The article recounts the personal and medical journey of dealing with cluster headaches, a severe and often misdiagnosed neurological condition characterized by intense pain around one eye, with seasonal patterns and significant impact on quality of life. It discusses historical understanding, diagnosis challenges, and current treatment options like oxygen therapy and nerve blocks, emphasizing the need for better awareness and research.
The article discusses how to manage headaches effectively, highlighting the benefits of tracking triggers, using caffeine wisely to enhance pain relief, maintaining a balanced diet, avoiding certain painkillers like codeine, and adopting healthy lifestyle habits such as regular exercise and hydration.
A study from the University of Portsmouth found that pain resilience—the ability to maintain positive functioning despite pain—is a stronger predictor of physical activity levels in chronic pain sufferers than pain intensity or fear of movement. Enhancing resilience through psychological interventions could improve pain management and overall health.
New European studies suggest cannabis, containing THC and CBD, may effectively reduce chronic low back pain and offer a safer alternative to opioids, with promising results in pain relief and fewer side effects, though more research is needed for approval in the U.S.
A comprehensive study finds that legalizing medical marijuana is associated with a significant decrease in opioid prescriptions, with reductions averaging around 16%, and suggests that cannabis can serve as a safer alternative for pain management, potentially aiding in addressing the opioid epidemic.
A recent systematic review suggests that tramadol provides minimal pain relief for chronic pain conditions while doubling the risk of serious side effects, mainly cardiac issues, leading experts to recommend reconsidering its use for such cases.
A Texas hospital, UT Health San Antonio, is pioneering the use of suzetrigine, a newly approved non-opioid painkiller, for post-surgical pain management, aiming to reduce reliance on narcotics and their side effects by using innovative, multimodal pain control strategies.
A NIH-funded clinical trial found that acupuncture significantly improves physical function and reduces pain in older adults with chronic low back pain, offering a safe and effective alternative to traditional treatments, with benefits sustained over 12 months.
Experimental deep brain stimulation shows promise in turning off chronic pain signals, offering hope for patients like Edward Mowery who suffer from conditions like CRPS, potentially transforming pain treatment without opioids.
Sanjay Gupta discusses the nature of pain, how the brain processes it, and methods to manage and reduce pain through natural and medical means, emphasizing that pain doesn't always have to hurt and can be influenced by mental training and understanding of the body's systems.
Sanjay Gupta, a neurosurgeon and medical journalist, shares insights from his book on how chronic pain affects the brain and identity, inspired by his personal experience caring for his mother, and discusses the potential for new approaches to pain relief.
Routine X-rays for diagnosing knee osteoarthritis may do more harm than good by increasing patient anxiety and unnecessary surgeries; clinical diagnosis based on symptoms and medical history is safer and equally effective, reducing costs and exposure to radiation.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta explores the body's natural painkillers, such as endorphins and the endogenous opioid system, highlighting how mind-body techniques, lifestyle choices, and emerging medical treatments can effectively manage pain beyond medications. He emphasizes the importance of understanding and harnessing these internal systems, along with cautious use of NSAIDs and new drug developments, to improve pain relief and healing.
Bindi Irwin shares her journey of healing after 13 years of endometriosis pain, advocating for greater awareness and destigmatization of women's health issues, highlighting the need for open discussions and understanding of the condition.
A study published in The Lancet Rheumatology finds that cognitive functional therapy (CFT), a personalized approach focusing on understanding pain and overcoming fear of movement, provides long-lasting relief for chronic lower back pain, with participants experiencing fewer symptoms after just eight sessions over six months. The therapy emphasizes mindset shifts and self-management skills, working alongside other treatments to improve patient outcomes.
