Pain Management and Pain Relief Information

Archive for August, 2011

High uric acid symptoms normally come in the form of diseases. An example of this is Gout, a disease in which there is swelling in the joints, most times in the arms and legs. This causes people great pain, where even the slightest amount of pressure, like that of a blanket can cause pain in the joint.

The most common place to develop Gout is in your big toe. Symptoms of Gout are swollen, warm areas around the joint, with white lumps under the skin. The white lumps are urate crystals (also known as tophi), and so this is where the high uric acid level comes into play.

Normally, the excess uric acid goes through the kidneys and out of your body in your urine. However, when there is a build up of this acid, because your body is not getting rid of it quick enough, then Gout can develop. The build up of uric acid can also lead to other problems such as kidney stones. This is when urate crystals collect in the urinary system, which can lead to other problems such as infection or damage to the kidneys. When the pain of kidney stones is severe, it is known as renal colic.
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The two basic causes of these two diseases are that your kidneys are not getting rid of the uric acid fast enough, or too much is being produced. There are certain ways though that its high levels can be avoided: drinking less alcohol can improve your urinary system; having a balanced diet where you don’t eat too much red meat or seafood and generally staying at a healthy weight.

However, there are certain unavoidable characteristics that can increase your chances of having a high level or uric acid, such as being a man between the age of 30 and 60; being a woman who has gone through the menopause; and having a family history of Gout or other uric acid related diseases. There are medicines around that can help to relieve the pains in joints, such as flexcin.

It may be worth reading some flexcin reviews and perhaps others that are on the market. It is worth checking that they comply with your medical conditions. Alternatively, you can keep your joint raised and rested. If you go to a doctor, you may be able to get support for the joint. It is better however if you can support whilst keeping the joint uncovered. Apply wrapped up ice to the joint to reduce swelling.

Do not try to participate in any excessive physical activity. The best thing to do would be to go to a doctor and let him check it out, because it may turn out to be something totally different, such as a fracture in the joint.

About 5 million people in the United States suffer from a debilitating pain condition called fibromyalgia. Conventional medicine has no clue as to the cause and cure of this painful, tiring, and stressful condition. Most people with fibromyalgia, 90% of which is women, cannot sleep at night because of the pain and discomfort.

On the other hand, naturopaths who have some clue are missing the other aspect of fibromyalgia cause or contributor: the fibrosis part. You see, fibromyalgia is an acronym of two words: fibro and myalgia. Fibro is short for fibrosis while myalgia simply means muscle pain. Fibromyalgia could also be classified as part of the myofascial pain syndromes. By the way, a syndrome is a collection of clinical signs and symptoms of a disease that does not fit into any clinical pattern or true diagnosis. Fibromyalgia falls into this definition.

Now everyone is talking about the muscle pain and its trigger points which is the myalgia part; and no one is talking about the first part or fibrosis which is creating and provoking the pain in the fist place.

Borrowing a leaf from cellular injury and repair, we know that wherever there is pain, there is nearly always inflammation in 95% of cases. Therefore, anything that kills pain must first kill inflammation. Acute inflammation is characterized by pain, swelling, redness, and fibrin deposition. However, we are talking about chronic low-grade inflammation which is the seed-bed for all pains. Pain is initiated by free radical generation, which in turn lead to oxidative stress leading to acute and chronic inflammation well pass the time of the injury or insult. Inflammation of any kind provokes fibrosis which is a type of repair mechanism pass the time of the hurt. Systemic enzymes come in to break this cycle by eating away the fibrin that create fibrosis responsible for the pain of fibromyalgia.

First any insult or stress releases circulating immune complexes otherwise called prostaglandins. Because of checks and balances there are good (anti-inflammatory) and bad (pro-inflammatory) prostaglandins. COX inhibitors (like aspirin, ibuprofen, cerebrex) tend to stop the pro-inflammatory prostaglandins and dull the pain. The problem is the side effect of also inhibiting the prostaglandins that is responsible for regenerating the linings of the intestines, repair the kidneys and the liver. This is why these set of drugs have nasty side effects like gastric erosion, ulcers, gastritis, kidney and liver compromise apart from provoking unusual bleeding because they deplete the platelets (a type of white blood cells) that stop bleeding.

The safe, and effective alternative to these pain killers (NSAIDs) is systemic enzymes like nattokinase, serrapeptase which are newer ones. The older ones are bromelain and papain. Systemic enzymes are so named because they work throughout the body’s organs and systems; apart from localized work of food and toxin digestion. Systemic enzymes are proteolytic or protein eating enzymes that goes into the systemic circulation where it combats inflammation, eats away fibrin (causing fibrosis in fibromyalgia) and cleaning the blood of polluted immune system.

Remember that the muscles and its covering fascia get their oxygen and nutrient supply from the blood stream. So, systemic enzymes address the root cause of the imbalance in fibromyalgia because fibrosis cuts off the micro-circulation within the muscle and create starvation, stagnation and ischemic pain as well. Because these enzymes are proteolytic (protein eating enzymes), they eat away the fibrin (causing fibrosis) and pain in fibromyalgia. Once the root cause of the pain is attacked, the symptoms of fibromyalgia improves.

Systemic enzymes also addresses another symptom of fibromyalgia which is the chronic fatigue by cleaning the polluted blood stream, eliminating toxins and protecting the mitochondria, the power house of the cell that generate cellular energy. Don’t forget that toxins deplete energy by clogging the immune system and un-coupling oxidative phosphorylation responsible for the electron transport chain. When electrons are not transferred, the body cannot make enough ATP which supplies energy for cellular metabolism. As a side note, CoQ10 is an important player in electron transport chain and energy generation and is also needed in fibromyalgia to address tiredness.

Remember that the immune system powers the train that initiates tissue repair in the body. Driving this train is the enzymes system of which proteolytic enzymes like nattokinase is a synergist that make other enzymes, vitamins and minerals to work. In fact, without systemic enzymes, vitamins and minerals don’t work that well. That’s why vitamins are called co-enzymes and trace minerals like zinc or magnesium are called co-factors. By the way magnesium is very necessary in fibromyalgia for combating inflammation and pain, too

Do you now see why herbs, vitamins, amino acids and vital nutrients used to cure fibromyalgia work partially or don’t work at all because of lack of enzymes especially proteolytic enzymes. Most of the problems with humans are caused by allergic proteins called antigens because they provoke immune response of which auto-inflammation and auto-immunity are the rule rather than the exceptions. List of natural therapy for fibromyalgia like Chinese scullcap, acacia, SAMe, MSM, melatonin, D-ribose, tryptophan, and vitamin D only give partial relief in the absence of systemic enzymes.

Systemic enzyme blend, therefore is the missing link in the pain management of fibromyalgia, myofascial pain syndromes and other forms of back pain triggers.

Lymph Drainage Therapy, also known as LDT, is a medical treatment type of massage therapy used by many doctors in hospitals in many countries especially in Europe because of its effectiveness in providing the ideal drainage system for body fluids including lymph. The treatment is popular for its scientifically proven and high efficacy methods that are capable of keeping the body free from harmful elements, toxins, and body wastes.

The therapy was created and developed by a French Physician by the name of Bruno Chikly who was a graduate of the Saint Antoine Hospital’s medical school which is located in France. Dr. Chikly’s educational attainments were as impressive as his developed method in promoting a faster drainage process which is quite better than when allowing the body to conduct the naturally releasing method. His ideas have won him many great awards and honors including the Medal of the Medical Faculty of Paris, VI, which gives importance to his excellent works and presentations backed up with scientific proofs.

The unraveling of the mysteries in the lymphatic circulatory system was not discovered until the first scientifically proved discovery done in the 17th century. Olauf Rudbeck was the first man who was able to provide scientific discoveries pertaining to the lymphatic system. Several individuals were instrumental to the eventual discovery and importance of it to the health and well-being of the human body including Alexander of Winiwarter and F.P. Millard. Emil Vodder was the first person to actually utilize it as a massage technique and use it on his patients who are suffering from chronic sinusitis and acne breakout. However, because he was only a massage therapist and not a doctor, his theories and works were not accredited and given great importance which gave him a hard time authenticating his discoveries and developments. The scientists at that time were hesitant and afraid that the lymphatic drainage which causes harmful body toxins to be flushed out from the body can cause other physical health issues when accidentally spread to the other parts of the body. Johannes Asdonk was the person who scientifically proved the effectiveness, contra-indications as well as the indications of the treatment. Dr. Bruno Chikly eventually developed and recognized the specific rhythm of the lymphatic flow which he did coordinate or made attune with the massage therapy.

Today, many people enjoy the soothing and healing effects as well as the health benefits Lymph Drainage Therapy provides for them. It is very much advisable for anyone who wishes to gain the right results of the treatment to settle only with the professionals in the field of massage medical care. Only the certified and intensively trained massage therapists are able to pull off a successful, effective, and risk-free treatment.

The most popular method for chronic pain treatment is narcotics. Between the years 1997 and 2006, there has been a 347 percent increase in narcotic usage (Dartmouth Medicine Magazine). There is a frustrating shift among pain management providers who are now asking the question “Is such a dramatic use of narcotics effective?” The answer is that narcotics are an easy option from doctors, but a better option for increasing function is adding holistic treatments to the mix. The pain may not be eliminated, but function may be improved which is extremely important.

Currently, over 100 million Americans are experiencing chronic pain of some sort at a cost of over $500 billion annually. Has it reached epidemic proportions? Absolutely it has, and opiate prescriptions are at the forefront of the issue. Why are they so popular? They comprise an easy solution for doctors, who may simply write a prescription in seeking a quick fix. The medication may relieve the pain, but it doesn’t fix the problem.

Opiates often work well by dulling the nervous system, but they are highly addictive. Tolerance often sets in, where the patient requires more and more medication to achieve the same effect. Even if the anatomical problem is no different, the amount of pain medication necessary for the same relief may start to spiral out of control. In addition, there is a condition called opioid induced hyperalgesia (OIH) where a patient may experience increased pain with increased narcotic dosing.

Other side effects of chronic narcotic usage may include immune system suppression, depression, altered sleep, or endocrine dysfunction.

With chronic pain, unfortunately there is no objective test to identify the amount of pain a person is experiencing. It is a subjective experience. It may cause inability to work, socialize, play with one’s kids, or have fun with recreational activities.

Chronic pain is difficult to completely cure, and the focus should be increasing function rather than simply numbing the pain. Does this mean eliminating pain? Not necessarily. It may mean simply helping patients learn to live with their pain.

Non-narcotic methods of helping patients function better with chronic pain include physical therapy, relaxation exercises, chiropractic treatment, acupuncture, spinal decompression therapy, diet and exercise improvement, and stress management.

These types of treatment may be apparent in an integrated pain clinic, utilizing both traditional and alternative methods. One of the main issues is that the integrated treatments work, but are not routinely covered by insurance plans. In these economic tough times, patients often rely on their insurance and do not necessarily have the means to pursue alternative treatments, even if it would result in a better outcome.

Lower back pain is common but it does not mean that you will just leave it untreated because it can be a sign of another disease you have. Here are some of the treatments that can cure your lower back pains when it just started:

• If the pain you feel is still acute and have not lasted for three months yet, the best thing that you can do is to keep yourself comfortable while lying on your side on your bed and putting a pillow between your legs. You can also do this with your back on the floor and with a pillow under your knees. But, do not do this for too long, you can walk for 10 minutes and do this again.
• Get medications for your pain. You can mostly find pain relievers such as Tylenol (acetaminophen), naproxen and others that can lessen the intensity of your pain and reduce the redness, swelling and irritation.
• You can apply a heating pad to keep yourself soothed. Put this on the area that is aching for about 15 to 20 minutes. Do this after two to three hours. If you don’t have a heating pad, you can also get a warm shower.
• Apply an ice pack on the affected area. Cold can also relieve pain just like heat. Or you can get a cold shower or soak your body on the bath tub with ice cubes on it.
• Keep yourself active and do not rest on your bed and lay there for days because your muscles will stiffen and this will just make those pains worse. Just do the things that you used to do but don’t push yourself too much. Do only the activities that are light and normal.
• Walk to have a stronger body.
• Fix your bad posture because this will contribute to the pain that you feel.
• Go to the physical therapist if the pain is still there for 3 or more days.

If you have a pain that has already been there for more than 3 months, do these:

• Look for a psychologist that can advice you on managing your stress. It can be caused by depression and if it is, you can get some antidepressants.
• Take corticosteroid injections to reduce inflammation and inhibit sensations of pain.
• Use some topical medications such as creams, gels and cooling spray.

To get cured from your lower back pain, may it be chronic or acute, you should always exercise regularly even if it’s just light exercises like walking, maintain a good posture, take medications and go to an expert that can help you. This pain can come back again so you should know how to cure lower back pain to avoid flare ups next time.

More often than not, what gets confused with what the actual condition is the gout diagnosis, the gout causes, and the gout cures. Which is not really what gout is – these concepts only seek to uncover and explain how gout symptoms present themselves and what can be done about them. To give a more accurate and “real world” description of what gout is, it reads best like this: “Gout is classified as a type of rheumatoid arthritis that is characterized by exceptionally painful swelling of various joints of the body. The joints affected are usually red and shiny, and hot to the touch. The physical evidence of gout is brought about by internal metabolic imbalances that result in the over-abundance acidic substances, specifically uric acid, in the inner bodily terrain.”

Many gout home remedies have been tried with varying degrees of success over medications for gout. Foods to avoid gout include eating fresh fruits and vegetables; the most well-known is cherry juice for gout. Other foods that cause gout are talked about until they’ve now gained notorious fame, but the real culprit of uric acid gout in these times of “convenience first”, is overly processed dead foods, of which fast foods and soft drinks are the best examples.

The optimum natural treatment for gout is to breathe clean air, drink an ample daily dosage of high-quality water, and eat raw or slightly cooked, fresh fruits & vegetables and clean meats, fishes and beans. All foods to consume need to of a “live” nature, and therefore need to be sourced from organically grown practices. Treating gout with sound health and fitness will produce long-term, lasting results that not only provide gout pain relief, but also protection and prevention from various other lifestyle-related diseases, conditions, and illnesses.

Preventing gout comes about by learning to focus on what the body consumes to sustain itself, and that is of paramount importance. The “order” of importance of is also critical: the body needs air first, water second, and food third – as predicated by how the life of a human body ceases to exist when the absence of each of those components is removed.

To define gout, it comes down to one thing: Toxic Acid Waste Accumulation of the Inner Bodily Terrain – that is what gout is. The gout information that needs to be bought to the forefront is that the over abundance of uric acid is merely one component to the cause of gout. Yes, uric acid is the byproduct of the breakdown and metabolism of purines, but focusing only on that due to the theory of reductionism, is completely short-sighted; cures for gout do not come from isolating bodily functions and processes – it comes from observing the whole body as a unified organism. To bring about lasting gout relief, treating the whole body is the only intelligent way to go about it. Focusing only on inhibiting uric acid production by allowing the body to ignore the true causes of the acidic overload only prolongs destruction and delays catastrophe.

Providing a means to encourage detrimental practices that inherently promote gout, the accumulation of acidity, and the damaging effects of it, could be construed as unintegrous, if not criminal.

Not only do the poor quality of foods and beverages contribute to gout and gout attacks, but also polluted air, poor breathing capability, chemical-laden waters, and toxic environmental chemicals in contact with the skin do as well. What can also be added to that list is the toxic effects of pharmaceutical drugs and gout medications.

However, one of the most underestimated causes of gout is Stress. Stress at its root, stems from Fear. Due to the pressures that individuals place on themselves to provide and perform in the myriad different ways to survive and succeed in the world today, brings about an endless array of different fears. Whether real or perceived, the primitive parts of the human brain direct the physical body to interpret and respond to the dangers in its environment. The metabolic chemicals and impulses generated by those perceptions, serves to create a broad range of natural chemicals, many of which are very acidic in nature. If the body is operating from those acidic substances on a continuous basis, the health of that body can and will suffer. That form of suffering easily includes the consequences of gout.

No amount of gout medicine is going to replace the need to change the detrimental and destructive patterns and habits that produce the gout pictures seen today. What we call “gout emedicine” these days is much more effective: creating and conducting programs that evaluate the lifestyle choices and educate about methods for preventing gout and degenerative diseases and conditions like cancer, diabetes, heart attacks and strokes.

While in the process of establishing new choices that will lead to improved health in general, the current regime of medicine for gout from a medical doctor should be followed to the letter. Continuous testing and monitoring should be done to advocate the proper dosages and the progress of the protocol.

There are a number of different products, modalities, supplements, etc. that are helpful and sometimes necessary to the implementation and establishment of new health and fitness habits to move beyond the pain and frustration of gout. However, the most important skills needed to surmount this challenge is the skill to create new and healthy habits, and the skill needed to disengage from old, destructive bad habits.

To learn how to treat gout is the same as learning how to do almost anything; one needs instruction, practice, and monitoring. Learning what to do, being held accountable for doing it, and a method of measurement helps to simplify the endeavor.

In conclusion, when asking, “what is gout and what causes it”, there is no need look any further than the air we breathe, what we drink, the food we eat, and the thoughts we are thinking.

Back pain is a pervasive ailment which is endured by almost everyone at least once in a lifetime. It can be so excruciating that it can practically immobilize the body and bring life to a standstill. Most people miss work because of this reason. But thanks to the advancement in medical science, the causes of this pain can be quickly identified and effective treatment programs planned out.

The Structure of Your Back

It is important to have an awareness of the basic structure of your back in order to understand the reasons for back pain. The back is composed of muscles, vertebrae and bones, spinal discs and a complex array of interconnecting nerves which originate from the spinal cord. There is also a canal like structure that passes through the vertebrae with nerves that transmit signals from the brain to all parts of the body. Any sort of interference or problems with either of these hard or soft tissues can trigger pain.

The intensity of pain is determined by the complexity of the condition. The sensations of pain range from mild, moderate to severe and can manifest in various forms such as dull, sharp, tingling or shooting with numbness.

Various Causes of Back Pain

Only a proper diagnosis can help determine if the patient suffers from an acute or chronic back condition. While acute pain is short-lived and easily treatable, chronic pain needs intensive treatment because it is not curable. Some of the most common causes of back pain are:

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• Injury
• Ruptured disc
• Spinal stenosis
• Lumbar muscle strain
• Lumbar spine arthritis
• Spondylolisthesis
• Osteoporosis
• Slipped Disk
• Arthritis
• Osteoporosis
• Sciatica
• Fibromyalgia
• Pregnancy

Preventive Measures

It can occur at any time. A person whose work puts excessive stress or strain on the back is more prone to the condition. There are a few preventive measures that can help keep pain at a minimum:

• Regular exercise
• Nutritious diet with proper supplements
• Maintain a good posture (standing, sitting and lying)
• Lifting objects the proper way
• Sleep on Your Side
• Living a proper lifestyle

When to Seek Medical Attention

Pain that last just a few days can be considered serious. However, one should consult a physician if the pain continues to persist for even a short period of time. Approaching a pain management specialist is strongly advised if the following symptoms are detected:

• Constant pain which continues to get worse
• Pain that radiates to the legs
• Pain with weakness of a limb
• Pain following a traumatic injury
• Bowel or bladder problems arising after back pain
• Pain and weight loss with no other apparent cause

Multi-disciplinary Approach for Back Pain Treatment

Physicians have gathered that the treatment of this pain is most effective when a patient’s condition is assessed and custom treated by specialists in various fields of medicine. Hence, most multi-specialty pain management centers across the US undertake a multi-disciplinary approach for back pain treatment. An individualized treatment program for back pain may comprise of:

• Physical Therapy
• Hot or Cold Compresses
• NSAIDS
• Pain Relieving Modalities such as TENS and Ultrasound
• Pain Medication and Muscle Relaxants
• Epidural Steroid Injections

If the condition progresses and conventional treatment proves ineffective and offer little or no relief to the patient, an orthopedist or neurosurgeon may then recommend back surgery as the last resort when other forms of treatment prove ineffective.

Fish oil is an unsaturated fatty acid chemical that is known to help with the health condition of arthritis. Many sufferers, who take a omega 3 fats regularly, find that it greatly helps with their joint pain. Research has shown and proven the benefits of omega 3 essential fatty acids and many doctors and health care experts recommend it for arthritis sufferers.

The main reason why fish oil actually helps relieve the symptoms of arthritis is because of the conversion process it goes through when in the body. Studies show that the fatty acids, mainly DHA, contained in fish oil convert into a powerful, and highly effective, anti-inflammatory chemical known as resolvin D2. Of course arthritis (particularly rheumatoid) is heavily associated with inflammation of the joints so this will obviously help. This property of fish oil has made it very useful in treating many diseases, from inflammation in the body to certain heart conditions.

The figures show that the UK recognizes the importance of fish oil and health benefits associated with consuming it on a regular basis. The UK spends an estimated £63 million every year on fish oil supplements.

This is due to research having shown that fish oil can be useful for the brain, bones, heart, eyes and even fights against cancer. The main role of omega-3 fatty acids in preventing cancer is due to the anti-inflammatory properties. In fact, chronic inflammation can lead to autoimmune disorders that are responsible for a lot of health conditions, like rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease and IBS.

Many doctors even prescribe fish oil supplements in serious cases of rheumatoid arthritis, which is an auto-immune disorder, as its benefits are so well known and proven. The resolvin D2 anti-inflammatory chemical is said to be very powerful and can greatly reduce the degree of inflammation, so it is effective in such diseases.

Arthritis can be a very painful and severe disease and requires that the medicine used to treat it to often be very strong. This can be quite dangerous in some cases, as the side effects in consuming strong prescription medicines are quite high.

Using good quality fish oil to control and treat the arthritis can reduce the amount of medicine that the patient needs to use, thereby reducing the risk of adverse side effects. Of course, not every patient with arthritis will respond the same to fish oil supplements but if you are taking a good quality fish oil supplement and the correct dosage there is no reason you will not see some positive change;

I have a friend who had high blood pressure and cholesterol levels and his slender frame actually belied this problem. He began to use omega 3 supplements primarily for these health conditions. Over months of use, he says he has seen a substantial reduction in his cholesterol levels but the change in his blood pressure levels has been almost insignificant.

So as you see, some will feel a better right away and some will feel just the same for extended periods of time. But studies have shown its benefits are great for people suffering from arthritis and it should definitely be explored as an option if you are a sufferer yourself or if you know anyone who is suffering from it.

The advantage with trying the omega 3 fatty acids is that unlike medicines that are prescribed, these dietary supplements do not have any adverse side effects. However, it is always better to check with your health practitioner, before deciding on the dosage of the omega 3 capsules, if you plan to add them to your daily diet.

It is also important that you consume omega 3 supplements that are pure and that they contain the optimum amount of DHA and EPA components. So be sure to check the ingredients and dosage recommendations before you purchase them.

Sciatic nerve pain is not considered as a disease. In fact, the term is used to describe a given to a set of symptoms, thereby referred to as sciatica symptoms. Not all people who are suffering from the sciatica symptoms are the same and they are not triggered by the same causes. Numerous sciatica treatment and sciatica exercises are available nowadays are these remedies would therefore depend on the sufferer’s case. The first step in learning ways to overcome and treat the pain caused by sciatica would be to figure out what forms of exercise improves the pain for you.

Diagnosis

Many sufferers say that the pain occurs when they are either sitting or standing in the same position for long hours. Most of these people have a job that requires sitting and standing for a long period of time. For some sufferers, the pain may start when they simply bend or lift heavy objects. Sciatica may also happen in the form of a weakness, numbness, tingling or burning sensation in the muscles in a person’s legs. According to experts, in most cases, the sciatic nerve pain is felt only on one side.

An accurate diagnosis of the cause of this condition is necessary to identify the specific affected area and get the appropriate treatment. Usually these movements during your ordinary day can trigger your sciatica. You need to figure out what usually causes the pain and you should avoid them as much as possible. The causes may include simple bending or picking up something. It is important that you should avoid lifting heavy objects and walking in rough strides.

At present, there are simple steps to treat the condition and sufferers can be able to get sciatic nerve pain relief. If you experience the lower back pain frequently, it is very important that you should know the movements that cause the condition. The goal of exercises for sciatic nerve is to determine the root cause of the condition. These exercises are created depending on the spinal condition that may have caused the pain. A sufferer cannot start with the exercises unless they have acquired an accurate diagnostic that confirms the cause of the pain. Having a regular exercise can significantly improve the back muscle and helps to reduce swelling on the affected nerve root. However, there are different other forms of sciatica exercises that can prevent future occurrence of the condition.