iTags Pain Diseases Wed, 19 Feb 2020 00:18:49 +0800 en-US daily 1 How to Deal With Neck Pain Mon, 03 Jun 2019 20:34:00 +0800 For example your head is pushed forward with your ears in front of your shoulders.
Keeping an appropriate posture for a long time will make your neck hurt.
Some people like beauticians work in a bent over position for long periods of time and thus are at more risk of experiencing neck pain.
But no matter what your job or lifestyle, you can rid your self of neck pain.
Exercise can do wonders for nearly anything.
Neck muscles need to stretched and strengthened too.
Doing simple neck exercises fives times twice a day really helps.
Exercise helps to combat stiffness and prevent future neck problems.
Let us take for example the Isometric Exercises.
These are done against resistance but without moving your head.
oFirstly sit erect and relaxed.
Hold your hand up to your forehead.
Now push your forehead into your palm and use your palm to resist.
oThen after the first one do this one.
Put your right hand against the right side your head and push your head against your right hand.
In short as if you were trying to bring your right ear to your right shoulder.
But your hand will have to resist the head's motion.
Repeat this exercise on the left side.
oNow for the third exercise.
Press both of your hands against the back of your head and push your head backwards and use your hands to resist that backwards motion.
oThe last exercise is as follows.
Put your hand against the right side of your face and try to turn your head to look over your shoulder.
With your hand resist the head's turning motion.
Repeat this exercise for the left hand side as well.
When you work on a computer make sure that it is at your eye level.
Many people experience neck pain at the end of the day due to looking down or up when working all day.
So change the height of your chair or make sure that your computer screen is in eye level.
One more thing.
Get rid of your bad habits.
For example putting the phone between your neck and shoulder or sleeping in a chair or shampooing your hair in a sink.
All of these can cause neck strain.
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A Narrative Review of the Impact of Disbelief in Chronic Pain Mon, 03 Jun 2019 20:23:00 +0800 Abstract and Introduction




Pain is famously defined by Margo McCaffery (1968) as "whatever the experiencing person says it is, existing whenever he says it does" (McCaffery & Pasero, 1999, p. 17). To act in accord with this definition of pain, one must take the words of the patient at face value. The practitioner must accept the patient's subjective report as being so. Therefore, the experience of having one's pain disbelieved may be described as the failure to accept an individual's account of his or her pain as true.

The reader should note that within the literature a similar concept is known as delegitimation. Norma Ware (1992), drawing on the work of the anthropologist Arthur Kleinman, defined delegitimation as "the experience of having one's perceptions of an illness systematically disconfirmed" (p. 347). Within her work in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), Ware highlights examples of delegitimation, such as others rendering an individual's symptoms as trivial or psychologic. The concepts of being disbelieved and delegitimation are similar but not entirely synonymous. Perhaps a key difference is that an individual may have his or her experiences unintentionally discounted by others and thus experience delegitimation. This does not necessarily mean that the other person disbelieves the individual's pain account. The focus within this article will be on the disbelief of chronic pain, i.e., pain that has persisted for ≥3 months (Bond et al., 2006).

The initial starting point for this review followed contact with a review article by Clarke and Iphofen (2005). They offer an overview of the literature regarding the relationship between the health care professional and the patient in believing the patient's pain. A number of issues are highlighted. First, if patients are not taken seriously, this could compromise the accuracy of pain assessment. Second, regarding a study conducted by Werner and Malterud (2003), in which patients invest considerable amount of effort in maintaining a credible image, Clarke and Iphofen conclude that health care staff are "responsible for recognizing the suffering of the patient and should consequently aim to prevent further disempowerment" (p. 491). A third issue is that of labeling. Clarke and Iphofen suggest that labels are important in conveying the professional's belief in the patient's pain, although care is needed to ensure such labels do not disempower patients in their recovery.

Clarke and Iphofen offer an informative review with noteworthy recommendations for clinical practice. However, their review is restricted to the belief of chronic pain within the health care setting. The present authors sought to consider the wider social context (including the health care setting) in which individuals with chronic pain may experience disbelief toward their pain, for instance, within their workplace, neighborhood, and family. The focus of the present article, therefore, is on the consequences surrounding the disbelief of chronic pain and the ensuing implications this may have for health care professionals.

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Carpal Tunnel Syndrome - Can Playing the Piano Cause Carpal Tunnel Symptoms? Mon, 03 Jun 2019 20:22:00 +0800 She doesn't want to quit playing her piano but is having problems keeping up with her work because of her carpal tunnel pain.
She told me that her teacher was helping her with correct positioning of her arms and hands.
Often, when we have carpal tunnel pain, there is much more going on than most people realize.
Here is my response to Jeanne.
Well, first I'll address the proper positioning of your arms.
Realize that I have absolutely no knowledge of piano playing, only of how a body develops carpal tunnel and other pain symptoms.
To prevent carpal tunnel pain, just like working at a desk, your back should be straight, no hunching allowed.
You need to sit with your natural curve at the back of your waist (tummy sticking out a bit.
)Your head should be over your shoulders, not in front of your body.
Your elbows should be close to your waist, but I know they will move around a lot.
That way, your large body muscles are being used rather than your smaller arm and hand muscles.
When you play, your wrists should be straight, or flat, not tilted up or down.
Hold your elbows at right angles, but slightly open.
Is it possible that your piano bench is not the correct height for you?That is important.
Your feet should rest flat on the floor or on a support.
But here are my two biggest suggestions.
Since your muscles are already aggravated, having therapeutic massage would be of great benefit.
Perhaps you could go for a couple of half hours a week to help settle down your strained arm muscles.
Massage helps muscles and soft tissues normalize much, much more quickly than stretching, heat, or other modalities.
Massaging the muscles gets in there and gets your blood and other body fluids moving.
This relaxes the muscles, breaks up restrictions and gets them on the road to health and balance again.
This one is big: There are muscles in your neck called the scalenes.
If you have a forward head posture, and especially if your shoulders are also held forward, rather than at the sides of your body (rounded upper back?) then there is an excellent chance that your scalene muscles are causing your carpal tunnel symptoms.
The scalenes will also cause a "knot" between your shoulder blades and your spine.
A knowledgeable massage therapist or physical therapist can also help you with correcting your postural muscles and can release the scalene muscles, but they don't all know how to do those things.
You have to search out the appropriate therapist.
So, Jeanne, without being able to see you, those are my guesses and thoughts.
I suspect your posture may need some attention, and that your "forward head" is causing symptoms in your arms and hands.
I don't want you to suffer or have to quit piano, and I do not believe that you will have to do either.
Bodies are truly remarkable.
They want to be well and sometimes just need a little help.
If you understand why you are having carpal tunnel symptoms (symptoms are caused by something we either do or do not do) then you can take the necessary steps to help your body get well.
Will it take some of your time?Yes.
Will it be worth it for your future happiness?Yes.
Please write to me again and let me know if you have more questions.
I want to know how you are doing.
Remember, the more you understand about the causes of your carpal tunnel pain, the more you can correct, and the faster you will heal.
If you can, print this out so you can refer to it often as you make your corrections.
I wish you the very best, and please keep in touch.
Perhaps one day I will get to hear your beautiful music.
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Natural Migraine Treatment Mon, 03 Jun 2019 20:21:00 +0800 Migraines are also called vascular headaches, because they usually involve spasm of the arteries of the head, resulting in a pulsating pain.
There are no successful medicines for it, only natural migraine treatments can help.
The headaches may last from a few hours to several days or even longer.
About 10 percent of migraine sufferers experience a warning aura before the headache starts; this early symptom involves a visual disturbance, such as partial or temporary loss of sight or flashes of light and color.
An aura may also cause tingling on one side of the face or body or a disturbance in the sense of smell.
Even those who don't experience an aura may have warning signs in the few hours leading up to a migraine, such as feelings of cold, craving for a specific food, mood changes, a sudden burst of energy, or frequent yawning.
Migraines affect women about three times as often as men, and they commonly start between the ages of 18 and 44.
Doctors think that they begin when triggers - dietary, hormonal, environmental, emotional, and other factors cause blood vessels in the brain to constrict and then relax.
These distorted blood vessels prompt nerve endings to send out pain signals.
Natural migraine treatment involves relaxation techniques.
In addition to using relaxation techniques, some doctors recommend taking a course in biofeedback to learn how to raise the temperature of your hands, thereby diverting some of the blood flow from the head to another part of the body.
This technique can be used at the start of an attack.
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Sciatica and Its Treatment Mon, 03 Jun 2019 19:56:00 +0800   These exercises come from a physical therapist by the name of Robin McKenzie and are known as the McKenzie Method.
These exercises are not only good for preventing sciatica but can also be very beneficial in relieving the pain during time when you are suffering from sciatica.
  These exercises can be used for sciatica treatment and are associated with extension of the spine or backward bending.
What they really do is help you test for, and then exercise in, positions and stretches that relieve the pain in the legs and feet and centralize it in the lower back or produce "centralization of symptoms.
" All this means is that the symptoms are centralized in the butt or lower back, if you have lower back pain that is running down the leg (sciatica) then centralization would be where the pain lessens or leaves the leg or legs, even though the pain in the butt and lower back stays the same or worsens.
  In time, if you can centralize the pain in the butt and lower back, the pain in the butt and lower back will also start to see improvement.
McKenzie exercises most often involve extension of the spine but, they can also involve flexion or forward bending, side bending, and rotation, it all depends on what positions centralize or reduces the pain.
  When preforming these exercises, as a sciatica treatment, the thing to remember is that you are looking for positions that reduce the pain furthest away from the spine and centralize it in the lower back.
  Any positions you try that worsens the pain furthest from the spine should be avoided.
You will need to keep testing different positions until you find the ones that do the best job of centralizing the pain.
  When testing positions you will need to stay in the position for thirty seconds to a minute to see if they are working then, repeat doing them throughout the day.
Following are the most common helpful exercises for sciatica treatment: 1.
Lie on the floor or another firm surface on your stomach propping up your upper body with your elbows while keeping your hips or pelvis down on the floor.
  Hold this position for thirty seconds to a minute or more.
  Try bending your upper body to the left, then the right, to see which position centralizes the pain the best.
  This can be done throughout the day during times of sciatica flare ups.
This next one is sometimes called "The Cat Stretch" and is an alternate to the exercise above.
  Get on your hands and knees and then slowly relax your back and stomach muscles so that your stomach hangs down and the lower back curves downward.
Keep your head up and look forward, hold this position for thirty seconds to a minute and again, this can be done throughout the day during sciatica flare ups.
The next two exercises for sciatica treatment will require an exercise ball, if you don't have one, you may be able to use several pillows under the low back to achieve extension.
Lie on the exercise ball or pillows on your back allowing your back to curve backwards (if you have difficulty balancing the ball have someone help you hold the ball) and maintain this position for several minutes, make sure you raise your head periodically to avoid getting light headed.
As I said earlier, McKenzie exercises are normally associated with spinal extension or backwards bending but, they also include flexion or forward bending to centralize the pain of the sciatic nerve.
  Forward stretching can be done on an exercise ball or by lying on a pile of pillows or even the arm of a sofa.
  Since forward bending can worsen the problems with the discs in the lower back, you should only use this position for short periods of time, one minute or less unless advised otherwise by a doctor or qualified therapist.
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Back Pain Tips - How to Deal With Lower Back Pain Mon, 03 Jun 2019 19:50:00 +0800 It is a very interesting fact that four out of every five Americans suffer from lower back pain,making it quite a problem for so many Americans.
In this article I will give you some tips on figuring out why you have lower back pain and how to deal with the back pain if you are unfortunate to have it.
First, the lower back pain you have can be caused by many things such as a previous injury, slipped discs, strain from over activity, incorrect methods of lifting heavy objects, and even poor posture.
Second, before running off to the doctor for expensive treatments and drugs you may want to try some of these methods to alleviate some of the pain.
Cold is an excellent treatment for pain.
You may want to apply an ice pack or bag to the area that hurts.
The application of the cold to the effected area will reduce swelling and inflammation.
Third, heat is another excellent means for reducing back issues.
A hot bath or shower works well followed by the use of a heating pad or a hydroculator.
When you put heat to the problem area it increases circulation by dilating the blood vessels in the4 area in pain.
Fourth, you may want to take over the counter pain pills, but if you do, make sure you follow the instructions carefully and don't take more than recommended.
Fifth, you may want to start a sensible exercise program combining stretching and flexing.
You will want to start slow and then work your way up to a longer routine.
You will be very surprised how many people have been helped by exercise and have not found it necessary to visit the doctor.
Lastly, hopefully some of the steps above can help with your pain, but if your pain gets more severe and these methods do not help in no way am I suggesting that you should not pay a visit to your doctor.
But it is well worth trying some of these simple tips first.
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Light Sensitivity - One of the Many Effects of a Headache Mon, 03 Jun 2019 19:40:00 +0800 Some can completely incapacitate you.
No matter the cause, there are things you can do to help stop the pain...
and things to avoid.
Avoid Light: The darker the room, the better for your pain.
Many times, your eyes are at least part of the problem.
Just closing your eyes usually isn't enough.
Even with your eyes closed, some light can still seep in.
Strong Smells: It may be individual, but certain scents, particularly of the culinary variety, can make head pain worse.
For me, bacon, hamburger and even garlic are too strong.
Even a baby's diaper deposit can turn it from a headache to headache and vomiting.
Exercise: Some headaches are caused by restrictions in blood vessels.
Exercise can make that worse.
That's one reason one of the first recommendations for a headache sufferer is to lie down.
Sound: We have quite a surround sound system, built over many years.
The bass is so strong it can and has knocked dishes off of shelves.
It even caused my favorite platter to be broken...
just from the system.
Can you imagine what that would do with a headache involved? Home Remedies Pain Relievers: Over the counter pain relievers may help some headaches.
Which you choose depends on what conditions you have and what medications you are already taking.
Talk to your pharmacist to make sure you're taking something safe for you.
If the OTC pain reliever doesn't work, see your doctor.
Severe pain, especially if it has a sudden onset should also be seen immediately.
Cool Cloth: I have found a cool, damp cloth to be very helpful in most headaches.
You may also want to put one around the back of your neck.
Cold cloths may be too much and make the headache worse, so just keep it luke warm.
Lavender: A small amount of lavender added to the water you dip the cloth in can gently soothe.
This is good for tension headaches.
Lavender is used both the aromatherapists and herbalists to help relax muscles, which can mean headache relief.
No matter what causes it, headaches are among the hardest maladies to deal with.
Hopefully the above mentioned tips will help the next time you have one.
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Migraine Prevention &amp; Symptoms Mon, 03 Jun 2019 19:31:00 +0800 37 Understanding One Cause of Back Pain Through Podiatry Mon, 03 Jun 2019 19:29:00 +0800 Most of those people think there is little one can do about back pain other than ice it, take some muscle relaxers and maybe pop ibuprofen by the thousands.
A significant number of them would probably be surprised to find out that their feet might be causing all the problems! A short history of Podiatry.
A podiatrist must be licensed in the United States.
And the license comes from the state in which they want to practice.
This follows an education of about eight years.
Four years of pre-medicine followed by a doctoral degree which is another four years.
It's a very difficult curriculum and it's not uncommon for students to drop out throughout the four years.
The 7 - 8 years must then be followed by 2 - 3 years of residency.
The Foot.
The foot is surprisingly delicate considering that some experts estimate that we walk the circumference of the earth throughout our life.
That is a lot of steps and just 26 bones and 33 joints to take that repeated stress over your lifetime.
For some people this turns out fine but for quite a few an injury of some sort causes a slight shift in the balance and gait of their walk.
This tiny change in balance often throws the entire body out of balance.
That's when we become susceptible to back strains.
Our feet are shock absorbers and when they are not stepping correctly they lose their ability to distribute the shock our bodies produce with each step.
Instead our weight becomes focused on one area of the foot and an imbalance happens.
Any small change can trigger this.
If a person develops a corn that becomes painful they will very often develop a change in their walk so there is less pain.
This same change that lessens the pain now will often be the culprit in severe knee or back pain a few years later.
Podiatry has developed a way to discover these flaws in our step.
They use a computer program that is hooked into a "board" that a patient walks across.
Their weight is registered to an exact degree per square inch and then the program calculates what they need to do to correct it.
The program will then design something that's inserted into the shoe called an "orthotic" which is created precisely to counter all the ill effects your feet have suffered over the years.
They put your feet back into balance.
An orthotic is surprisingly cheap and for some people it is simply a miracle.
But since almost everybody that walks over a mile a day probably has some problems with the balance in their feet orthotics is a good idea for everyone.
They decrease that worn feeling a person feels after walking all day and coupled with a great walking shoe that absorbs the body's weight anyone can experience significant gains in the control of foot pain.
Many times this results in the elimination of foot pain or a drastic reduction.
Podiatry often recommends orthotics as a matter of course because the benefits always outweigh the very low cost of creating this insole knee and back savior.
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Natural Toothache Pain Relief Mon, 03 Jun 2019 19:27:00 +0800

Topical Pain Relief

  • There are a few natural things that you can apply to the affected tooth to alleviate discomfort. Some of these essential oils would include clove oil, myrrh, peppermint and chamomile. It is best to dilute them in a carrier oil like almond or sunflower oil. You can use two drops of essential oil to one drop of carrier oil. Goldenseal is another wonderful herb to apply to a toothache because it has antibacterial and healing properties.

Oral Pain Relief

  • Often, taking an oral pain reliever can help ease the discomfort caused by toothache. Try a natural pain reliever like belladonna, capsaicin or arnica. These can all be purchased from most online or retail supplement supply stores. Take as directed on the product packaging.


  • Use a natural rinse that has antiseptic properties; this should help keep the area free of germs. Try rinsing with comfrey tea, which also has healing properties. You can also try a tea with turmeric which is an antibacterial and anti-inflammatory.

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