Women in Pain: What We Need to Know

By Lynn Webster, M.D. / November 10, 2015 /

As I put it in my book The Painful Truth, “Pain is an unbidden guest, humanity’s shadow companion down through the ages. It is an interloper, a despoiler of dreams, a thief.” The “thief,” however, does not treat all persons equally. Chronic pain affects one group of people more frequently than any other—women. A study…

Interview with Robert Twillman, M.D. – Question #4

By Lynn Webster, M.D. / November 9, 2015 /

Dr. Lynn Webster: Hello, this is Dr. Lynn Webster. Thank you for listening to this pain topic series of interviews on lynnwebstermd.com. Today I’m proud to have Dr. Bob Twillman, most of you probably are aware of Dr. Twillman. He is executive director for the American Academy of Pain Management and I believe is probably…

Interview with Robert Twillman, M.D. – Question # 3

By Lynn Webster, M.D. / November 3, 2015 /

Dr. Lynn Webster: Hello, this is Dr. Lynn Webster. Thank you for listening to this pain topic series of interviews on lynnwebstermd.com. Today I’m proud to have Dr. Bob Twillman, most of you probably are aware of Dr. Twillman.   Dr. Lynn Webster: Hello, this is Dr. Lynn Webster. Thank you for listening to this…

What’s Massachusetts Thinking?

By Lynn Webster, M.D. / November 1, 2015 /

What’s Massachusetts thinking? The newest twist in the painkiller abuse debate is that Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker has  proposed legislation that has me in dejected disbelief. The bill would restrict both doctors and dentists from prescribing more than 72 hours of medication to patients upon initial injury or surgery.  I understand the thought but it…

Interview with Robert Twillman, M.D. – Question #1

By Lynn Webster, M.D. / October 26, 2015 /

Dr. Lynn Webster: Hello, this is Dr. Lynn Webster. Thank you for listening to this pain topic series of interviews on lynnwebstermd.com. Today I’m proud to have Dr. Bob Twillman, most of you probably are aware of Dr. Twillman. Dr. Lynn Webster: Hello, this is Dr. Lynn Webster. Thank you for listening to this pain…

Pendulums and Painkillers

By Lynn Webster, M.D. / October 23, 2015 /

Carl Jung once remarked, “The pendulum of the mind alternates between sense and nonsense, not between right and wrong.” When I think about the nation’s patchwork quilt policy toward opioids, I’m reminded of how right he was. In my book “The Painful Truth,” I devoted some space to outline a brief history of opioids, and…

Confronting Mental Illness and Guns: What Should We Do?

By Lynn Webster, M.D. / October 16, 2015 /

In my column in Pain Medicine News this month, I talked about a tragic dual suicide attempt of a married couple I knew, both of whom suffered from chronic pain. From one standpoint, a story like this is as shocking as it is incomprehensible. From another perspective, it’s becoming another sad milepost in society–not unlike the rash…

Interview with Robert Twillman, M.D. – Question #2

By Lynn Webster, M.D. / October 8, 2015 /

Dr. Lynn Webster: Hello, this is Dr. Lynn Webster. Thank you for listening to this pain topic series of interviews on lynnwebstermd.com. Today I’m proud to have Dr. Bob Twillman, most of you probably are aware of Dr. Twillman. He is executive director for the American Academy of Pain Management and I believe is probably…

Fighting Chronic Pain as a Teenager

By Lynn Webster, M.D. / October 2, 2015 /

Fighting Chronic Pain as a Teenager Chronic pain is almost always life altering, but it can be an especially difficult adjustment when it impacts someone whose life is just beginning. Ali Goldsmith was 14 when she started to feel the effects of chronic pain. After surgery to remove bunions, her pain worsened when her doctor…

Suicide and Chronic Pain

By Lynn Webster, M.D. / September 22, 2015 /

Suicide and Chronic Pain Of all the consequences that accompany chronic pain, none other is as heartbreaking as suicide. While the physical impacts of pain are recognized and can often be improved, the stress associated with chronic pain, social stigma, and feelings of hopelessness can be overwhelming, sometimes leading a person to feel that life…

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