily. The state of hypnosis is characterized by deep relaxation. In fact, with regular practice of a self hypnosis pain elimination regimen, you will feel much more calm over all.
Pain is a signal that something in your body is amiss. So pain is actually a positive thing. But after you have your doctor check you out to ensure that the pain is not indicating a harmful condition like a tumor, it’s time to manage or even eliminate the pain.
There is no risk in a hypnotherapeutic pain relief program. You cannot “get stuck” in a hypnotic state. The worst that would ever happen when you use self hypnosis for pain reduction is that you could fall into a natural state of sleep for a half hour- think of all of the nights that pain has kept you from sleeping!
This is not to say that a hypnotherapeutic pain management system is similar to sleep, because that is the major misunderstanding about hypnosis. When you are asleep, you’re unconscious. If you are unconscious, then you cannot hear anything. If you cannot hear anything, then a hypnotherapist cannot assist you. Hypnosis is actually a state of keen awareness.
Despite being consciously aware of everything, hypnotherapeutic pain management programs can tackle both physical and mental causes and introduce many effective avenues to eliminate pain. Medicines only block the reception of the physical symptoms of pain briefly, but hypnotherapeutic pain regimens can actually decrease the amount and strength of pain signals that you sense. You can literally reprogram your body to send less pain-inducing chemicals to your receptors. This means that you can use fewer pain-killing medications, or in many cases no medications at all.
Endorphins are opiate-like elements that are manufactured in the brain. They are the elements that cause athletes to get a high when they workout very hard. Using self hypnosis, you can also discover how to program your brain to create pain-relieving endorphins on demand and then send them to the painful area where they are required.
Thanks to endorphins, the brain is capable of inducing analgesia, which is a mild anesthesia, as well as complete anesthesia (numbness). Medical journals are full of reports both in pre-anesthesia days, as well as in modern times, when major surgery has been completed under hypnoanesthesia.
Hypnosis can also be used to program the mind to direct your attention away from pain, which will help you perceive much less discomfort. Further, hypnotherapeutic pain management CDs can help our mind realize and understand that the pain is there, but not to let us feel it. A qualified hypnotherapist will know how to completely address additional hypnotic suggestions that will aid in your recovery.
A very effective hypnosis pain remedy lies in Neuro-Linguistic Programming, or NLP. No doubt that after dealing with chronic pain, you may be doubtful that a hypnotherapeutic pain program will get the job done. In many cases, NLP techniques actually are more successful for modern thinkers than traditional hypnosis does because it was created for people like you who are brought up to question and analyze everything. When we analyze, we tend to put up barriers to the acceptance of post-hypnotic suggestions.
Stressful feelings always make us perceive far more pain than we are actually experiencing. One of the most successful NLP patterns for eliminating stress is known as the “Flash.” This tool reprograms the unconscious mind to use mental images that create stress to actually trigger thoughts that create feelings of relaxation in their place. After you have used this technique, it will be difficult or impossible to think the thoughts that trouble you, because your unconscious will instantly and automatically exchange them in a Flash for thoughts that relax you instead.
Self hypnosis and pain relief go hand in hand. If you are exhausted from coping with prescriptions that render you in no condition to drive or to fully experience life, or worse, of living with the throbbing, stabbing or shooting pulsations of discomfort, a hypnosis pain elimination program can provide safe, natural and instantaneous relief.
[Whittier Chiropractor]
peterhutch asked:
The evaluation of abdominal pain requires an understanding of the possible mechanisms responsible for pain, a broad differential of common causes, and recognition of typical patterns and clinical presentations. All patients do not have classic presentations. Thus, unusual causes of abdominal pain must also be considered, especially in elderly and immuno compromised patients.
The differential diagnosis of generalized abdominal pain in adults is entirely different from that in children, with the caveat that children gradually progress from infancy to adulthood and so an adolescent is more an adult than a child. A colicky pain comes and goes or at least fluctuates in intensity. The patient may writhe about during the pain, seeking a comfortable position. The pain of peritonitis is constant and the patient lies still as movement aggravates the pain.
Acute abdominal pain can represent a spectrum of conditions from benign and self-limited disease to surgical emergencies. Evaluating abdominal pain requires an approach that relies on the likelihood of disease, patient history, physical examination, laboratory tests, and imaging studies. The location of pain is a useful starting point and will guide further evaluation. For example, right lower quadrant pain strongly suggests appendicitis.
Abdominal Pain in Adults Causes
1. Diseases people worry about most are appendicitis, gallbladder disease, ulcers, infections, and pregnancy associated problems.
2. Doctors also worry about the following conditions: ruptured blood vessels, heart attack, liver and pancreas inflammation, kidney stones, problems with the blood circulation to the intestine, diverticulitis, and other diseases.
Symptoms
The type of pain can vary greatly. When abdominal pain occurs, it can:
*Be sharp, dull, stabbing, cramp-like, twisting or fit many other descriptions
*Be brief, come and go in waves, or it can be constant
*Make you throw up (vomit)
The pain may take the form of cramps that come and go or it may be constant. It may feel like stabbing, aching, or burning in your abdomen. Pain may also spread to your back or chest. Sometimes the pain may be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or fever.
Abdominal Pain in Adults Treatment
Abdominal pain without fever, vomiting, vaginal bleeding, passing out, chest pain, or other serious symptoms often gets better without special treatment.
If the pain persists or if the patient believes the pain may represent a serious problem, they should see their healthcare provider.
A heating pad or soaking in a tub of warm water may ease the patient’s pain.
Over-the-counter antacids, such as Tums, Maalox, or Pepto-Bismol, also can reduce some types of abdominal pain. Activated charcoal capsules also may help.
Pain relief – your pain may not go away fully with painkillers but it should ease.
Fluids – you may have fluids given into a vein to correct fluid loss and rest your bowel.
Medicines – for example, you may be given something to stop you vomiting.
Whittier Chiropractor
The evaluation of abdominal pain requires an understanding of the possible mechanisms responsible for pain, a broad differential of common causes, and recognition of typical patterns and clinical presentations. All patients do not have classic presentations. Thus, unusual causes of abdominal pain must also be considered, especially in elderly and immuno compromised patients.
The differential diagnosis of generalized abdominal pain in adults is entirely different from that in children, with the caveat that children gradually progress from infancy to adulthood and so an adolescent is more an adult than a child. A colicky pain comes and goes or at least fluctuates in intensity. The patient may writhe about during the pain, seeking a comfortable position. The pain of peritonitis is constant and the patient lies still as movement aggravates the pain.
Acute abdominal pain can represent a spectrum of conditions from benign and self-limited disease to surgical emergencies. Evaluating abdominal pain requires an approach that relies on the likelihood of disease, patient history, physical examination, laboratory tests, and imaging studies. The location of pain is a useful starting point and will guide further evaluation. For example, right lower quadrant pain strongly suggests appendicitis.
Abdominal Pain in Adults Causes
1. Diseases people worry about most are appendicitis, gallbladder disease, ulcers, infections, and pregnancy associated problems.
2. Doctors also worry about the following conditions: ruptured blood vessels, heart attack, liver and pancreas inflammation, kidney stones, problems with the blood circulation to the intestine, diverticulitis, and other diseases.
Symptoms
The type of pain can vary greatly. When abdominal pain occurs, it can:
*Be sharp, dull, stabbing, cramp-like, twisting or fit many other descriptions
*Be brief, come and go in waves, or it can be constant
*Make you throw up (vomit)
The pain may take the form of cramps that come and go or it may be constant. It may feel like stabbing, aching, or burning in your abdomen. Pain may also spread to your back or chest. Sometimes the pain may be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or fever.
Abdominal Pain in Adults Treatment
Abdominal pain without fever, vomiting, vaginal bleeding, passing out, chest pain, or other serious symptoms often gets better without special treatment.
If the pain persists or if the patient believes the pain may represent a serious problem, they should see their healthcare provider.
A heating pad or soaking in a tub of warm water may ease the patient’s pain.
Over-the-counter antacids, such as Tums, Maalox, or Pepto-Bismol, also can reduce some types of abdominal pain. Activated charcoal capsules also may help.
Pain relief – your pain may not go away fully with painkillers but it should ease.
Fluids – you may have fluids given into a vein to correct fluid loss and rest your bowel.
Medicines – for example, you may be given something to stop you vomiting.
Whittier Chiropractor
Ray Attebery asked:
Causes of nerve pain are numerous but the main ones include:
>Damaged and/or compressed nerves due to a traumatic event such as a fall,
>Nerve damage following surgery,
>Sciatica,
>Plantar fasciitis or foot pain in general,
>Fibromyalgia, pain in the muscles, ligaments, and tendons,
>Nerve damage caused by drug abuse,
>Post-herpetic Neuralgia (PHN), the onset pain from the Shingles Rash,
>Diabetes, neuropathy and neuropathic pain.
To get pain relief, you have several options, but none of them work all the time, and most are not without risk to your body one way or the other. The body has the unique ability to adjust to most medications, in that, over time given sustained use; it requires more and more of the same pain relief medicine to achieve the same level of pain relief.
* The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney diseases reports that over the counter NSAIDS such as aspirin, ibuprofen and the like may temporarily ease your pain but their use is not without risk to other areas of your body.
* Any product with capsaicin as an ingredient may offer temporary pain relief.
* Certain depressants such as amitriptyline, imipramine, or nortriptyline are sometimes effective.
* Clinical trials indicate that Mexiletine is effective in treating pain.
* Codeine can be used for a short time to relieve pain, but it can be very addictive.
* Homeopathic Drugs and Applications can be very effective.
* Alternative medicines such as Menastil, EZ Pain Relief and Heartland are topically applied.
* Other pain treatments…
* Acupuncture
* Electrical stimulation devices (TENS)
* Hypnosis
* Biofeedback
Special Note: The American Medical Association does not accept homeopathy, but it doesn’t reject it either. “The AMA encourages doctors to become aware of alternative therapies and use them when and where appropriate,” says AMA spokesman Jim Fox. “Even professionals who practice homeopathy warn that nothing in medicine–either conventional or alternative–is absolute”, states Mr. Fox.
The key to dealing with your pain is understanding the root cause of pain. ALL pain, is due to nerve damage agitation, no exceptions. The level of nerve agitation and resultant pain is directly related to the inflammation present in the painful area which reduces the level of blood and oxygen flow into the infected area.
The most effective pain relief medications, cause the nerve ends to relax and allow the blood and oxygen to flow back into the infected area to effectively cut-off the signals to the spinal cord and therefore to the brain resulting in pain relief. You still have the problem, you just do not feel it as much.
Non-narcotic, non-addictive, all natural pain relief medications are available from The Centre for Pain Relief. Check out their website to determine if one of their products can help you with your painful condition.
Whittier Chiropractor
Causes of nerve pain are numerous but the main ones include:
>Damaged and/or compressed nerves due to a traumatic event such as a fall,
>Nerve damage following surgery,
>Sciatica,
>Plantar fasciitis or foot pain in general,
>Fibromyalgia, pain in the muscles, ligaments, and tendons,
>Nerve damage caused by drug abuse,
>Post-herpetic Neuralgia (PHN), the onset pain from the Shingles Rash,
>Diabetes, neuropathy and neuropathic pain.
To get pain relief, you have several options, but none of them work all the time, and most are not without risk to your body one way or the other. The body has the unique ability to adjust to most medications, in that, over time given sustained use; it requires more and more of the same pain relief medicine to achieve the same level of pain relief.
* The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney diseases reports that over the counter NSAIDS such as aspirin, ibuprofen and the like may temporarily ease your pain but their use is not without risk to other areas of your body.
* Any product with capsaicin as an ingredient may offer temporary pain relief.
* Certain depressants such as amitriptyline, imipramine, or nortriptyline are sometimes effective.
* Clinical trials indicate that Mexiletine is effective in treating pain.
* Codeine can be used for a short time to relieve pain, but it can be very addictive.
* Homeopathic Drugs and Applications can be very effective.
* Alternative medicines such as Menastil, EZ Pain Relief and Heartland are topically applied.
* Other pain treatments…
* Acupuncture
* Electrical stimulation devices (TENS)
* Hypnosis
* Biofeedback
Special Note: The American Medical Association does not accept homeopathy, but it doesn’t reject it either. “The AMA encourages doctors to become aware of alternative therapies and use them when and where appropriate,” says AMA spokesman Jim Fox. “Even professionals who practice homeopathy warn that nothing in medicine–either conventional or alternative–is absolute”, states Mr. Fox.
The key to dealing with your pain is understanding the root cause of pain. ALL pain, is due to nerve damage agitation, no exceptions. The level of nerve agitation and resultant pain is directly related to the inflammation present in the painful area which reduces the level of blood and oxygen flow into the infected area.
The most effective pain relief medications, cause the nerve ends to relax and allow the blood and oxygen to flow back into the infected area to effectively cut-off the signals to the spinal cord and therefore to the brain resulting in pain relief. You still have the problem, you just do not feel it as much.
Non-narcotic, non-addictive, all natural pain relief medications are available from The Centre for Pain Relief. Check out their website to determine if one of their products can help you with your painful condition.
Whittier Chiropractor
Corwin Brown asked:
Chest pain is merely a symptom, not a diagnosis. Many medical problems can cause chest
pain, and before the chest pain can be adequately treated, the actual underlying cause needs
to be identified. The following is a list of the more common causes of chest pain, roughly in
order of the frequency in which they are seen in the emergency room. Chest pain is one of
the most frightening symptoms you can have. It is sometimes difficult even for a doctor or
other medical professional to tell what is causing chest pain and whether it is life threatening.
Chest pain is one of the most common reasons people call for emergency medical help.
Every year emergency room doctors evaluate and treat millions of people for chest pain.
Chest pain isn’t just a problem for adults. It may occur in a child as well. Many of the causes
aren’t serious, but they may require a doctor’s attention. Follow this chart for more
information about chest pain in infants and children.
Physical activity that involves the chest muscles, especially when it is new or more strenuous
than usual, can cause muscles soreness. The pain is longer-lasting than most episodes of
ischemic pain and is often made better or worse by a particular position. Taking a deep
breath may make the pain worse, and it may only affect a specific area of the chest. Pressing
on this area of the chest usually causes the pain to become worse.
Angina: Angina is chest pain related to an imbalance between the oxygen demand of the
heart and the amount of oxygen delivered via the blood. It is caused by blockage or
narrowing of the blood vessels that supply blood to the heart. Angina is different from a heart
attack in that the arteries are not completely blocked. Also, angina causes little or no
permanent damage to the heart. Stable angina occurs while exercising and goes away with
rest. Unstable angina is not relieved by rest or actually occurs at rest.
Chest pain is a common symptom which can be caused by many different conditions. Some
causes of chest pain require prompt medical attention, such as angina, heart attack, or tearing
of the aorta. Other causes of chest pain can be evaluated electively, such as spasm of the
esophagus, gallbladder attack, or inflammation of the chest wall. Therefore, an accurate
diagnosis is important in providing proper treatment to patients with chest pain. The
diagnosis and treatment of angina is discussed below, as well as the diagnosis of other causes
of chest pain that can mimic angina.
Fortunately, chest pain doesn’t always signal a heart attack. Often chest pain is unrelated to
any heart problem. But even if the chest pain you experience has nothing to do with your
cardiovascular system, the problem may still be important — and worth the time spent in an
emergency room to have your chest pain evaluated.
Heart attack — A heart attack, or myocardial infarction (MI), occurs when a fatty plaque
ruptures. A blood clot (thrombus) can form on the plaque, which can partially or completely
block the artery. This blockage slows or blocks blood flow to the area of heart muscle fed by
that artery. If this continues for more than 15 minutes, the muscle can become damaged or
infarcted (that is, the tissue in that area dies). During a heart attack, the
patient may feel a discomfort that is similar to an episode of ischemia. A heart attack results
from a prolonged period of angina.
Sudden sharp chest pain mimicking the same symptoms of a myocardial infarction or
angina. The chest pain my be affected by breathing and may persist for several days and may
recur. Generally, pericarditis is presumed to have a viral cause and therefore show flu like
symptoms prior to the attack.
[Whittier Chiropractor]
Chest pain is merely a symptom, not a diagnosis. Many medical problems can cause chest
pain, and before the chest pain can be adequately treated, the actual underlying cause needs
to be identified. The following is a list of the more common causes of chest pain, roughly in
order of the frequency in which they are seen in the emergency room. Chest pain is one of
the most frightening symptoms you can have. It is sometimes difficult even for a doctor or
other medical professional to tell what is causing chest pain and whether it is life threatening.
Chest pain is one of the most common reasons people call for emergency medical help.
Every year emergency room doctors evaluate and treat millions of people for chest pain.
Chest pain isn’t just a problem for adults. It may occur in a child as well. Many of the causes
aren’t serious, but they may require a doctor’s attention. Follow this chart for more
information about chest pain in infants and children.
Physical activity that involves the chest muscles, especially when it is new or more strenuous
than usual, can cause muscles soreness. The pain is longer-lasting than most episodes of
ischemic pain and is often made better or worse by a particular position. Taking a deep
breath may make the pain worse, and it may only affect a specific area of the chest. Pressing
on this area of the chest usually causes the pain to become worse.
Angina: Angina is chest pain related to an imbalance between the oxygen demand of the
heart and the amount of oxygen delivered via the blood. It is caused by blockage or
narrowing of the blood vessels that supply blood to the heart. Angina is different from a heart
attack in that the arteries are not completely blocked. Also, angina causes little or no
permanent damage to the heart. Stable angina occurs while exercising and goes away with
rest. Unstable angina is not relieved by rest or actually occurs at rest.
Chest pain is a common symptom which can be caused by many different conditions. Some
causes of chest pain require prompt medical attention, such as angina, heart attack, or tearing
of the aorta. Other causes of chest pain can be evaluated electively, such as spasm of the
esophagus, gallbladder attack, or inflammation of the chest wall. Therefore, an accurate
diagnosis is important in providing proper treatment to patients with chest pain. The
diagnosis and treatment of angina is discussed below, as well as the diagnosis of other causes
of chest pain that can mimic angina.
Fortunately, chest pain doesn’t always signal a heart attack. Often chest pain is unrelated to
any heart problem. But even if the chest pain you experience has nothing to do with your
cardiovascular system, the problem may still be important — and worth the time spent in an
emergency room to have your chest pain evaluated.
Heart attack — A heart attack, or myocardial infarction (MI), occurs when a fatty plaque
ruptures. A blood clot (thrombus) can form on the plaque, which can partially or completely
block the artery. This blockage slows or blocks blood flow to the area of heart muscle fed by
that artery. If this continues for more than 15 minutes, the muscle can become damaged or
infarcted (that is, the tissue in that area dies). During a heart attack, the
patient may feel a discomfort that is similar to an episode of ischemia. A heart attack results
from a prolonged period of angina.
Sudden sharp chest pain mimicking the same symptoms of a myocardial infarction or
angina. The chest pain my be affected by breathing and may persist for several days and may
recur. Generally, pericarditis is presumed to have a viral cause and therefore show flu like
symptoms prior to the attack.
[Whittier Chiropractor]
Dick Aronson asked:
Pain is a massive problem in our society, in fact it is estimated that at any given time, around one third of the population are in pain. Pain of any type is the most frequent reason for physician consultation. It is a major symptom in many medical conditions, significantly interfering with quality of life and general functioning.
Pain management is therefore an extremely important part of health care because people forced to continue living with extreme pain often become depressed and have poor treatment outcomes.
Some types of pain are still not really understood with as many as a third of cases having unknown origins.
Here are some of the things we do know:
* Pain is constant for about 20% of people.
* Back pain is the most common pain.
* Most chronic pain sufferers have had pain for at least 3 years.
* As can be expected, the incidence of pain increases with advancing age.
* Women report pain more often than men.
* Only 70% of sufferers look for professional help.
Pain Management
Modern pain management programs should be multidisciplinary combining the input of Medical practitioners, Acupuncturists, Physiotherapists, Chiropractors, Clinical psychologists and Occupational therapists, amongst others.
1. Narcotics are often prescribed for severe pain, but narcotics carry with them a potential for side effects and addiction, so patients and caregivers must weigh the level of pain against these dangers in the pain management process.
2. Numerous studies have found that certain complementary therapies are effective in pain management.
3. Massage therapy can hasten pain relief, soothe stiff sore muscles, and reduce inflammation and swelling.
4. Psychological pain management teaches people skills to cope with pain. Research has shown that having realistic, helpful thoughts is an important part of pain management.
5. Natural pain relief is a sought after alternative to medication and drugs based on chemicals and other synthetic medication. Herbs have been used for centuries for pain relief, but many have not undergone extensive study. Some allergic reactions might occur with some patients using natural pain relief, but these can be easily controlled or prevented by doing a skin test before using the natural pain relief.
6. One of the pain management modalities are trigger point injections and nerve blocks utilizing long acting anesthetics and small doses of steroids.
7. NSAID pain relief medication will not only relieve pain, but also reduce fever and inflammation. However there are real disadvantages associated with the long term use of these drugs.
8. Aspirins, Paracetamol, Ibuprofen are other common remedies used for the relief of acute pain.
9. Morphine is the major active substance in opium and a very potent pain relief medication. Morphine will act directly on the central nervous system and is commonly used as a pain relief medication for acute and severe pain caused by surgery or major trauma. Morphine is also used as a pain relief medication for moderate and severe chronic pain, such as pain caused by cancer.
10. TENS machines give short term pain relief to many people. These machines are fairly cumbersome but at least they do not have side effects.
11. Finally there is a new modality which has just been released on to the market and that is the rather unique pain patch which combines nano technology with crystals activated by body heat to produce an energy wave. The waves are transmitted to the origin of the pain where they produce an acupuncture effect which relieves pain.
There are reports of pain of 40 year duration being relieved instantly.
Whittier Chiropractor
Pain is a massive problem in our society, in fact it is estimated that at any given time, around one third of the population are in pain. Pain of any type is the most frequent reason for physician consultation. It is a major symptom in many medical conditions, significantly interfering with quality of life and general functioning.
Pain management is therefore an extremely important part of health care because people forced to continue living with extreme pain often become depressed and have poor treatment outcomes.
Some types of pain are still not really understood with as many as a third of cases having unknown origins.
Here are some of the things we do know:
* Pain is constant for about 20% of people.
* Back pain is the most common pain.
* Most chronic pain sufferers have had pain for at least 3 years.
* As can be expected, the incidence of pain increases with advancing age.
* Women report pain more often than men.
* Only 70% of sufferers look for professional help.
Pain Management
Modern pain management programs should be multidisciplinary combining the input of Medical practitioners, Acupuncturists, Physiotherapists, Chiropractors, Clinical psychologists and Occupational therapists, amongst others.
1. Narcotics are often prescribed for severe pain, but narcotics carry with them a potential for side effects and addiction, so patients and caregivers must weigh the level of pain against these dangers in the pain management process.
2. Numerous studies have found that certain complementary therapies are effective in pain management.
3. Massage therapy can hasten pain relief, soothe stiff sore muscles, and reduce inflammation and swelling.
4. Psychological pain management teaches people skills to cope with pain. Research has shown that having realistic, helpful thoughts is an important part of pain management.
5. Natural pain relief is a sought after alternative to medication and drugs based on chemicals and other synthetic medication. Herbs have been used for centuries for pain relief, but many have not undergone extensive study. Some allergic reactions might occur with some patients using natural pain relief, but these can be easily controlled or prevented by doing a skin test before using the natural pain relief.
6. One of the pain management modalities are trigger point injections and nerve blocks utilizing long acting anesthetics and small doses of steroids.
7. NSAID pain relief medication will not only relieve pain, but also reduce fever and inflammation. However there are real disadvantages associated with the long term use of these drugs.
8. Aspirins, Paracetamol, Ibuprofen are other common remedies used for the relief of acute pain.
9. Morphine is the major active substance in opium and a very potent pain relief medication. Morphine will act directly on the central nervous system and is commonly used as a pain relief medication for acute and severe pain caused by surgery or major trauma. Morphine is also used as a pain relief medication for moderate and severe chronic pain, such as pain caused by cancer.
10. TENS machines give short term pain relief to many people. These machines are fairly cumbersome but at least they do not have side effects.
11. Finally there is a new modality which has just been released on to the market and that is the rather unique pain patch which combines nano technology with crystals activated by body heat to produce an energy wave. The waves are transmitted to the origin of the pain where they produce an acupuncture effect which relieves pain.
There are reports of pain of 40 year duration being relieved instantly.
Whittier Chiropractor