chronic pain
Everyday Saints and Unsung Heroes
Six years ago, this blog was first published. It has been slightly edited, but the words remain as true today as they were then. Caregivers Sacrifice Themselves for the Good of Others Religions call their holiest people saints. In secular speak, saints are people who are pure, honest, beyond reproach, and devote their lives to…
Read More6 Biggest Training Mistakes Women Make
This is an article by Ryan Varela. 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. Women train and exercise with the specific aim which is not limited…
Read MoreUnhelpful Numbers Create Misleading Political Statements
“Lies, Damned Lies, and Statistics” Benjamin Disraeli reportedly said that there are three types of lies: “lies, damned lies, and statistics.” He may have been right. The Washington Post recently published an article titled, “Companies shipped 1.6 billion opioids to Missouri from 2012 to 2017, report says.” The story references a report released by Senator Claire…
Read MorePeople in Pain Speak Out
HHS Pain Task Force Holds Its Inaugural Meeting The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Pain Task Force held its inaugural meeting in May 2018 that included a public comment period. Members of the public had also been invited to submit their comments about chronic pain online, and the site received 2,530 posts.…
Read MorePostural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS)
What Is Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS)? Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) affects between 1 and 3 million Americans, typically women between 15 and 50 years old. It is a dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system, or a dysautonomia disorder, which involves blood pressure, heart rate, digestion, urination, breathing, and body temperature. As the Standing Up…
Read MoreMarijuana and Pain
Marijuana May Help Solve the Opioid Crisis The opioid crisis is a complex problem with many components, one of which is untreated pain. To the extent that it could be used to help patients manage pain, marijuana might have the potential to become part of the solution. However, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has…
Read MoreVirtual Reality Therapy for People in Chronic Pain
Virtual Reality Beyond the Holodeck If you’re a fan of television’s “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” then you’ve seen virtual reality (VR) at work in the episodes that featured the holodeck. In the series, the holodeck was used mostly to entertain the Starfleet crew. While the holodeck is still science fiction, a goggles-based form of…
Read MoreResponse to People in Pain
CDC Guidelines for Opioid Prescriptions The CDC Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain, published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in March 2016, was meant to provide recommendations for prescribing opioids. It was not meant to mandate policy. Since then, states have developed their own restrictive guidelines for prescribing opioids largely…
Read MoreOpioid Lawsuits Threaten Lives of Pain Sufferers
Implications for People With Chronic Pain Several lawsuits have been filed against several opioid manufacturers, distributors, and physicians for participating in what was allegedly a scheme to cause incalculable harm for profit. I am one of the physicians named as an alleged “conspirator.” The opioid lawsuits are far more than legal matters that involve the…
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