Pain Management
Revealing the Hidden Pain Crisis
Our Perception of Pain Depends on Time and Culture Pain seems universal and irrefutable. Surprisingly, though, our perception and treatment of pain have always depended on time and culture. Currently, pain isn’t considered to be as important as the opioid crisis. The voices of people in pain are often ignored. Sometimes, those who have pain…
Read MoreSilence Is Acceptance
I like a million other people who have commented on your blog live with debilitating chronic pain each and every day…… I wanted to know from you is there a place where we chronic pain sufferers can go to plead our cases, to be heard? Is there a way we can get our word…
Read MoreDo Opioids Impact Life Expectancy?
Meet Rachel and Lorna Meet Rachel * and Lorna. They are very different women, but they have one thing in common: they both used opioids. One morning, Rachel maneuvered her maroon Civic into a parking place at a local breakfast joint to buy opioids from her dealer. Accompanied by her two-year-old daughter and her brother,…
Read MoreInsomnia Is More Than an Inconvenience
“Sleep that knits up the ravell’d sleeve of care, The death of each day’s life, sore labour’s bath, Balm of hurt minds, great nature’s second course, Chief nourisher in life’s feast.” ‒William Shakespeare, Macbeth Why We Need Sleep Shakespeare may be complicated, but the universal need for sleep is not. The “Chief nourisher” is, indeed,…
Read MoreHow We Force Hurricane Victims Into Withdrawal
Facing the Wrath of Hurricanes As of this writing, Hurricane Irma is about to invade Florida. It is reported to be a Category 5 storm. Many people are evacuating, while others cannot leave their homes and must prepare to shelter in place. The region will inevitably experience catastrophic effects, and this is on the heels…
Read MoreTwenty Questions to Ask Political Candidates
Preparing for Election Season The United States is approaching a new election season. Most people are aware of the opioid crisis and the imperative to solve it. As voters, we are tasked with choosing the people who can make a positive difference. Now is the time to evaluate the ability of each candidate’s potential…
Read MoreAre Alternative Pain Treatments Effective for You?
Alternative Pain Treatments Most doctors want to help people in pain. Ideally, the care would be provided in such a way that there would be little or no risk to our patients. If we could wave a magic wand (or don an enchanted stethoscope), we would be happy to replace opioids with alternative, non-pharmacologic treatments.…
Read MoreWill Brain Injuries End the Game of Football?
The Consequences of Playing Football I grew up in Nebraska where participation in sports was at the core of a young person’s social, educational, and physical development. It was how we learned important lessons about winning, losing, and being part of a team. Football was a big part of our culture, but it was even…
Read MoreThere Are Real-Life Superheroes Among Us
Challenge to Stay Optimistic It’s easy to become jaded. As a physician, I have spent decades dealing with sickness. I have cared for people with intractable pain and addiction. I have witnessed their pain, and I have seen them suffer stigma, judgment, and rejection because of their disease. I’ve watched policymakers motivated by political concerns…
Read MoreAssociation Is Not Causation
The Court of Justice of the European Union’s Dubious Decision CBS News reported on June 21, 2017, “The highest court of the European Union ruled Wednesday that courts can consider whether a vaccination led to someone developing an illness even when there is no scientific proof.” According to CNN, this ruling means “if the development…
Read More