The Food and Drug Administration has just issued what’s called a “Medwatch Alert” warning that Epidural steroid injections or “ESIs” for back and neck pain can be extremely dangerous. The alert says: “Injection of corticosteroids into the epidural space of the spine may result in rare but serious adverse events, including loss of vision, stroke, paralysis, and death.” Epidural steroid injections – and catastrophic injuries from them – were the subject of my debut investigation for The Dr.…
If you aren’t on this medication, chances are you know someone who is. It’s used to treat everything from pain to mood disorders and can be just what the doctor ordered for many. But now, there is mounting research uncovering misuse of and even a black market for this popular prescription. We’re talking about gabapentin. It’s approved for some types of seizures and nerve pain. Doctors also use it off-label to treat everything from insomnia…
We have received so many complaints about duloxetine side effects that we have lost count. Far more disturbing is the number of people who tell us how hard it is to discontinue this drug. Decades ago doctors might have told patients taking a drug like Cymbalta that if they experienced anxiety, irritability, or strange sensations after stopping the drug, it was probably their underlying psychological problem returning. Now we know it is withdrawal from the medicine.…
You’re Getting Older As you age, your cartilage — the spongy material that protects the ends of your bones — begins to dry out and stiffen. Your body also makes less synovial fluid, the stuff that acts like oil to keep your joints moving smoothly. The result: Your joints may not move as freely as they used to. It sounds a little crazy, but the best thing you can do is keep on trucking. Synovial…
A research project focused on developing an objective measure of pain-related interference with cognitive performance in people with fibromyalgia is one of three awarded research grants recently by Purdue Pharma. An independent steering committee oversaw the competition and selection of the three recipients of Purdue’s research grants to study chronic pain and the assessment of pain. Robert R. Edwards, Ph.D., of the Brigham and Women’s Hospital at the Harvard Medical School in Boston, will lead the project…
Shoulder pain is really just pain in the joints and muscles in the shoulder area that may or may not limit what your arm can do. Much of this pain originates in the tissues and bones in the shoulder, and you might also only feel the pain in the middle of physical activity or when you move your arms. Other times you might feel pain in your shoulder nonstop. There are multiple questions you probably…
Fibromyalgia, a widely misunderstood illness, confuses and frustrates both patients and doctors alike. I know because I’ve seen it from both sides—as both a physician and a woman with the illness myself. This common chronic disease is characterized by widespread muscle pain, fatigue, and brain fog. It’s estimated that 5 million Americans currently suffer from the disorder, and close to 90 percent of those diagnosed are women. Still, there remains a lot of confusion about what the…
Anyone with chronic pain knows that there are certain things that will make the pain flare-up. Those who have fibromyalgia are particularly vulnerable to this, as there are a lot of things they can’t do. Sleeping becomes increasingly difficult, as it is painful to lay down and sleep. Going out and tending to the garden becomes out of the question, as leaning over is too painful. The same thing goes for the clothing you wear. Likely,…
1. Vitamin deficiencies Cause Of Fibromyalgia Magnesium, vitamin D, and B12 deficiency are the most common vitamin deficiencies I see in those who have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia. I’ve had several patients completely reverse their fibromyalgia symptoms with magnesium alone. The best way to measure magnesium is a red blood cell (RBC) magnesium level, which can be tested through any conventional lab. 2. Gluten intolerance Gluten has been liked to more than 55 diseases and…
Action Steps to get Fibromyalgia Pain relief Here are the best action steps to get started with on your journey to get fibromyalgia pain relief. 1) Use Anti-Oxidant Rich Herbs: Add turmeric, ginger, oregano, garlic, basil, thyme, and rosemary to as many dishes as possible and drink organic herbal teas on a regular basis. you can get fibromyalgia Pain relief by using anti-oxidant herbs. 2) Change Your Diet: Follow an Anti-Inflammatory nutrition plan here and consider the auto-immune diet and/or the…