Prevalence of Chronic Pain Increasing

By Lynn Webster, M.D. / February 23, 2019 /
Aging Population

This article, in a slightly edited form, first appeared on Pain News Network on February 22, 2019. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, opioid prescribing quadrupled from 1999 to 2010. Some policymakers suggest that the amount prescribed in 1999 was appropriate and should remain static, and that any prescribing above the 1999 level exceeds the amount required to meet the needs of…

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How Caregivers Can Make Time for Self-Care Essentials

By Marie Villeza / February 16, 2019 /
Making Time for Self-Care

Being a caregiver for someone you love is a life experience that can be rewarding, but it comes with challenges, too.

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Are Most Retired NFL Players Really Addicts?

By Lynn Webster, M.D. / February 9, 2019 /
football players

We can probably attribute the use or misuse of opioids to the fact that these retired football players were trying to mitigate severe pain.  

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How Government Shutdowns Worsen the Opioid Crisis

By Lynn Webster, M.D. / February 2, 2019 /
wall of china

Government shutdowns increase the likelihood that opioids could find their way past our borders. And our ability to treat people with opioid addiction may also be compromised.

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Innovations in Healthcare

By Lynn Webster, M.D. / January 26, 2019 /
virtual reality

Innovations in healthcare such as Virtual Reality Neuropsychological Therapy (VRNT) and dozens of other technologies bring hope to pain patients.

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Hollywood Romanticizes Addiction

By Lynn Webster, M.D. / January 20, 2019 /

We all love good storytelling. Cinema can mirror the real world or create a universe of its own. Movies can transport us to another world, beyond ordinary consciousness and emotions. It can be an agent for positive cultural change, or it can spread false narratives that are largely adopted by society. It can help solve…

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Eyes Wide Open

By Lynn Webster, M.D. / January 12, 2019 /
Eyes Wide Open

So Much I Don’t Know The New York Times article by Alex Berenson, “What Advocates of Legalizing Pot Don’t Want You to Know,” reminds me of Sabrina Carpenter’s song, “Eyes Wide Open,” that includes these lyrics: “Better keep my eyes wide open/There’s so much I don’t know.” There may be “so much I don’t know”…

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A Daughter’s Pain and Healing

By Lynn Webster, M.D. / January 5, 2019 /
Healing from Complex Regional Pain Syndrome

This is an article by Reggie W. Greening. I offer it with the author’s permission for informational purposes. The author and I have no financial involvement. THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY THE AUTHOR ARE HIS OWN AND DO NOT REPRESENT MY VIEW OR MEDICAL ADVICE. Some people with pain have benefited from alternative therapies. In my…

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Five Consequential Issues for People with Pain in 2018

By Lynn Webster, M.D. / December 29, 2018 /
Five Consequential Issues for People with Pain in 2018

As 2018 comes to a close, I have reflected on legislation, polices, and a critical report that will likely continue to have an impact on the pain community in 2019. In no particular order, I have listed 5 issues that I feel were highly consequential for 2018. 1. CMS Decides to Impose Opioid Limits Beginning…

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American Society of Anesthesiologists Oppose Oregon’s Opioid Prescribing Proposal

By Lynn Webster, M.D. / December 22, 2018 /
anesthesiologist

Oregon Chronic Pain Task Force’s Proposal I previously posted a letter written by Dr. Sean Mackey that discusses the problem with the Oregon Chronic Pain Task Force’s proposal that would leave many Medicaid patients without adequate pain therapy. The proposal would force providers to lower, or eliminate, the use of opioids despite the benefits patients…

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