Understand chronic diseases, their causes, common symptoms, and effective management strategies to improve long-term health and quality of life.
Shoulder pain at night is a very common issue among chronic pain sufferers. The shoulder is one of the most vulnerable joints as it has such a wide range of motion, which opens it up to various injuries and problems. So, why are you experiencing shoulder pain at night and what can you do to find relief? We discuss five treatment options ranging from shoulder stretches to chiropractic to interventional procedures. Issues associated with shoulder pain at…
Chronic pain is the number one cause of disability in the U.S. According to the American Chronic Pain Association (ACPA), one in six people are living with chronic pain. The type of pain can vary with age. People in their 20s and 30s are most likely to suffer from headaches or chronic migraine. Adults in middle age tend to suffer from chronic back pain. The elderly often report pain as a result of arthritis or…
Pain is an unavoidable fact of life, especially for those with a chronic pain condition. There are dozens of potential treatments for pain already, but researchers are always searching for a deeper understanding of pain to help them devise even better treatments. One group of researchers has found a way to cut off the communication of pain in the brain. At the University of Calgary’s Hotchkiss Brain Institute, neuroscientist Gerald Zamponi, phd, and his team…
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…
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…
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: 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…
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…
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.…
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…
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. Over-the-counter medication for lower back pain Nsaids are a standard go-to medication for lower back pain,…