Strategies For Natural Pain Relief and Knowing When It’s Time to See a Doctor
By Brad Culling, D.O. When I talk to my patients about their acute pain, I encourage them to seek out natural remedies and strategies first. These can be very effective for tackling and managing your pain so that it lowers your need to see a doctor. Of course, if your pain is prolonged and persistent, affecting your quality of life, then it may be time to seek medical help. This is any chronic pain that persists longer than 6-8 weeks and no other remedies are working to affect your pain. At that point, see your doctor and they can help you
Which Doctor Should You Visit for Intense Wrist Pain?
A report by the National Center for Biotechnology Information, states that hand and wrist injuries account for 11 to 20% of emergency room visits in the United States[1]. These could range from wrist sprains and dislocations to carpal tunnel syndrome, mallet finger, or arthritis. Most of these injuries are work-related, or due to jobs that need the individual to be constantly at a computer. If you are experiencing severe wrist pain, it could be any one of these reasons. The musculoskeletal and nervous system in the region is highly integrated. So finding the right cause is not always easy unless you
Does Stress Cause Chronic Neck Pain? How Relaxation Strategies Can Help You Keep Pain At Bay
By Asim S. Aijaz, M.D. Stress can certainly cause or even exacerbate chronic neck pain. When you experience stress, whether a chronic stress disorder, or bouts of anxiety, or depression, your body will trigger the sympathetic nervous system. The sympathetic nervous system is responsible for your “fight or flight” response. This response, when triggered, will produce and release an increase in cortisol and adrenaline hormones. Elevations in cortisol, particularly, can lead to a loss in muscle mass and an increase in fat accumulation. In moments of threat, your body’s stress response is a helpful reaction because it can help you either
7 Signs Your Headache is a Migraine
A large number of people experience migraines. However, many still don't understand the condition fully. Most think they have a migraine but are actually only experiencing a severe headache. On the flip side, many suffering from migraines aren't aware that migraines are the reason for the pain they feel. Migraine sufferers often think they are dealing with sinus headaches and wonder why allergy medications don't yield the desired results. A migraine is a kind of headache that strikes an individual repeatedly. Patients report moderate to severe throbbing or pulsing pain when having a migraine episode. Often these symptoms are also accompanied
6 Effective Benefits of Interventional Pain Management
Chronic pain isn't always visible and apparent to the outside world. However, dealing with it is nothing short of exhausting. Even the smallest everyday tasks require monumental effort. So, the pain is not only physically draining but also mentally draining. We know about countless chronic pain patients who, before coming to our interventional pain clinic, only found themselves being tossed back and forth between primary care physicians and therapists of all kinds. Tired of dealing with pain, their ability to remain optimistic dwindled with every passing day. Shortly after we utilized the multi-disciplinary interventional pain management approach, we witnessed a striking
What Triggers Migraines and How Can You Manage Them?
By Pamela Howard, MD If you’ve been experiencing migraines more than usual lately, you’re not alone. Seasonal changes (yes, even here in mild and pleasant Texas) are one of the many triggers of this impairing head pain. What makes migraines different from regular headaches is the associated symptoms that go along with them. If other ailments like nausea, sensitivity to lights or noise, or dizziness accompany your throbbing head, there’s a good chance you’re suffering from a migraine. The good news is that there are lifestyle changes you can make to reduce the chances of encountering this unpleasant affair. What Does a