December 2015 - Dr. Michael A. Castillo, MD

21 Dec 2015

Using Reflexology to Treat Pain

Chronic Pain Conditions, Nerve Pain, Peripheral Neuropathy, Therapies & Treatmentschronic pain, massage therapy, reflexology

If you're looking for an alternative to pain medication, reflexology may be an option. Find out if you could benefit from this form of massage. Sometimes pain therapy can be downright relaxing. Although getting a massage may conjure up the image of a spa rather than a medical office, reflexology, which involves the placement of the practitioner’s hands on your feet, is an approach that may ease stress and bring you pain relief at the same time. In a reflexology session, a practitioner will apply pressure using the fingers and thumbs. Some may use a specially designed tool to apply…

Easing Pain: complementary therapies

Chronic Pain Conditions, Nerve Pain, Peripheral Neuropathy, Therapies & Treatmentschronic pain, complementary therapies, Neuropathy, pain management

Psychologists are exploring complementary therapies and integrated approaches to better treat the complex problem of chronic pain. If cancer is "the emperor of all maladies," as physician and author Siddhartha Mukherjee wrote, chronic pain may be the empress, affecting 100 million people in the United States and costing up to $630 billion each year in treatments and lost productivity, according to a 2011 report from the Institute of Medicine (IOM). For many, pain digs in and cuts deep. A 2012 survey funded by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) found that some 25.3 million U.S. adults —…

Plantar Fasciitis: Causes and Treatments

Chronic Pain Conditions, Nerve Pain, Therapies & Treatmentsarthritis, foot pain, nerve irritation, plantar facilitis, stress fracture, tendonitis, therapy

Plantar fasciitis is an inflammation of the band of tissue (the plantar fascia) that extends from the heel to the toes. In this condition, the fascia first becomes irritated and then inflamed, resulting in heel pain. Heel pain may be due to other causes, such as a stress fracture, tendonitis, nerve irritation, or arthritis. Because there are several potential causes, it is important to have heel pain properly evaluated and diagnosed. The most common cause of plantar fasciitis relates to faulty structure of the foot. For example, people who have problems with their arches, either overly flat feet or high-arched…

Month: December 2015