Pain Management
Postural 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 MoreYes, Restrictions on Opioids Are a Threat to Human Rights
Checking the Accuracy of a Story In a recent Washington Post story, “Are restrictions on opioids a threat to human rights?,” Charles Lane states that the wave of prescription opioid overdoses has crested thanks to public policy changes including the 2016 CDC Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain. Actually, opioid prescribing and overdoses essentially…
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…
Read MoreRepeating the Mistakes of the Past
I’m pleased to present a blog written by Megan Nalamachu who is a bright, articulate high school student. Her father, Dr. Srinivas Nalamachu, is a treasured colleague and friend. He proudly sent me his daughter’s well-researched work, because he believed I’d be interested in it. He was correct. Megan did a wonderful job rendering a…
Read MoreFamily of Pain
Failing to Understand the Experience of Pain Most people in pain do not like talking about their pain problem with others. When they do mention it to friends and family, they generally are disappointed at the responses. People are well intended, at least initially, but they can be insensitive. Fundamentally, they fail to understand what…
Read MoreThe ACPA Presents Programs for Migraine Sufferers
Migraine Awareness According to Penney Cowan, Founder and CEO of the Founder and CEO of the American Chronic Pain Association (ACPA), “More than 29.5 million Americans suffer from migraines, with women being affected three times more often than men.” Contrary to the popular misconception, a migraine isn’t just a severe headache. According to the ACPA,…
Read MoreWhy Is Chronic Lyme Disease Controversial?
Novelist Amy Tan’s Experience With Lyme Disease On her web site, bestselling novelist Amy Tan shares her belief that she has late-stage neuroborreliosis, or Lyme disease. She suspected she might have Lyme disease because of her mysterious symptoms that included migrating aches and neuropathy, a racing heart, hallucinations, getting lost in familiar places, difficulty talking,…
Read MoreBody Pains That May Be an Early Sign of HIV
This is an article by Cara Smith. 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 HER OWN AND DO NOT REPRESENT MY VIEW OR MEDICAL ADVICE. Photo by Kat Love on Unsplash HIV is a disease that scratches out the…
Read MoreMarcus Welby, M.D. Is the Wrong Doctor for These Times
The Marcus Welby Fantasy Lives in the Past Many people fantasize about having a folksy doctor like Marcus Welby, M.D. An idealized physician, Dr. Welby didn’t have to worry about malpractice insurance, co-payments, political agendas, interference by government agencies, or bureaucratic matters of any kind. He could be fully present for his patients. Dr. Welby…
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