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Learn how Fibromyalgia is diagnosed, including key symptoms, diagnostic criteria, and the tests used to rule out other conditions.

  • How we treat head pain

    How we treat head pain

    Nearly everyone will experience head pain at some point during their lives, but for some people, head pain can become chronic. Chronic migraines and headaches can range in severity from annoying to debilitating. Thankfully, a wide range of treatment options are available for head pain, providing lots of potential options to try when managing head pain.

    Oral medications are usually the first type of pain management attempted to treat head pain.

    The most common reason that people purchase over-the-counter pain medications is head pain. These medications are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (nsaids), like aspirin, acetaminophen, or ibuprofen. These over-the-counter pain medications often fall short when it comes to treating severe or chronic head pain. For instance, nsaids are considered most effective for people who suffer episodic migraines ten or less days per month.

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    For more severe types of head pain, a physician may prescribe an opioid, such as oxycodone. Anticonvulsant drugs are also sometimes effective when treating head pain. Different medications may be indicated depending on the type of head pain being experienced. Explain what type of pain you’re experiencing as clearly as possible to your physician so he or she can prescribe the right medication.

    Oral medications generally provide short-term, as-needed pain relief. Some injected medications can provide short-term pain relief, as well. Sumatriptan in oral form is commonly used to treat migraines, but subcutaneous (injected) sumatriptan is used to provide short-term relief from cluster headaches.

    Other types of injected medications can potentially provide medium-term pain relief, or pain relief that’s not permanent but could last for several weeks to months.

    Nerve block injections can act both as pain management and as a diagnostic tool for head pain.

    These types of injections deliver medications directly to the inflamed nerves causing head pain. The injections will typically include a local anesthetic to block pain. Corticosteroids might also be included to reduce inflammation.

    The exact location of the injection will depend on which nerves are causing the head pain. To relieve chronic migraine or cluster headaches, for example, a nerve block injection will be applied to the trigeminal or occipital nerves.

    The physician will determine which nerve location is most likely to provide relief. If the injection is delivered to the nerve that’s causing the head pain, relief can occur fairly quickly and may last for weeks or months. If the injection is delivered to the incorrect nerve, it will have very little effect. In this way, the injection can be used as a diagnostic tool to identify exactly which nerve or nerves are to blame for the head pain.

    Once the nerves causing the head pain have been identified, other types of treatments can be applied directly to the nerves.

    Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) can be used on nerves that have been identified as causing head pain, but it can also be used as a potential treatment for severe, persistent headaches that don’t respond to nerve block injections.

    During RFA, a local anesthetic is applied. Then thin probes are passed through the skin until they reach the targeted nerve or nerve group. The probes emit radiofrequency, or electrothermal impulses, on the nerve or nerve group. This selectively damages the nerve, causing the formation of a lesion, which blocks the pain signals that the nerve conducts.

    Another type of nerve therapy is spinal cord stimulation (SCS). During SCS, flexible, thin devices are implanted next to the spinal cord, close to the nerves causing the head pain. The devices are attached to external leads, which are attached to a control device that allows the patient to operate it. When the devices are activated, a mild electrical impulse is emitted. This impulse interrupts the pain signals being transmitted along the nerves. When head pain occurs, the patient can then control his or her own pain relief.

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    Alternative and complementary therapies, used in conjunction with traditional therapies, may be effective in controlling head pain, too.

    Acupuncture originated in traditional Chinese medicine. It involves the insertion of small, sterile needles into strategic places on the body. This is believed to cause the body to release endorphins, increase blood circulation, and reduce inflammation. Acupuncture can be effective when used in conjunction with other pain management techniques. In fact, for some people, acupuncture is more effective than traditional pain management therapies.

    Chiropractic manipulation might also be an effective treatment for head pain. It involves the application of targeted force to correct the body’s spinal alignment. Massage therapy, which focuses on the release of muscle tension and stress, can potentially reduce head pain as well, especially when the myofascial muscles are massaged.

    Another technique called biofeedback might be particularly effective at teaching patients how to control their own head pain. Readings are taken of brain activity, muscle tension, and galvanic skin response, all of which are impacted by headache triggers like stress. People with head pain can then study these measurements to understand the physiological effects linked to their headaches. This understanding can then be applied toward relaxation techniques to enhance control over the physiological effects linked to head pain.

    Keeping a pain diary can also enhance understanding of the triggers behind head pain, as well as make it easier for a physician to decipher exactly which type of head pain is being experienced and how best to treat it.

    To track head pain with a migraine or headache diary, take note of all the factors surrounding the head pain, such as:

    Although tracking all of this information won’t necessarily reduce head pain, it can shed light on what causes the pain. For instance, it might suddenly become clear that headaches worsen after drinking caffeine, or that migraines occur more frequently after a short night’s sleep. This clearer understanding of what can lead to or worsen head pain can allow you to avoid the things that trigger head pain.

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    References:

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  • Chiropractic care during pregnancy

    The miracle of life, the anticipation of a beautiful baby, and that expectant-mother glow may make pregnancy a magical time of life, but it’s not all a bed of roses. There’s morning sickness, acne, swollen feet, fatigue, and all sorts of aches and pains to deal with. Your physician may be able to help with morning sickness, and a few well-deserved spa days and afternoon naps could help with acne and fatigue. For the sore back that comes from pregnancy, some chiropractic care might help you immensely.

    Chiropractic care while pregnant, if performed by a full-licensed chiropractor, is completely safe.

    There are no known contraindications to chiropractic care during pregnancy. In fact, chiropractors are trained to safely and effectively treat pregnant women. In fact, some researchers suggest that musculoskeletal pain management, such as chiropractic care, ought to become a standard part of obstetric care. Specialized techniques are used to avoid putting unnecessary pressure on the abdomen. Also, specialized tables or equipment might be used. These are also to avoid putting undue pressure on the abdomen.

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    However, few women receive the chiropractic care they need during pregnancy. One study found that 80% of women reported going without treatment for musculoskeletal pain during pregnancy. Also, pain in the first pregnancy has been linked to pain during subsequent pregnancies, so undergoing chiropractic treatment sooner rather than later might have seriously lasting benefits.

    The back aches, leg pain, and loss of balance during pregnancy can be minimized by chiropractic care.

    In preparation for birth, the ligaments in the pelvis lose their rigidity, which can lead to the pelvis becoming unstable. The growing uterus can push and pull the parts of the pelvis and hips into different positions. These changes can both affect pelvic balance and cause low back pain. In fact, thebump.com, a website devoted to all pregnancy-related topics, states:

    “Not only is it safe to visit a chiropractor during your pregnancy, it’s also highly beneficial… Getting regularly adjusted while pregnant is a great way to relieve the added stress on your spine that comes along with the weight gain.”

    In addition to helping you control low back pain, chiropractic adjustment during pregnancy can prevent sciatica. Sciatica is the inflammation of the sciatic nerve, which runs from the lower back down the back of the legs and to the feet. When this nerve is inflamed or damaged, it causes radiating or shooting pain down the buttock, the back of the leg, and potentially all the way to the foot.

    Some medications that could help with the back and leg pain of pregnancy may be contraindicated during pregnancy. Your physician or OB/GYN should be able to provide medications that are completely safe to take while pregnant, but chiropractic care is a great drug-free pain management option for expectant mothers who prefer to use as few medications as possible. It’s still a good idea to discuss pain, medications, and chiropractic care with your physician or OB/GYN, though.

    Chiropractic care while pregnant might also facilitate better-quality sleep.

    Getting enough sleep is vitally important all the time, including during pregnancy. This is largely because once that new baby comes home, sleep will become a rare thing. However, sleep is important for other reasons, too. Researchers at University of California San Francisco (UCSF) compared the amount of sleep women got late in their pregnancies with their labor times and types of birth. It was found that women who got less than six hours of sleep per night during their final month of pregnancy averaged 29 hours of labor, compared to an average of 17.7 hours of labor for women who slept seven or more hours per night.

    Additionally, it was found that compared to women who reported poor sleep two or less nights per week about three weeks before delivery, women who reported poor sleep three to four nights per week were 4.2 times as likely to need a cesarean delivery. Women who reported poor sleep five or more nights per week were 5.3 times as likely to need a cesarean delivery.

    This means that it’s important to take the time to get a good night’s rest as often as possible while pregnant. If your back hurts, it’s hard to sleep; research has even shown that a pregnant woman’s quality of sleep is closely related to back pain. By undergoing chiropractic care during pregnancy, you can improve your sleep and, by extension, perhaps make sure that your labor experience is a little easier.

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    There are additional ways that chiropractic care during pregnancy can help you have an easier birth.

    When a baby is breech, it’s positioned to come out feet- or bottom-first. The delivery for a breech baby has a higher risk of complications, and most medical professionals recommend a cesarean delivery rather than a vaginal birth. Several options exist to encourage the baby to move into a cephalic (or head-first) position before delivery, and one of these is the Webster Technique. This is a chiropractic adjustment that’s used to encourage the baby to move into the head-first position by correcting the musculoskeletal causes of intrauterine contracture.

    In 2002, the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics published the results of a survey about the effectiveness of the Webster Technique. Chiropractors using the Webster Technique reported an 82% success rate at encouraging the baby to move into a cephalic position. This technique has the added benefit of being medication free, unlike some of the other potential ways to encourage a breech baby to move into a cephalic position.

    Chiropractic care while pregnant might also shorten labor time. Women who received chiropractic care during their first pregnancy will experience a labor time that is, on average, 25% shorter. During subsequent pregnancies with chiropractic care, the time spent in labor is reduced by 31% on average.

    There are several ways to find a chiropractor who can provide care during your pregnancy.

    Your OB/GYN or primary care physician might be able to provide recommendations. A local phone book or a quick online search might also yield results. While all chiropractors are trained to provide care to pregnant women, it’s always a good bet to find someone with experience treating pregnant women. Because of this, consider calling a few different chiropractic offices and enquiring about the practitioners’ experience with pregnant women.

    Additionally, online databases provide a quick, easy way to find chiropractors with specific specialties. The American Chiropractic Association (ACA), for instance, includes a host of specialty options in its search criteria, including obstetrics and the Webster Technique. The International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA) specializes in providing information about chiropractic care for children, but they also have a search available for Webster Certified Chiropractors.

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    References:

    Fibromyalgia Contact Us Directly

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    Official Fibromyalgia Blogs

    Click here to Get the latest Chronic illness Updates

    Fibromyalgia Stores

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  • Does a pain diary work

    It has long been a common recommendation that chronic patients maintain a pain diary. The idea behind a pain diary is simple. Using either an electronic device or a paper journal, pain patients keep track of:

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    The theory behind the recommendation is that doctors and patients can gain a better understanding of certain chronic pain syndromes than they might with simple patient reporting at a visit. Keeping track of pain levels allows a patient to give a more accurate reporting than trying to remember them on the day of the visit, especially if the patient is feeling particularly good or bad on the day they see the doctor. In theory, this allows doctors and patients to identify triggers and potentially avert painful episodes by changing behaviors.

    But there is evidence that pain diaries might actually be making pain worse.

    A small-scale study by the University of Alberta Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry found that keeping a pain diary actually lengthened the time of recovery for study participants who were recovering from lower back sprains. For four weeks, 58 patients in the study were divided into two equal groups, one of which was asked to keep a pain diary, documenting pain levels, and one of which did not. When patients were re-assessed at the four-month mark, the differences in the two groups were clear.

    Robert Ferrari, a clinical professor in the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry’s Department of Medicine and a practicing physician in several Edmonton medical clinics explains the results:

    “What we found is that the group who kept the pain diary — even though we didn’t ask them to keep an extensive diary, and even though many of them didn’t keep a complete diary — had a much worse outcome. The self-reported recovery rates were 52% in the group that kept a pain diary and 79% recovery at three months in the group that did not keep a pain diary. That’s a fairly profound effect. There aren’t many things we do to patients in terms of treatment that affect the recovery for a group by 25%.”

    These results are mirrored in study by Luis F. Buenaver, phd, an assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. This study included 214 patients suffering from jaw and face pain due to temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ). This condition can be acute or long-term but is very painful and can lead to sleep disturbances and other painful issues in the neck and upper back.

    Buenaver and his colleagues examined each patient and then distributed questionnaires to ascertain participants’ pain levels, quality of sleep, and emotional response to pain. They were trying to see if patients tended to dwell on pain or exaggerate it. Those patients who did dwell on the pain were unable to shift their focus away from it when winding down for sleep, their pain was rated as much more severe, and patients’ sleep was more disturbed than those patients who did not focus on their pain.

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    So why do pain specialists continue to recommend keeping a pain diary when it seems as if it may make pain worse?

    A pain diary can be a remarkable communication tool for you and your doctor. If you are living with chronic pain that has yet to be diagnosed, keeping a pain diary can help identify triggers or things that make pain worse. Keeping a pain diary can also identify times of day that pain is most prevalent, and it may be helpful in seeking reasonable work accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

    There are many different ways to keep a pain diary. One of the easiest seems to be using apps for tracking chronic pain, widely available for free or a nominal fee for both iphones and Android operating systems. If you choose to keep a pain diary and want to make it positive and forward-thinking, try these four tips:

    1. Add gratitude: Make a list of five things you are grateful for at the end of every day.
    2. Don’t make pain the focus: Think of it more as a daily journal. When pain symptoms are tracked or specifics are added, circle them or highlight in another color for easy reference, but focus more on telling the whole story of the day.
    3. Think outside of the page: Frida Kahlo, a painter who lived her entire life in excruciating pain, often painted her experiences while lying down. Your pain diary doesn’t have to be just words. You can illustrate your day or create a collage. Add photographs or bits of flotsam from your day (e.g., a key you found on a walk, a ticket stub from a movie, or a note from your child).
    4. Make it totally you: You are not your chronic pain. Yes, pain is part of your daily experience, but it does not make up the entire person you are. Use your pain diary as a way to explore your inner self, not just document an experience from one to ten.

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  • How the brain experiences pain – brain experiences pHow the brain experiences pain

    Pain’s basic purpose is as a warning message for the body: that hurts, so stop it. When pain becomes chronic, though, it can seem utterly senseless, plaguing people for extended periods for no apparent reason. Researchers are constantly studying pain in hopes that a deeper understanding might lead to more effective prevention and treatment of pain.

    Research examines pain responses in infants

    Until recently, it was believed that babies didn’t experience pain in the same way as adults. Indeed, some people suggested that babies’ brains weren’t developed enough to experience pain, as explained in an article from the University of Oxford:

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    “As recently as the 1980s it was common practice for babies to be given neuromuscular blocks but no pain relief medication during surgery. In 2014 a review of neonatal pain management practice in intensive care highlighted that although such infants

    However, the researchers who published this article reevaluated this thinking. Babies, aged between one and six days, were allowed to fall asleep inside a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine. The babies were then prodded on the bottom of the foot with a retractable rod. This produced a sensation similar to being prodded by a pencil – not quite painful, but enough to produce visible results in the brain’s pain response areas. Adults were then put through the same test.

    Not only did the babies’ brains display a similar pain response as the adults’ brains, but the results suggested that babies actually have a lower pain threshold than adults. This means that a baby will experience a sensation as pain more quickly than an adult will. This research will likely have far-reaching and profound effects, since it will lead to more babies being given the proper pain relief medications before painful procedures.

    The emotional side of pain 

    Anyone who’s experienced long-lasting or severe pain knows that it can easily elicit an emotional response. Now science has proven this as well. Researchers at the TUM School of Medicine gave painful heat stimuli to participants’ hands. The stimuli varied in intensity. Participants were asked to rate their pain on a scale of one to a hundred.

    After a few minutes, the participants began to experience changes in pain, even when the pain stimulus remained unchanged. The pain sensation became detached from the pain stimulus. This suggests that the pain sensation changed from a perception process to a more emotional process. In fact, the researchers watched the brain activity in participants experiencing longer-lasting pain, and the emotional areas of the brain became active.

    These same researchers conducted another experiment that showed anticipation, as well as duration, can affect pain perception. Participants in this experiment were given painful laser pulses on two areas of the back of the hand. Then the participants rated how strongly they’d perceived the pain stimuli. Creams were then applied to both areas of the back of the hand. Neither cream had pain-relieving properties, but the participants were told that one of the creams had a pain–relieving effect.

    After this, the participants rated the stimuli as significantly lower on the area with the allegedly pain-reliving cream. Not only were the participants’ verbal ratings affected, but the second run of this experiment (using the two creams) triggered a different brain activity pattern.

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    Pain relief may be related to emotions, too

    A study from Ohio State University examined the effects of acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol. College students viewed photos selected to elicit an emotion response. Each photo was rated on a scale of negative to positive, as well as on a scale of how much of an emotional response it elicited (no emotion to extreme emotion).

    The participants who had taken acetaminophen rated the photos less extremely, compared to participants who had taken placebos. In other words, acetaminophen caused positive photos to be seen in a less positive way, while negative photos were seen in a less negative way. The emotional response was dulled.

    A follow-up study was done, with an added element. Participants were asked to rate how much blue they saw in each photo, in case acetaminophen dulled all perception rather than dulling the emotions. The judgements of how much blue each photo had stayed constant, whether or not participants had taken acetaminophen. This suggests that the drug impacts pain and emotions, but not all perception, giving more credence to the idea that pain and emotion are closely linked.

    The effects of long-term pain on brain function

    York University researchers used eye-tracking technology to see how different people respond to “pain words,” such as ache, agony, distress, and pain. The eye-tracker measures eye-gaze patterns with extreme precision. Professor Joel Katz, Canada Research Chair in Health Psychology and co-author of this study, explained the results, stating:

    “We now know that people with and without chronic pain differ in terms of how, where and when they attend to pain-related words. This is a first step in identifying whether the attentional bias is involved in making pain more intense or more salient to the person in pain.”

    Additionally, scientists from the University of Berne have discovered a neuron modification in a specific area of the brain in mice with chronic pain. This, according to the researchers, is “pain memory.” The presence of this pain memory gave the mice more of an increased number of nerve impulses in these specific cells, which led to an increased pain perception. These researchers found a way to alter the modified pain memory cells in the mice. This makes them hopeful that, eventually, drugs might be developed to create the same change in humans, thereby lowering the increased pain–perception that results from chronic pain.

    As researchers and scientists study pain and its mechanisms, a deeper understanding of pain and its effects will, hopefully, lead to more effective pain management techniques in the future.

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    References:

    Fibromyalgia Contact Us Directly

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    Official Fibromyalgia Blogs

    Click here to Get the latest Chronic illness Updates

    Fibromyalgia Stores

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  • Standing Together on Fibromyalgia Awareness Day

    Nearly one in every two people in the United States has a chronic illness, and of the people who have a chronic illness, 96% have an invisible illness. Many organizations have been making efforts to increase awareness of invisible illnesses. This month, there are several observances for different invisible illnesses, one of which is Fibromyalgia Awareness Day.

    Fibromyalgia Awareness Day is May 12th

    Fibromyalgia can be a devastating disease, with potential symptoms including widespread pain, sleep disturbances, and cognitive difficulty (often called “fibro fog”). It’s estimated that about five million people in the United States live with fibromyalgia, and yet most people without fibromyalgia have almost no awareness about this disease.

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    The theme of Fibromyalgia Awareness Day this year is “Your Voice Matters,” which encourages people to use their voices to advance support, advocacy, research, and education for fibromyalgia and other chronic pain illnesses. This is particularly important because, for many people, the stigma around invisible illnesses still exists. Diseases like fibromyalgia that can’t be seen are sometimes written off as “all in your head” or whining, but this couldn’t be farther from the truth. The first step to change this misperception is to start a discussion about fibromyalgia and other invisible illnesses on Fibromyalgia Awareness Day.

    Additionally, research and education about these types of illnesses are vital. Funding research can bring medical science closer to understanding how to treat and, eventually, cure fibromyalgia and other invisible illnesses. Educating people and making them aware of the symptoms of these diseases can help them understand how to manage their health. Also, knowing more about which symptoms are relevant can sometimes make it less difficult to diagnose fibromyalgia or other invisible illnesses, which can be very difficult to tell apart because of their similar symptoms.

    International CFS/ME Awareness Day is also on May 12th

    Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) are two closely related diseases; according to some sources, they may even be the same disease with two different names. Both cause overwhelming fatigue that’s not relieved by rest as well as cognitive difficulty (“brain fog”). Additionally, both CFS and ME cause pain, often muscle pain that radiates from the spine.

    There’s quite a bit of debate about the difference between CFS and ME. Some sources state that ME is caused by a viral infection; the infection causes damage to the brain stem and brain that’s visible during testing. In addition to this, ME tends to have a sudden onset, so distinct that some patients can even name the exact hour when they began to experience symptoms.

    CFS causes a similar set of symptoms as ME. However, there’s no known cause for CFS. It’s believed that CFS can be triggered in people with a genetic predisposition for the disorder. Potential triggers for CFS include viral infections, hormonal imbalance, or immune system impairment. Symptoms and severity can vary over time.

    The difficulty in differentiating between CFS and ME is summed up by the National Alliance for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (NAME):

    “The short answer is that in many cases (possibly most cases) ME and CFS are the same disease with different names. Often patients are incorrectly diagnosed, depending on the physician’s knowledge of the differing clinical definitions, and there are very few physicians that have the knowledge, or take the time, to differentiate the patient’s diagnosis.”

    International CFS/ME Awareness Day is an excellent time to start a discussion about these two illnesses. More education, advocacy, and research could help determine if CFS and ME are different diseases or the same, as well as advance diagnostic procedures and treatments.

    World Lupus Day was on May 10th

    Lupus is an autoimmune disease, meaning that a person’s immune system starts mistakenly attacking his or her own body. In a person with lupus, the body produces autoantibodies that attack the skin, joints, and organs. While fibromyalgia and CFS/ME are invisible illnesses, lupus can be very visible during flare-ups. It causes a very distinct butterfly-shaped rash across the cheeks.

    The true danger of untreated lupus is the potential organ damage (and even failure) that it can cause. The heart, lungs, brain, and kidneys, in particular, are vulnerable to damage from untreated lupus. Additional potential symptoms include pain, swelling, fatigue, fevers, and confusion (“lupus fog”).

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    Making your mark 

    Finding more effective treatments, better diagnostic methods, and, someday, cures for these diseases will take a group effort.

    This is the basis of having observances for these diseases. By marking a particular day as a time to bring attention to these diseases, more people will become aware of the debilitating effects of fibromyalgia, CFS/ME, and lupus. This can also lead to better-educated physicians. These diseases all share some similar symptoms – pain, fatigue, and confusion – and diagnosing them can be difficult. If public awareness increases, perhaps physicians will also work to increase their own awareness, shortening the time it takes for individuals to reach a correct diagnosis.

    Also, knowing you’re not alone goes a long way. The more people are aware of fibromyalgia, CFS/ME, and lupus, the more supportive the rest of the community will be of people with these diseases. Eventually, the stigmatized “all-in-your-head” perception of these diseases will begin to disappear.

    Whether you have or know someone with one of these diseases, or whether you’re simply curious or want to help promote advocacy efforts, there are lots of ways for you to make a difference. A few of these include:

    1. Print off materials, like a World Lupus Day flier, and ask permission to hang them up in your community.
    2. Change your profile picture on social media to honor a disease’s day of observation, such as on Fibromyalgia Awareness Day.
    3. Share facts, articles, and statistics on social media. A very simple way to do this is to follow organizations that focus on these diseases. When these organizations post something you find meaningful or helpful, share it with your own friends or followers to increase their understanding of these invisible illnesses.
    4. If you live with fibromyalgia, CFS/ME, or lupus, let your friends, neighbors, or coworkers know. They’ll be more likely to go out of their way to support advocacy and research efforts if they know someone in their life has a particular disease.
    5. If you have a friend or family member who’s living with one of these diseases, ask him or her if there are any popular misconceptions about that disease. Ask what you can do to alter these misconceptions or if there’s anything else you can do to help.
    6. Consider making a donation to a reputable charity for one of these diseases. You can even earmark your donation for certain causes within the charity, such as funding research, surveys, or support groups. The National Fibromyalgia & Chronic Pain Association even released a list of achievements that came from its 2014 donations. Consider donating today on Fibromyalgia Awareness Day.

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    For More Information Related to Fibromyalgia Visit below sites:

    References:

    Fibromyalgia Contact Us Directly

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    Official Fibromyalgia Blogs

    Click here to Get the latest Chronic illness Updates

    Fibromyalgia Stores

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  • Diagnosing Fibromyalgia: Past to Present

    The term “fibromyalgia” may be relatively new, but the condition itself has been around for quite a while. After several name changes, a definite set of diagnostic parameters are finally established for fibromyalgia.

    History of fibromyalgia

    The first known mention of fibromyalgia was in the 1800s, but at the time it was simply called “muscular rheumatism.”

    When “muscular rheumatism” was first written about, doctors noted that it caused stiffness, aches, pains, tiredness, and difficulty speaking. In 1824, a doctor in Scotland first described the tender points that characterize fibromyalgia.

    A psychiatrist in the United States described a condition called “neurasthenia” in 1880, which he believed was caused by stress. He ascribed the symptoms of widespread pain, fatigue, and psychological problems to neurasthenia.

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    The term “fibrositis” was introduced in 1904 by Sir William Gowers. “Fibro” refers to the body’s connective tissues. “Itis” indicated inflammation or swelling, so “fibritis” meant inflammation of the connective tissues. In 1913, a physician wrote more about fibritis, describing a worsening of symptoms as air pressure fell and rains came on. He also described temperature variations and fevers.

    In the 1970s, Hugh Smythe described fibritis in papers and medical textbooks. This was the clearest, most cohesive description of the disease and its symptoms so far. The name was changed from “fibritis” to “fibromyalgia” in 1976, since inflammation was no longer believed to be the cause. “Myo” means muscles and “algia” means pain, so “fibromyalgia” means pain in the muscles and connective tissues.

    Certain antidepressants were found to be effective in treating fibromyalgia in 1986. The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) published an article about fibromyalgia in 1987. Also in that year, fibromyalgia was recognized by the American Medical Association (AMA) as a defined disease and cause of illness and disability. The American College of Rheumatology first published diagnostic criteria for fibromyalgia in 1990.

    Diagnosing fibromyalgia

    Diagnosing fibromyalgia today is still difficult.

    There is no definitive test for fibromyalgia, so it’s typically a diagnosis of exclusion, meaning that a person can only be diagnosed with fibromyalgia when every other possibility has been excluded.

    The Mayo Clinic website explains why diagnosing fibromyalgia is so difficult, stating:

    “Fibromyalgia symptoms include widespread body pain, fatigue, poor sleep and mood problems. But all of these symptoms are common to many other conditions. And because fibromyalgia symptoms can occur alone or along with other conditions, it can take time to tease out which symptom is caused by what problem. To make things even more confusing, fibromyalgia symptoms can come and go over time.”

    Tender points are still used by many specialists during diagnoses. There are 18 potential tender points on the body, and the physician must be able to elicit a response on at least 11 of these tender points. However, knowing precisely where the tender points are and how much pressure to apply can be tricky, so general doctors use a different set of diagnostic criteria.

    The criteria used by general doctors includes:

    • Widespread pain that’s lasted for at least three months
    • Presence of other symptoms, such as fatigue, waking up tired, or trouble thinking (often called “fibro fog”)
    • No other conditions that could be causing the symptoms

    Additionally, some physicians may score patients’ responses to a series of questions to judge the severity of the widespread pain being experienced. For instance, several symptoms are given a score as far as symptom severity. Zero means no problems at all, while three means severe, pervasive, or life-disturbing. Then the scores for all the symptoms are added together. If this score is above a certain level, it’s considered positive for fibromyalgia. This positive result, in addition to other positive results and the absence of any other conditions that could explain the symptoms, will usually lead to a diagnosis of fibromyalgia.

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    Fibromyalgia might also be accompanied by symptoms such as:

    Causes of fibromyalgia

    It’s still unclear what causes fibromyalgia.

    Gender, health condition, genetics, and trauma are all thought to play a role in fibromyalgia. However, it’s not known if all or any of these are the actual cause of the condition. It’s only known that these factors play a part in determining an individual’s risk for developing fibromyalgia.

    External triggers, such as viral infection or repetitive strain, and some preexisting conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis or lupus, may make people more likely to develop fibromyalgia. Depression, post-traumatic stress syndrome, or other mental illnesses are often found in people who have fibromyalgia. Additionally, being overweight, being inactive, or smoking might increase the risk for fibromyalgia. Women are also much more likely to develop fibromyalgia, although men and children can develop the condition, too.

    Studies have been conducted looking at the role of stress in triggering fibromyalgia. Employees in a stressful job environment tended to experience more pain. Also, women who’ve experienced relationships with violent abuse are at an increased risk for fibromyalgia. People who feel as though they have very little support or who had a poor psychological response to pain also seem to be an increased risk for fibromyalgia.

    Even though the cause behind fibromyalgia is still unknown, and diagnosing it remains a challenge, it’s thanks to the collective history of fibromyalgia that we have any understanding of it today. The symptoms and tender points described in the 1820s, the psychological (cognitive) problems acknowledged in the 1880s, and the issues with temperature regulation noted in the early 1900s all helped define the condition as it’s understood today.

    https://fibromyalgia-6.creator-spring.com/
    https://www.teepublic.com/stores/fibromyalgia-store

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    For More Information Related to Fibromyalgia Visit below sites:

    References:

    Fibromyalgia Contact Us Directly

    Click here to Contact us Directly on Inbox

    Official Fibromyalgia Blogs

    Click here to Get the latest Chronic illness Updates

    Fibromyalgia Stores

    Click here to Visit Fibromyalgia Store

  • Finding round-the-clock pain relief at pain doctor

    Pain management is difficult, and if you’ve got a chronic pain condition, it can sometimes feel impossible to find just the right balance of medications to control your pain. Sometimes, though, pain management isn’t about treating your pain at all. Things like getting a good night’s rest, finding stress relief, and treating mental illnesses may not technically be pain management, but they still might be able to provide you with a lot of relief. This month at Pain Doctor, we tried to present with you as many round-the-clock pain management techniques as we could.

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    Sleep is a big part of life, so it’s no surprise that sleep can also play a big role in pain management.

    Scientists still aren’t quite sure why we need sleep, but it’s abundantly clear that sleep is essential for health. Even infants and children who get less than the recommended amount of sleep experience increased health risks – specifically, an increased risk of obesity and overall body fat.

    Adults who don’t get enough sleep are at an increased risk of obesity, too, along with a higher risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and high blood pressure. A reduced sex drive, impaired decision making, and increased risk for mental disorders also accompany sleep deprivation. We also noted the relationship between sleep and pain, stating:

    “Sleep deprivation lowers the pain threshold. This means that the more tired an individual is, the more likely he or she is to experience sensations as painful. The increased pain can make falling asleep and staying asleep difficult, which often leads to more sleep deprivation. This becomes a repeating cycle, until it’s difficult to tell which came first – the sleep deprivation or the pain.”

    To help you manage your pain by getting a better night’s rest, we put together seven ways to help you sleep better at Pain Doctor. Some of these tips, like avoiding caffeine and getting a comfy mattress, aren’t too surprising. A few, though, might be surprising, such as avoiding electronic screens before bed to sleep better. However, if you’ve tried it all and still can’t get a good night’s rest, talk to your physician. He or she should be able to help.

    Another potential way to both sleep better and find some pain relief is to find ways to manage your stress.

    Stress is insidious. Short-lived, acute stress might make your heart pound or your palms sweat, but it’s frequent bouts of acute stress and long-term chronic stress that can really have an impact. Unfortunately, it’s long-term chronic stress that tends to sneak up on people, becoming such a regular part of life that it’s eventually unnoticed. Digestive issues, headaches, and even more severe allergy flare-ups can all be attributed to stress. Additionally, pain and stress are closely linked, as we stated on the Pain Doctor blog:

    “Chronic stress causes changes in the brain. Over time, these changes can negatively impact the parts of the brain that manage pain, meaning that it can confuse the brain into thinking it’s experiencing new or worsened pain.”

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    If your stress feels overwhelming, talk to a physician or therapist. Along with your doctor’s recommendations, there are also ways to manage your stress levels yourself, though, check out our eight ways to reduce stress. Meditation, laughter, exercise, and lots of other at-home activities can help you get rid of your stress, which can help you lower your pain.

    The Pain Doctor post on self-care might help you out with this, too. Self-care is, for all intents and purposes, pampering yourself. It’s doing something that you find relaxing or enjoyable to reduce stress. Taking a short break during a stressful day and doing a self-care activity, such as reading a book or savoring a cup of tea, can cut back your stress before it gets too bad. Keeping up with regular self-care can lower your overall stress levels, which can in turn improve pain, sleep, and overall health.

    We also gave some of the best news ever to all the bookworms out there: reading and writing are scientifically proven to be good for you.

    For National Library Week, we broke down the many ways that the library can help you. There is, of course, the obvious: libraries have lots of books, and reading is a fantastic way to lower stress. Additionally, libraries give you the chance to learn about your chronic pain condition. Aside from books, libraries have reliable internet access, journal and newspaper archives, movies, and audiobooks, all waiting for you to explore so you can get to know your pain condition inside and out.

    The sense of empowerment from this knowledge might help to ease your stress a little, as well as make you better prepared to deal with your disease. Librarians, too, can be a big help with this. Ask for help, and a librarian will be able to direct you to the right book shelf, help you find and print off materials for yourself (and for friends or family, if you want), and find local support groups.

    Your librarian might also be able to direct you to a few books that can help you through difficult times. As we explained in our post about reading and writing, the written word can do wonders for stress. The rule of thumb when picking out a book to lower your stress is to pick a book that you’ll enjoy, so go ask your librarian about your favorite topic.

    Journaling can also lower stress. You may choose to write down your stressors, which can help you work through them, or you might prefer to keep a gratitude journal. Maybe you’d like to do both, or maybe you’d like to take up poetry or fiction writing. Writing can lower your stress no matter what it’s about, so long as it’s what makes you feel better. Keep in mind, though, that some types of writing – like keeping a stress-relief journal – might be difficult or upsetting at the time, but after a while you’ll likely start to feel better.

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    For a great example of how both knowledge and writing can make life a little easier, we introduced you to the chronicwoman this month on Pain Doctor. The Hurt Blogger has lived with chronic pain since childhood, but she’s learned as much as possible to help herself live with her pain. Hurt Blogger runs marathons and climbs mountains, and she also blogs about her life and the things that matter to her. She’s also got lots of tips, tricks, and information about living with chronic pain on her website.

    Finding some support when you’re struggling is always a good idea, so we did our best to help.

    Sometimes, no matter what you do, you may need help with your mental health. Taking the first step and reaching out for professional help is one of the most difficult and brave decisions that anyone can make, so we tried to break down the types of therapists and therapy for you in our Counseling Awareness Month post.

    Chronic pain can sometimes be a result of untreated mental illness. Other times chronic pain can be a symptom of mental illness. Whatever the case, struggling with pain on a regular basis can increase the risk for mental illnesses. If you’ve ever wondered if you might have a mental illness, err on the side of caution and speak to your physician. They can help.

    We also took a look at the use of antidepressants for pain patients on the Pain Doctor blog. Antidepressants are traditionally used to treat mental disorders, such as depression. However, there are a lot of pain conditions that can be relieved by antidepressants, too, such as:

    If you’re not taking an antidepressant already and you’re experiencing pain, despite taking pain medications, consider speaking to your physician about trying an antidepressant.

    As far as unusual pain management techniques, no one knows more than someone who’s lived with chronic pain. This is just one benefit of a support group; everyone there knows something that no one else knows. A support group can remove the isolation that often affects anyone with a pain condition. Both online and offline support groups have benefits, so we gave you tips on finding both.

    We also gave you some information on mental health in children and older adults. These populations aren’t the typical groups thought of when you discuss mental health, but problems are just as prevalent here as everywhere else. Hopefully the warning signs of mental illness, such as mood and appetite changes, will help you keep an eye on your loved ones and know when to ask for help.

    To top it off, we put together some general information we thought you might benefit from.

    A lot’s been happening in Colorado. Our post about the latest medical news covered the highlights. From Colorado’s single case of measles to changes in healthcare to the ongoing fight against hospital-acquired infections, we tried to touch on the topics that would matter most to you.

    https://fibromyalgia-6.creator-spring.com/
    https://www.teepublic.com/stores/fibromyalgia-store

    Click Here to Visit the Store and find Much More….

    For More Information Related to Fibromyalgia Visit below sites:

    References:

    Fibromyalgia Contact Us Directly

    Click here to Contact us Directly on Inbox

    Official Fibromyalgia Blogs

    Click here to Get the latest Chronic illness Updates

    Fibromyalgia Stores

    Click here to Visit Fibromyalgia Store

  • Does medication for lower back pain actually work?

    In the fight against lower back pain, many people and their doctors reach for the same weapons: common over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medications. New research on commonly recommended and prescribed lower back pain medications has found that many may actually be virtually ineffective for treating lower back pain and that medication for lower back pain may actually do more harm than good.

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    Over-the-counter medication for lower back pain

    Nsaids are a standard go-to medication for lower back pain, but their effectiveness is being called into question. The common over-the-counter pain medications Tylenol, Advil, and Aleve are all types of nsaids. More powerful nsaids are also available by prescription from your physician. For many people with chronic back pain, it’s not unusual to keep a bottle of over-the-counter nsaids on hand to treat pain as needed.

    A great many medications fall into the classification of nsaids, but all of them function in a similar way. Nsaids block an enzyme called cyclooxygenase (COX), which in turn inhibits the production of certain inflammatory responses like fever, swelling, and pain. Since many instances of pain are caused by inflammation or swelling, inhibiting inflammatory responses should reduce pain.

    However, COX enzymes also aid in protecting the stomach lining, which is why using nsaids can sometimes lead to ulcers or bleeding in the stomach. Potential side effects of nsaids include digestive symptoms like heartburn, diarrhea, vomiting, or stomach pain.

    Research on Tylenol

    Tylenol in particular has been widely advertised all over the world as a catch-all OTC medication for aches and pains of every variety. From acute back pain to achy knees and chronic pain, advertisements would have you believe that Tylenol is effective and safe for pain. A study from the BMJ (formerly the British Medical Journal) found that Tylenol’s claims of efficacy in the treatment of both back and knee pain were false.

    A meta-analysis of randomized controlled studies focusing on Tylenol’s ability to relieve spinal pain and pain due to osteoarthritis found that for spinal pain, Tylenol showed no effect on pain in either short- or intermediate-term follow-ups. For osteoarthritis, the short-term efficacy of Tylenol for spinal pain was more pronounced than for intermediate use, but pain reduction was still rated as moderate. Any pain relief reported was clinically insignificant and similar to the placebo group. The studies included in the meta-analysis focused on just over 5,300 patients with lower back pain and knee pain and excluded any patients with previous surgeries for either condition.

    Side effects of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

    While some patients suffering from chronic and acute back pain may find that any minor reduction in pain is worth the risk, the side effects may not be worth it. Since 2011, the Food & Drug Administration has required medications that use acetaminophen to carry a “black box” warning that highlights its risk for liver failure.

    Many who take Tylenol for pain do not realize that other medications (e.g. Cold medicines) also contain acetaminophen. Exceeding the maximum daily dose by even a small amount can cause serious side effects and may even cause death. For anything other than acute, short-term pain, taking Tylenol is not recommended as a medication for lower back pain.

    Opioid medications

    Opioids are a narcotic pain reliever. Previously used primarily for short-term relief of acute pain, or for pain relief in patients with a chronic condition like cancer, opioids have become part of mainstream pain management over the last two decades. The number of prescriptions written for oral opioid medications, such as hydrocodone, oxycodone, or hydromorphone, has more than tripled over the last 20 years. Despite the risks associated with opioid medications, they are becoming increasingly widespread as a prescribed medication for lower back pain, even though new research suggests opioids aren’t very effective for this type of pain.

    Opioids and spinal surgery risks

    While the risks of opioids have been well-documented, a study by the American Academy of Pediatrics found that the use of prescription opioids is linked to fewer positive outcomes after spinal surgery. The study of just over 500 patients used patient reporting to measure health preoperatively and at three, six, and 12 months post-operatively. Differences in recovery, mental health, and decreased pain was significantly influenced by opioid use in the following ways:

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    • Patients who increased opioid use before spinal surgery did significantly worse post-operatively at three and 12 months
    • For every ten milligrams of increase in opioid use, the study found a significant decrease in mental and physical health scores
    • Patients who also suffered from comorbid conditions such as depression and anxiety were more likely to take opioids

    Lead study author Clinton J. Devin, MD, assistant professor of orthopedic surgery and neurosurgery at the Vanderbilt Spine Center had this to say about the treatment implications of study’s findings:

    “Our work highlights the importance of careful preoperative counseling with patients on high doses of preoperative opioids, pointing out the potential impact on long term outcome and working toward narcotic reduction prior to undergoing surgery.”

    Even for those patients who choose not to undergo surgery, opioids have very little effect on chronic low back pain. While there seems to be some short-term analgesic benefit, the risk of dependence and other side effects likely outweighs the minimal benefit in intermediate- and long-term use for this medication for lower back pain.

    Opioids for chronic pain

    Researchers have also been reevaluating the trials and evidence that support the effectiveness of opioid pain medications, and the evidence doesn’t hold up. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) convened a seven-member panel to examine the evidence for opioid medications. An article by the University of Connecticut summed up the results, noting:

    “A National Institutes of Health white paper that was released today finds little to no evidence for the effectiveness of opioid drugs in the treatment of long-term chronic pain, despite the explosive recent growth in the use of the drugs.”

    Additionally, a University of Colorado Boulder study showed that opioid use (specifically morphine) actually prolonged neuropathic pain in rats, suggesting that it could have the same effect on humans.

    Opioids for lower back pain

    Finally, the BMJ published a clinical review of the efficacy of opioids as a medication for lower back pain. The conclusions in this article include:

    • Opioids don’t speed injured workers’ return to work
    • Opioids don’t improve functional outcomes of acute back pain in primary care
    • There is little evidence of opioid efficacy for chronic back pain

    It was also pointed out that controlled trials of opioids for back pain tend to experience a high dropout rate among participants. The trials also have a short duration (generally four months or less) and have highly selected patients. This all suggests that the controlled trials that do support opioid efficacy for back pain are perhaps not reliable, or at least are not thorough enough.

    Opioids also have a high risk of abuse and dependence. Using opioids before spinal surgery has been linked to a higher risk of negative surgical outcome. Slow-acting opioids, which have been assumed to be safer than fast-acting opioids, have been shown to make men five times as likely to develop low testosterone. More and more evidence continues to point to the fact that opioids are not a suitable medication for lower back pain, unless used for highly-controlled, acute cases.

    Oral steroids

    Steroids are commonly used to treat inflammation associated with back pain, but they may not be as effective as previously believed. Steroids, also called corticosteroids, are a synthetic (man-made) version of a hormone naturally found in the body. Steroids are used to treat many different conditions, largely because they are cost-effective and can be applied in many different forms (oral, injected, inhaled, topically, etc.). Long-term or illicit use of steroids is associated with several potentially-serious side effects, but when used as directed, steroids are generally considered safe.

    In a randomized controlled trial of 267 people with herniated disc, researchers found that there was no significant difference in pain relief between the group receiving oral steroids (prednisone) and the group receiving a placebo. Both groups saw improvement, but even after a year, there was no difference between the two (except in rate of disability, which was slightly lower in the prednisone group).

    Likewise, a study originally published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) looked at the efficacy of the oral steroid prednisone in treating sciatica-related back pain. In this study, half the participants were given a 15-day course of prednisone to treat sciatica resulting from a herniated disc, while the other half were given placebos to treat the same condition. Although both groups’ symptoms improved, there were no statistically significant differences in pain or disability by the end of six weeks.

    Again, this is a case of the side effects outweighing the negligible benefits. In addition to headache, mood swings, and irregular heartbeat, long-term use of prednisone is a risk factor for osteoporosis, which may increase the risk of spinal injury leading to pain. Steroid injections, on the other hand, provide a targeted approach to using these medications which may work more powerfully for lower back pain patients.

    What are non-medication options for lower back pain? 

    With these common back pain medications increasingly debunked in the research, there are other treatment options to consider.

    First, don’t stop your medication for lower back pain

    Even with this research, this does not mean that you should stop your medication for lower back pain, especially if they’ve been prescribed by a physician.

    If you’re taking a medication that relieves your symptoms of back pain, that’s great. Keep taking it. If your current medication doesn’t seem to be doing the job, keep taking it until you’re able to talk to your pain doctor and get an alternative medication or treatment (or are given the go-ahead to stop taking it). Stopping a medication prescribed by your doctor could be unsafe if you haven’t discussed it with them before.

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    And keep in mind that pursuing alternative, complementary, or interventional pain management techniques – either in conjunction with or (with your physician’s permission) instead of medication – might help you control your pain much more effectively than medication for lower back pain alone.

    Exercise

    Staying physically active is an important treatment option for lower back pain. While it may seem counterintuitive to move when you are in pain, keeping your muscles strong and engaged can be the key to a healthy back. Focus on stretches and core work, but don’t forget low-impact cardiovascular exercise such as biking, swimming, and hiking.

    Dietary changes

    Although it may not work as quickly as medication for lower back pain, eating a healthy diet full of anti-inflammatory foods can make a tremendous difference in treating chronic back pain. Adding these foods while eliminating common inflammation-causing foods like sugar, wheat, and dairy can help you manage pain.

    Weight management

    The more weight we carry on our bodies, the more stress there is on our joints. Maintaining a healthy weight with diet and exercise can be an important part of treatment for back pain, especially in cases where back pain is due to compression injuries such as herniated discs or inflammation caused by spinal stenosis.

    Complementary medicine

    Acupuncture is gaining traction as an effective treatment for low back pain. Chiropractic care can also be an excellent first-line treatment that minimizes the chance of spinal surgery in the future. Mindfulness meditation and biofeedback have both been shown to diminish the perception of pain. All of these treatments are nearly side-effect free, and many are now covered by insurance.

    Interventional pain management

    Finally, if your pain doesn’t respond to medication for lower back pain or these complementary approaches, you could try more targeted therapies for resolving your back pain. This will involve identifying the underlying causes of your back pain and finding a therapy that can work to resolve or treat the symptoms of your pain. Once a correct diagnosis is made, your doctor may recommend any of the following therapies:

    https://fibromyalgia-6.creator-spring.com/
    https://www.teepublic.com/stores/fibromyalgia-store

    Click Here to Visit the Store and find Much More….

    For More Information Related to Fibromyalgia Visit below sites:

    References:

    Fibromyalgia Contact Us Directly

    Click here to Contact us Directly on Inbox

    Official Fibromyalgia Blogs

    Click here to Get the latest Chronic illness Updates

    Fibromyalgia Stores

    Click here to Visit Fibromyalgia Store

  • My personal top 10 favorite posts on pain doctor

    It’s been about a year since we became Pain Doctor and began sharing information with you about everything pain- and health-related. In that time, we’ve covered a lot of information, but we’ve tried to make sure that all of it is centered around the topics that you, as a health–conscious pain patient, might care about the most. It was tough, but we narrowed down a year’s worth of information into our top ten favorite posts from Pain Doctor, covering everything from resources to lifestyle changes.

    In no particular order, here are our top ten favorite posts on Pain Doctor.

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    1. Exercising With Pain 

    It can be hard to start a new exercise routine, especially if you’re in pain, but the payoff will be worth it. In this post, we touched on a few studies that looked at the benefits of exercise for people with chronic pain, noting:

    “Several studies have looked at the effects of exercise on chronic pain conditions. The results are often very similar: decreased pain and a better quality of life.”

    We also gave you some suggested types of exercise, along with a few tips, to get you started on your fitness journey.

    2. The Importance of Self-Care: Why You Should Pamper Yourself

    We’ve mentioned several times on Pain Doctor that stress is bad for you, particularly if you live with chronic pain. Self-care is one of the absolute best ways to combat chronic stress and, by extension, improve your health and reduce your pain. Also, the more often you allow yourself a few minutes of self-care, the better, because your body will eventually come to associate a certain activity or routine (like the motions of brewing a pot of tea for an afternoon break) with relaxation. Once your body has built up this association, you’ll begin to experience the physiological signs of relaxation more quickly. If you need ideas for self-care or relaxation, look no further: this post has plenty.

    3. Health Literacy Online: Finding Good Resources

    Health literacy is all about knowing how to find and understand health information so you can make informed decisions about your own healthcare. Pain conditions, like lots of medical conditions, can get confusing and overwhelming very quickly, so having the health literacy skills to do research, find information, and know what questions to ask your physician is vital. This post breaks down how to judge the reliability of an online resource by asking five simple questions:

    1. Who is in charge of this website?
    2. What is being said?
    3. When was it published or updated?
    4. Where is the information coming from?
    5. Why does this website exist?

    4. How To Manage Your Medications

    After you’ve been dealing with a chronic pain condition or medical condition for long enough, managing your medications will become almost automatic. If you’re newly diagnosed, or if your medication regime has changed recently, it can be scary trying to keep all those pills (and maybe even injected medications) straight. Here we gave you some tips and tricks about medication management, like using a medication sheet and letting your everyday activities (such as meals or bedtime) act as reminders. The bottom line is to make sure you talk about your medications with your physician and then take them as directed.

    5. Snoozing Your Way To Health 

    Sleep might not seem like that much of a deal, but it is. Getting enough sleep can have big benefits on your health, just as being chronically sleep deprived carries some serious risks. If you deal with pain on a regular basis, sleep can be a struggle. Hopefully this post convinced you that, if your pain is interfering with your sleep, you should talk to your physician about it. After all, as we noted:

    “Sleep deprivation lowers the pain threshold. This means that the more tired an individual is, the more likely he or she is to experience sensations as painful. The increased pain can make falling asleep and staying asleep difficult, which often leads to more sleep deprivation. This becomes a repeating cycle, until it’s difficult to tell which came first – the sleep deprivation or the pain.”

    6. Untangling Connections Between Chronic Pain And Depression

    There are a lot of surface similarities between chronic pain and depression. For instance, people suffering from these conditions often face similar misconceptions, like the problem being “all in your head” or that you can “just get over it.” With both chronic pain and depression, though, this is certainly not the case. Both conditions are serious, diagnosable medical conditions that need attention from a physician. And the similarities go even deeper, right down to some of the same centers of the brain being involved in both chronic pain and mood disorders.

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    7. How Do Opioids Work?

    This post is a must-read for anyone who takes opioids (or who has a family member or friend who takes opioids). It covers all the nuts and bolts of opioids, from how they work to the different types to what they treat best to the risks involved.

    8. New Opioid Restrictions: Part Of The Solution To Opioid Abuse?

    A common opioid painkiller, hydrocodone, was reclassified last year, along with hydrocodone-based painkillers. We know that for a lot of people with chronic pain, opioids are commonly used for as-needed or breakthrough pain relief, until a less risky pain management technique can be found. In this post we delved into why hydrocodone-based painkillers have been reclassified and how it might impact you.

    9. Celebrating Dogs On National Dog Day

    Dogs are good for your health in lots of ways, and they can even help you manage your pain. For some people, it’s only thanks to their assistive or service dogs that they’re able to function independently. Therapy dogs can make a huge difference to people who are hospitalized or living in assisted care. What it boils down to, though, is that no matter the breed, age, size, or training, your canine best friend does more for you than you realize.

    10. Disease-Sniffing Dogs: The Next Stage Of Diagnostic Medicine?

    Hopefully this post was as interesting to read as it was to write. Dogs’ super-sensitive noses have been used for jobs like search and rescue or bomb-sniffing for years, but now they’re being trained and put to work in the medical field. Some of these amazing dogs can detect oncoming seizures, allergic reactions, or blood sugar fluctuations in their owners. Others are taught to identify infections or cancers. The really amazing thing is that oftentimes, the dogs are more sensitive than modern medical equipment.

    At Pain Doctor, we try to help you live your best life possible, and we truly think that part of that is arming you with all the knowledge you need to make the best decisions about your lifestyle and healthcare. We hope we’ve accomplished that for you, and we hope that we can continue to help you control your pain and enjoy your life to the fullest.

    https://fibromyalgia-6.creator-spring.com/
    https://www.teepublic.com/stores/fibromyalgia-store

    Click Here to Visit the Store and find Much More….

    For More Information Related to Fibromyalgia Visit below sites:

    References:

    Fibromyalgia Contact Us Directly

    Click here to Contact us Directly on Inbox

    Official Fibromyalgia Blogs

    Click here to Get the latest Chronic illness Updates

    Fibromyalgia Stores

    Click here to Visit Fibromyalgia Store

  • How to prevent knee pain in old age?

    How to prevent knee pain in old age?

    If you’re wondering how to prevent knee pain in old age, the answer often comes down to taking steps today to reduce your risk. By reducing your risk for the nine most common causes and risk factors for knee pain, you can prevent a large possibility of knee pain in your future.

    How does anatomy prevent knee pain, and cause it? 

    The knee is a joint made of four bones: the femur, tibia, fibula and patella. There are a series of muscles that also support the knee, including the quadriceps and hamstrings. Finally, these are all joined together by a carefully woven set of ligaments, meniscus, and tendons. Precious cartilage provides necessary cushioning for comfortable movement.

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    The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) are perhaps most critical for proper knee movement. The knee is also surrounded by fluid filled sacs called bursae that provide additional cushioning.

    Since it’s such a complex joint, it can sustain most of the demands we place on it every day. However, these same joints and tendons can become inflamed, leading to pain. Likewise, the delicate structures of the knee can become injured leading to pain. We’ll talk about some of the risk factors you can work to reduce today to prevent knee pain in the future from these causes.

    What are the most common types of knee pain?

    The knee moves in two ways: bending (flexion) and straightening (extension). However, the knee can also twist, which is the common cause of many injuries to ligaments. Those who have ligament injuries to the knee often report hearing a popping, followed by the inability to place weight on the knee.

    Such twisting-related injuries can also cause damage to the knee’s tendons and meniscus. These injuries will likely cause pain, swelling, and limited movement. Often surgery is required. However, the knee is a major joint that takes the weight of the body daily; with time, wear and tear injuries may occur that leads to knee pain as people get older. Also known as degeneration injuries, these include osteoarthritis and chondromalacia patella. Both are the result of degeneration of cartilage, causing bone-on-bone rubbing and pain.

    What are the most common risk factors for knee pain? 

    One of the largest risk factors for knee pain is age. Age increases the risk for a variety of conditions leading to knee pain, including osteoarthritis. Older people are also more likely to have weakened muscles. They are also more vulnerable to injury while playing sports or participating in normal daily activities.

    A study in the journal Osteoarthritis and Cartilage found that the risk factors for knee pain and osteoarthritis are essentially the same: age, extra weight, history of knee injury, and having a job that places extra stress on the knee. Increased age and unhappiness with a person’s job had a greater impact on the incidence of knee pain than the other factors.

    However, the best way how to prevent knee pain in old age is to avoid risk factors when you’re younger. Knee pain often results from osteoarthritis or sports injuries. These other nine risk factors for knee pain involve lifestyle choices that can you can manage to reduce or prevent knee pain in the future.

    1. Extra weight

    Extra weight is one of the largest risk factors for knee pain. The knee supports much of the body’s weight, and too much weight taxes the joint and increases the likelihood of pain. Anterior knee pain, which develops at the front and center, is one of the more common types of knee pain associated with carrying extra weight. Inactivity or muscle weakness, both associated with being overweight, can exacerbate the condition.

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    Obesity stresses the structure of the knee, including the patella—the medical term for the kneecap. The patella already supports forces that are equivalent to as much as five times the body’s weight, according to the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor’s school of Orthopaedic Surgery. A combination of weight loss and muscle strengthening can alleviate chronic pain related to obesity, although surgery is sometimes needed.

    2. Muscle weakness

    The knee connects the thighbone—also known as the femur—to the shinbone—also known as the tibia. Having strong quadriceps muscles helps to stabilize the knee joint and keep it healthy.

    And improving muscular fitness can be one of the best ways how to prevent knee pain, even if you’re older. A study in the journal Osteoarthritis and Cartilage studied a group of people aged 50 to 79 with osteoarthritis in the knee or risk factors for developing the disease. Women who had weak quadriceps were found to experience worse knee pain over the 5 years of the study, even when accounting for weight, level of exercise, and any history of knee surgery. Women with the weakest quadriceps experienced a 28% greater risk that their knee pain would worsen.

    The connection between strength of the quadriceps and knee pain did not hold true for men.

    Developing the right muscles can also help protect against one of the more serious knee injuries—a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). Athletes involved in sports where they jump and quickly accelerate and decelerate are particularly susceptible to torn acls. However, strong quadriceps and hamstring muscles can help insulate the knee from stress.

    3. Inactivity

    A cause of muscle weakness and obesity—inactivity—is also another factor for knee pain. People who are inactive are less strong, less flexible, and more sedentary. When the time comes to move and exercise, there is a greater risk of injury.

    Inactivity has also been found to make knee pain from arthritis worse, according to webmd. Being sedentary results in muscle deterioration that weakens the knee and increases pain.

    4. Not resting after injury

    Injured people who don’t rest their knees for a long enough period of time increase their risk of re-injury, according to webmd. Although recovery periods can last anywhere from several weeks to several months, taking the time to allow the body to adequately repair and heal is critical for allowing the knee to regain its strength.

    Resting is particularly difficult for athletes and other active people, but spending some quality time on the couch will go a long way to keeping the knees healthy and protecting against future injury.

    5. Smoking

    Smoking increases the risk of a host of health problems, and knee pain can be added to the list. Quitting smoking is one of the best ways how to prevent knee pain when you get older. A study published in Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases found that smoking increased the risk for both cartilage loss and knee pain in men who had developed osteoarthritis in the knee. Because smoking affected the amount of cartilage the men had in their knees, it increased the amount of pain they experienced.

    6. Genes

    Much of knee health is related to the underlying structure of the leg. And that structure is due to genetics, according to a study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. Researchers recruited a set of female twins and videotaped them while watching them land from jumps and execute cutting maneuvers. Scientists examined the angles of the women’s knees and the structure of the joints themselves.

    At the time of the videotaping, the girls were healthy. Over the next year, however, both women tore their acls, giving the scientists and opportunity to gauge the impact of genetics, the New York Times reported. Researchers found that the twins had excessively flexible knee joints and narrow notches in the knee where the ACL connects to the bone. Another study published in the American Journal of Sports Medicine identified a gene that affects the composition of collagen and increases the risk of torn acls.

    Unfortunately, there’s no way to reduce your genetic risk. But, you can be informed. If family members suffer from knee pain, take even more precautions now.

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    7. Occupation

    People who work in intense, manual-labor jobs are more likely to develop knee pain, according to research published in Osteoarthritis and Cartilage.

    Occupations associated with increased risk factors for knee pain included carpenters, miners, and construction workers. Carpenters and miners are at the highest risk. These jobs involve frequent knee bending, sitting, or standing for long periods of time in unnatural positions, along with heavy lifting. Of those individuals studied, 28% reported knee pain.

    If you are in one of these fields, make sure you talk to your doctor about ways to prevent your risk. These may include physical therapy or the use of braces.

    8. Depression

    People who are depressed report worse knee pain related to osteoarthritis, according to research published in The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. The effect was most pronounced in people with mild or moderate osteoarthritis, who reported severe pain despite less significant cartilage damage. Simultaneous emotional and physical pain feed off each other, exacerbating the effects of each, researchers say. Talk to your doctor about therapy options for reducing both your knee pain and depression.

    9. Overuse and injuries

    Many knee injuries, from tendinitis to iliotibial band syndrome, also known as runner’s knee, result from overuse. Repetitive motions involved in sports, such as running, often lead to inflammation. They can also cause structures in the leg and knee to rub against each other and cause pain. Although sports are a frequent contributor to knee pain, gardening, hobbies, or repetitive motions occurring during household activities can also be to blame. Injuries are the most common cause of knee problems, according to webmd.

    If you’ve suffered from any injury, make sure to rest and wear a brace or other supportive device when you do take up activity again.

    Other than surgery, what are some knee pain treatment options?

    If you’re already suffering from knee pain, there are non-surgical options for reducing your pain. The first lies with the basics tenets of how to prevent knee pain in the first place: exercise, consistently and with low-impact activities to reduce inflammation and reduce tension.

    From there, initial knee pain may respond to ice and anti–inflammatory non-steroidal medications. Additionally, neuropathic medications, such as gabapentin or lyrica, may help those reporting burning, numbness, or pins and needles. For those who have ongoing issues, perhaps the best tool for treating knee pain is an MRI. An appropriate diagnosis is absolutely critical to create a plan to effectively reduce your pain.

    Interventional treatments

    Once a pain physician has the MRI results and can make a diagnosis, treatment options may include corticosteroid injections directly into the joint. These injections immediately reduce inflammation, which can effectively reduce pain. Watch one of these injections take place in the following video.

    Other treatments include visco-supplementation. This is used for those who may need additional lubrication to the knee joint as a result of osteoarthritis. Nerve blocks are an additional treatment option.

    A saphenous nerve block may provide those with chronic knee pain – at times present after knee replacement – relief. Additionally, chiropractic therapy, gait analysis, bracing and TENS Unit may provide relief. A comprehensive knee pain treatment may also include physical therapy. This can help those with knee pain strengthen muscles surrounding the knee to improve stability.

    Finally, neuromodulation via a spinal cord stimulator may be an option for those patients who otherwise fail to respond to more conservative treatment options. Spinal cord stimulation includes the implantation of small electrodes in the epidural space of the spine. Through this device, large nerve fibers are stimulated to inhibit small nerve fibers, thereby blocking the sensation of pain.

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