Dr. Castillo: The Opioid Crisis

When you look at the “Opioid Epidemic” in America it is like an elephant everyone looks at it from their point of view and uses their facts the way they want the elephant viewed. The Federal Government passed a Law, as did the State of Arizona stating that the maximum level of opioids should be ninety morphine milligram equivalents (90MME). They based this more on politics and the storyline of opioid crisis with people dying. The facts are right, but is the interpretation correct. The opioid is killing people. The first thing is some people have severe pain. The Laws…
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Neck Pain a Migraine Symptom

Contrary to previous studies, neck pain is a symptom of migraine only, not the result of an underlying muscle dysfunction that triggers migraine attacks, according to a recent article published in The Journal of Headache and Pain. The study sought to weigh in on the scientific debate regarding neck pain in migraineurs, and whether neck muscle dysfunction could be a trigger for migraine attacks or is merely a symptom. Investigators recruited 102 participants (43 episodic migraine, 31 chronic migraine, and 28 healthy controls) and used surface electromyography to record muscle tension of the trapezius during 15 blocks of stressful experimental conditions alternated with…
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Light Therapy to Treat Neuropathic Pain

For someone with peripheral neuropathy, even the slightest touch can cause burning, stinging or shooting pain, usually in the hands or feet. The pain is caused when the peripheral nervous system is damaged by diabetes, shingles, chemotherapy or some other medical condition. About 8% of adults worldwide suffer from some form of neuropathy. Medications prescribed to dull the pain – such as opioids, anti-depressants or gabapentin (Neurontin) -- often prove to be ineffective, don’t last long or have unwanted side effects. Scientists in Italy have now discovered an experimental way to treat neuropathy that provides pain relief for weeks at…
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Rheumatoid arthritis: Scorpion venom may help

The Indian red scorpion is one of the most dangerous scorpions in the world. Without treatment, a sting from this creature can kill a human in just 72 hours. But it's not all bad; a compound found in its venom could help to treat one of the most common and debilitating health conditions in the United States. In a new study, researchers have revealed how iberiotoxin, one of several compounds in the deadly venom of the Indian red scorpion, stopped the progression of rheumatoid arthritis in rat models of the disease. Study leader Dr. Christine Beeton, of the Baylor College of…
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Researchers ‘Hack’ Into the Brain’s Electrical Signals

A team from University of Chicago figured out a new way to use light and nanotechnology to "hack" into brain function. For decades, neuroscientists and engineers have wanted to uncover the secrets of the human brain. Pop culture and science fiction films only serve to play into the understanding of the idea that the human brain can be 'hacked'. But one team of researchers might have actually gotten the world significantly closer to manipulating how our brain functions. Researchers from the University of Chicago used tiny, light-powered silicon wires to reshape how the brain responds. One day, the process could…
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Regenerative Medicine the Pain Management Alternative

Injuries happen to almost everyone, but for some they can be far worse. For those with chronic pain, arthritis and a host of other ailments, it can mean a lifetime of discomfort. While many of those symptoms can be treated, it’s often with invasive surgery or only partially effective treatments like cortisone shots. Regenerative medicine offers an alternative to going under the knife, while achieving lasting results. Relievus, a pain management and neurology specialist practice, offers these treatments at both its Havertown and Philadelphia locations. Here, clinician Dr. Uplekh Purewal offers insight. Q: What is regenerative medicine? A: It’s a form…
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Skin Cells may help repair MS damage

A personalized treatment for multiple sclerosis may be one step closer, thanks to a new study that reveals how a person's own skin cells could be used to repair the nerve damage that the disease causes. Led by scientists at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom, the study took skin cells from adult mice with multiple sclerosis (MS) and then reprogramed them into neural stem cells (NSCs). These "induced neural stem cells" (iNSCs) were transplanted into the rodents' cerebrospinal fluid. There, they reduced inflammation and repaired damage to the central nervous system (CNS). Lead study author Dr. Stefano Pluchino, of the Department of Clinical Neurosciences at…
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The Pain Signal Effect and the Body’s Response

Pain sends a signal that the body needs protection and healing. However, if the physiological changes triggered by it persists, harm will ensue, and acute pain may become chronic. So pain signal must be contained and/or relieved. The mechanisms through which pain interacts with the body provide health professionals with various routes of entry and intervention modes. This article discusses the intricacies of the adaptive response to pain and how they can be used to combat it. Citation: Swift A (2018) Understanding pain and the human body’s response to it. Nursing Times[online]; 114: 3, 22-26 Author: Amelia Swift is senior lecturer in nursing,…
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Radiculopathy

Radiculopathy is a medical term used to depict certain issues initiating in the spinal region, at the area of the nerve roots. It is a condition, which is a consequence of the pressure that is being begun from the herniated plate. However, there can be any other different cause to it. The pressure applied by the degenerative changes in the spine can likewise prompt pain in the back. These progressions prompt aggravation and bothering in the underlying foundations (roots) of the nerves. The nerves that are normally influenced by this issue are the sensory nerve. Thus, therefore, those muscles that…
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Muscle Stem Cells could Address Circulation Problems

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Stem cells taken from muscle tissue could promote better blood flow in patients with diabetes who develop peripheral artery disease, a painful complication that can require surgery or lead to amputation. A new study in mice at the University of Illinois found that an injection of the stem cells prompted new blood vessels to grow, improving circulation in the affected tissues and function in the affected limbs. The stem cells also induced changes in gene expression in the surrounding tissues, prompting the release of factors to reduce inflammation and increase circulation. The study was published in the…
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