Fitness And Healthy Blog

A recent news story from Associated Press titled “Pain medicine use has nearly doubled” prompted me to write this article about pain.

Prior to working in a pain practice, I lived and worked in California. My practice demographics there involved a greater number of females than males (3:1) and patients ages ranged from 18 - to 50-year-olds of a relatively healthy population. This was 16 years ago, and I can remember thinking, “Why would anyone use pain medicine on a constant basis to manage their life? They should just be able to exercise, eat properly and take vitamins, and everything should work itself out.” Obviously, since working with a chronic pain population and due to the fact that I am now older, my ideas and thoughts regarding pain and pain medicine have changed considerably.

Sometimes, when someone hurts his or her back, he or she has a regular problem with back pain in general, or even if he or she completely throw their back out, as they say, rest can be very important. Nonetheless, movement is only going to be more difficult if the muscles are too stiffened by lack of strength due to extended periods of not being used. When you can, and to the measure at which you can, you will want to begin exercising regularly to prevent worsening back pain.

Trigger Finger is often categorized as a repetitive strain condition that results when a nodule or adhesion that has formed on the tendon of single or multiple fingers becomes stuck within the pulley system (Tendon sheath) of the affected finger. This condition may also be a result of an acute injury such as falling onto an outstretched hand, causing microtears in the tendon and the formation of scar tissue to develop on the affected tendon.

Millions of Americans suffer from restless, uncomfortable sleep, and poor body support at night may be the root of the problem. Aligning your body the way nature intended can minimize tossing and turning, relieve aches and pains and alleviate morning stiffness, helping you feel better all day.

Dr. Scott Donkin, an ergonomics specialist who has created an educational pamphlet series including Sleeping Fit and author of “Sitting On The Job,” says that the importance of leg support at night is often overlooked. “Stress and discomfort often result from the upper leg and knee being unsupported during side sleeping. The sleeper instinctively shifts the upper knee forward, causing the hips and spine to rotate, putting a twisting force on the lower back. This often leads to low back pain at night and can aggravate an existing condition.

If one is physically dependent on a pain killer, sudden stopping of the drug may result in negative consequences. And a person exhibits compulsive behavior to satisfy their craving for a pain killer or pain medication even when there are negative consequences associated with taking the drug. 2.2 million people aged 12 and up first abused painkillers within this past year. That is more than the number of people who started using marijuana and it has overtaken the use of cocaine.

Arthritis is a condition that is usually associated with older people. However, there is a type of arthritis that affects many children around the world and that type of arthritis is commonly known as ‘Juvenile Arthritis’. So why exactly do children suffer from such a painful, restricting condition and how does it affect them in everyday life?

What is this type of arthritis?

This usually affects at least one joint in the body for roughly six weeks. It causes severe pain, some swelling and it is not currently known what brings it on. It is more formally known as ‘Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis’ and it can affect the child at basically any age.