04 Jan 2016
By webadmin@macmdaz.com

Degenerative Disc Disease: What is it & how is it treated?

Chronic Pain Conditions, Nerve Pain, Therapies & Treatments, , ,
What is Degenerative Disc Disease? Degenerative Disc Disease (or DDD) is caused by degeneration of the discs in the spinal column. Age can cause this, but most of the time it is cause by some sort of trauma to the spine. People with bulging or herniated disc almost always have this disease, as well as people with Scoliosis. Symptoms range from person to person as well as the particular location of the spinal injury. People with lower back injuries can experience numbness and tingling in the legs and buttocks. The symptoms can also get as severe as temporary paralysis in…
Read More
21 Dec 2015
By webadmin@macmdaz.com

Using Reflexology to Treat Pain

Chronic Pain Conditions, Nerve Pain, Peripheral Neuropathy, Therapies & Treatments, ,
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…
Read More
14 Dec 2015
By webadmin@macmdaz.com

Easing Pain: complementary therapies

Chronic Pain Conditions, Nerve Pain, Peripheral Neuropathy, Therapies & Treatments, , ,
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 —…
Read More
07 Dec 2015
By webadmin@macmdaz.com

Plantar Fasciitis: Causes and Treatments

Chronic Pain Conditions, Nerve Pain, Therapies & Treatments, , , , , ,
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…
Read More
30 Nov 2015
By webadmin@macmdaz.com

Peripheral Nerve Stimulation Reduces Chronic Headaches

Peripheral Neuropathy, Spinal Cord Stimulation, Therapies & Treatments, , ,
Peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) is an effective long-term treatment for managing chronic intractable headaches, suggests research published in Pain Physician. In this retrospective study, peripheral nerve stimulation reduced mean headache severity on the 11-point Numeric Rating Schedule (NRS) by nearly 50% within one-month post implantation. After 12 months, headache severity scores decreased by at least 50% in 87% (40 of 46) of the patients, with pain decreasing even more substantially the longer the device was in place. Pain intensity scores on the NRS had decreased by 68% as many as 98 months post-implantation. These findings were consistent with previous studies; however,…
Read More
23 Nov 2015
By webadmin@macmdaz.com

Autonomic neuropathy in diabetic neuropathy

Chronic Pain Conditions, Nerve Pain, Peripheral Neuropathy, Therapies & Treatments, , ,
Autonomic neuropathy in diabetic neuropathy has an effect on hypoglycemia symptoms. Autonomic neuropathy is when the nerves that control bodily functions become damaged. Blood pressure, temperature control, digestion, bladder function and sexual function can all be affected by autonomic neuropathy. Normally, nerves send messages to the brain and other organs to ensure they function properly. Because autonomic neuropathy damages these nerves, signals cannot be properly sent, thus causing complications and loss of control. The most common cause of autonomic neuropathy is diabetes but even infections have been shown to cause it. Medications, too, can contribute to autonomic neuropathy. Diabetes, a…
Read More
16 Nov 2015
By webadmin@macmdaz.com

Brain discovery leads to new treatments for neuropathy

Chronic Pain Conditions, Peripheral Neuropathy, Therapies & Treatments, , , ,
Peripheral neuropathy is a debilitating condition for which there are few effective treatments, mainly because we do not fully understand the underlying molecular mechanisms, say researchers whose latest discovery appears to shed new light in this area. The team, from McGill University in Montreal, Canada, reports the discovery in The Journal of Neuroscience. They hope the findings will lead to new research to help patients suffering from peripheral neuropathy or neuropathic pain. According to the National Institutes of Health, around 20 million people in the US have some form of peripheral neuropathy - trauma or disease damage to the peripheral…
Read More
02 Nov 2015
By webadmin@macmdaz.com

Hormones Therapy: Newest Pain Care Advance

Chronic Pain Conditions, Nerve Pain, Therapies & Treatments, , , , ,
Severe, uncontrolled pain may exhaust the adrenal gland, resulting in low levels of pregnenolone and cortisol. While adequate pain control will usually normalize serum hormone levels, opioid-induced suppression of the system may require additional treatment. The effect of severe, persistent pain on the hormone system is profoundly negative.1-5 If the patient’s hormone system is not kept homeostatic and balanced, the patient with pain will rapidly age and deteriorate. Episodic excess of cortisol in the blood, which occurs during pain flares, is particularly deleterious. Consequently, the achievement of hormonal balance—not too high or too low—has to be a primary goal of…
Read More
26 Oct 2015
By webadmin@macmdaz.com

Acupuncture for Diabetes

Therapies & Treatments, , , ,
For people with diabetes, the needle-based therapy known as acupuncture may offer a number of health benefits. Some research shows that acupuncture may help control diabetes by treating insulin resistance, while other studies indicate that this long-practiced form of traditional Chinese medicine may help protect against certain complications commonly linked to diabetes. Acupuncture and Insulin Resistance Insulin resistance occurs when your body fails to use insulin effectively. A hormone produced by the pancreas, insulin is responsible for helping your cells take in glucose (i.e., blood sugar) and use it for energy. In cases of insulin resistance, the cells have trouble absorbing glucose,…
Read More
21 Oct 2015
By webadmin@macmdaz.com

Capsaicin Patch for Diabetic Neuropathic Pain

Chronic Pain Conditions, Peripheral Neuropathy, Therapies & Treatments, ,
Currently in the United States, capsaicin patches are approved for the treatment of postherpetic neuralgia, however they are not approved for diabetic neuropathic pain. In previous studies, capsaicin patches have demonstrated non-inferior efficacy to pregabalin in peripheral neuropathic pain, with faster onset of action, fewer systemic side effects, and greater treatment satisfaction. Therefore, researchers set out to evaluate the efficacy and safety of capsaicin patch compared to placebo in patients with painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Researchers conducted a phase III, multi-center, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, 12-week study, which included 369 patients with painful, distal, symmetrical, sensorimotor diabetic polyneuropathy, which lasted at least…
Read More