The complex world of identifying nociplastic pains
Towards the end of 2017, IASP put forward a new mechanistic classification: nociplastic pain. The definition is: “Pain that arises from altered nociception despite no clear evidence of actual or threatened tissue damage causing the activation of peripheral nociceptors or evidence for disease or lesion of the somatosensory system causing the pain.
Note: Patients can have a combination of nociceptive and nociplastic pain”.
This was great news! Prior to this, the term “central sensitisation” was used and abused to describe processes involved in ongoing pain that wasn’t inflammatory or neuro...
Source: HealthSkills Weblog - May 15, 2022 Category: Anesthesiology Authors: BronnieLennoxThompson Tags: Assessment Chronic pain Clinical reasoning Coping strategies Interdisciplinary teams Pain conditions Professional topics Research Science in practice biopsychosocial nociplastic Source Type: blogs
Treating neuropathy: Which medication is best?
Imagine experiencing burning, tingling, and numbness in your legs day in and day out, getting worse over time — and your doctors can’t find a reason for it.
That’s the situation for millions of people who suffer from idiopathic sensory polyneuropathy. The term “idiopathic” means that no cause can be identified; “sensory” refers to the type of nerve, in this case those carrying nerve signals such as pain or temperature; “poly” means “many” and “neuropathy” means nerve disease. So, this is a condition of unknown cause that damages multiple nerves; the most affected nerves tend to be those th...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - December 1, 2020 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Robert H. Shmerling, MD Tags: Drugs and Supplements Health Neurological conditions Pain Management Source Type: blogs
Cannabis questions … so many questions!
Recently I wrote a summary of my readings around cannabis for pain. It’s a hot topic in New Zealand because we’re holding a referendum on cannabis law reform next year, and as expected, all the lobby groups are out in force! My interest is sparked because so many of the people I work with as patients also use cannabis – and the evidence from RCTs is pretty poor. And YET as a recent study colleagues and I carried out with people who have spinal cord injury and neuropathic pain, cannabis is something that holds appeal, and interestingly, seems to provide some useful effects.
The study we conducted (see i...
Source: HealthSkills Weblog - October 28, 2019 Category: Anesthesiology Authors: BronnieLennoxThompson Tags: Coping strategies Pain Pain conditions Research cannabis medicinal cannabis qualitative Source Type: blogs
Prescription Drugs That Block Weight Loss
A number of drugs prescribed to treat common conditions, such as hypertension, allergies, depression, inflammation, and diabetes, block your ability to lose weight. Several of these drugs actually cause weight gain, and most doctors fail to inform their patients of such side effects. Among the drugs that block weight loss are:
Beta-blockers: metoprolol, atenolol, carvedilol, and propranolol
Antidepressants: amitriptyline (Elavil), nortriptyline (Pamelor), doxepin, paroxetine (Paxil), trazodone, and others
Steroids: prednisone and hydrocortisone (but not inhaled or nasal steroids for allergies)
Antihistamines: diphenhydr...
Source: Wheat Belly Blog - May 7, 2019 Category: Cardiology Authors: Dr. Davis Tags: News & Updates blood sugar drugs failed weight loss fatigue weight loss hypertension insulin prescription drugs undoctored wheat belly Wheat Belly Total Health Source Type: blogs
Assessing problems with sleep and pain – ii
Last week I wrote about my approach to assessing sleep problems in those with persistent pain. As an ex-insomniac I’ve spent a while learning about sleep so I can understand what’s going on, and why sleep can be such a problem. In this week’s post I want to dig a little deeper into what’s going on with poor sleep, as well as some of the unique features of sleep in people experiencing persistent pain.
Having reviewed the five main areas that are fundamental (and can/should be assessed by anyone working with people who experience persistent pain), the next area I want to look at with people is mood. T...
Source: HealthSkills Weblog - June 17, 2018 Category: Anesthesiology Authors: BronnieLennoxThompson Tags: Assessment Chronic pain Clinical reasoning Health Pain conditions Research biopsychosocial coping disability function pain management treatment Source Type: blogs
Expert advice on how to quit smoking
Okay, everyone knows smoking is bad for you, the number one cause of preventable death in the US and the world, a direct cause of lung and heart disease and cancer… et cetera. So let’s get right down to the nitty-gritty: quitting smoking is tough. What can people do to quit?
To answer this question, I spoke with my colleague Nancy Rigotti, MD. Dr. Rigotti is director of the Massachusetts General Hospital Tobacco Research and Treatment Center. She has extensively researched nicotine and tobacco, evaluated public policies on tobacco, contributed to US Surgeon General’s Reports, and authored clinical guidelines on smoki...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - February 8, 2018 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Monique Tello, MD, MPH Tags: Health Heart Health Lung disease Prevention Smoking cessation Source Type: blogs
Conversations about cannabis for chronic pain
The debate about cannabis and derivatives for persistent pain continues to grow in New Zealand, and elsewhere in the world. Many people I’ve treated and who are living with persistent pain say they like to use cannabis (in a variety of forms) to help with pain intensity and sleep, adding their voices to those wanting “medicinal” cannabis to be approved. In the few patients I’ve worked with who have managed to obtain a cannabis product (in NZ it has to be legally prescribed and will generally be in the form of Sativex or similar) the effect doesn’t seem as profound as the real thing (whether sm...
Source: HealthSkills Weblog - August 6, 2017 Category: Anesthesiology Authors: adiemusfree Tags: Chronic pain Therapeutic approaches Research Pain conditions Coping strategies Science in practice Health healthcare biopsychosocial pain management Source Type: blogs
If you have low back pain try these steps first
Low back pain, the scourge of mankind: it is the second leading cause of disability here in the United States, and the fourth worldwide. It’s also one of the top five medical problems for which people see doctors. Almost every day that I see patients, I see someone with back pain. It’s one of the top reasons for lost wages due to missed work, as well as for healthcare dollars spent, hence, a very expensive problem.
Looking at two kinds of back pain
Let’s talk about the most common forms of back pain: acute (which lasts less than four weeks) and subacute (which lasts four to 12 weeks). Most of these cases (approximate...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - April 3, 2017 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Monique Tello, MD, MPH Tags: Back Pain Managing your health care Pain Management Source Type: blogs
Are these prescription drugs preventing your weight loss?
A number of drugs prescribed to treat common conditions, such as hypertension, allergies, depression, inflammation, and diabetes, block your ability to lose weight. Several of these drugs actually cause weight gain, and most doctors fail to inform their patients of such side effects. Among the drugs that block weight loss are:
Beta-blockers: metoprolol, atenolol, carvedilol, and propranolol
Antidepressants: amitriptyline (Elavil), nortriptyline (Pamelor), doxepin, paroxetine (Paxil), trazodone, and others
Steroids: prednisone and hydrocortisone (but not inhaled or nasal steroids for allergies)
Antihistamines: diphenhydr...
Source: Wheat Belly Blog - September 13, 2016 Category: Cardiology Authors: Dr. Davis Tags: Depression Dr. Davis Drugs and wheat Nutritional supplements Weight loss Wheat Belly Wheat Belly Lifestyle Wheat Belly Total Health Wheat-Free Lifestyle anxiety Source Type: blogs
Does Insurance Cover Botox Injections for Migraine Headaches?
Unfortunately no insurance company covers Botox therapy for generic headaches. Many will cover Botox for chronic migraines, which have been unresponsive to standard preventative therapies. In 2011, the FDA approved Botox for treating chronic migraines which have been unresponsive to an adequate trial of preventative medications. Preventative medications do not include the use of any narcotic pain killers. Insurance companies have made it difficult for patients to obtain Botox payment authorization, by putting in place numerous qualification barriers – if they cover Botox at all.
Insurance companies do require e...
Source: Sarasota Neurology - March 3, 2015 Category: Neurology Authors: Dan Kassicieh, D.O. Tags: Migraines / Headache Boto for headaches Botox covered by insurance botox for headaches Botox Headaches Insurance Source Type: blogs
You May Likely Gain Weight on these 6 Psychiatric Medications
I had been on the drug Zyprexa (olanzapine) for four weeks and had already gained 15 pounds which, you know, didn’t help my depression.
After going to a wedding and catching a side view of myself, I called my doctor and told him that my name was now Violet Beauregarde, you know, the gum chewer in “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” who becomes a blueberry balloon. Except that when I rose to the top of the room I was crying.
“The two most common questions that patients ask me are, ‘Will I become dependent on the medications?’ and ‘Will I gain weight?’” says Sanjay Gupta, M.D.
It’s a serious concern fo...
Source: World of Psychology - June 28, 2013 Category: Psychiatrists and Psychologists Authors: Therese J. Borchard Tags: Antidepressant Antipsychotic Disorders General Health-related Medications Mental Health and Wellness Self-Esteem Treatment Anticonvulsant Charlie And The Chocolate Charlie And The Chocolate Factory Chemical Compound Clozaril De Source Type: blogs
Drugs for Diabetes Pain
By David Spero
Pain researcher Rebecca Sudore, MD, says, "Adults living with Type 2 diabetes are suffering from incredibly high rates of pain, at levels similar to patients living with cancer." Sounds awful. But what can we do about it? Actually, quite a bit.
Let's look at medications first. Because chronic pain involves emotions, thoughts, stress, general health, and the entire body, there are at least six different categories of drugs that can help with pain. They include: narcotics, anxiolytics (“tranquilizers"), antidepressants, anti-inflammatories, medicines for seizures, and alternative treatments.
With all tho...
Source: Diabetes Self-Management - February 6, 2013 Category: Diabetes Authors: David Spero Source Type: blogs
