Pain Topics
Beyond Midterms
What’s Next? Midterms are behind us. You may be pleased or displeased with the results. Either way, the newly elected, and the reelected, senators and members of congress will now determine healthcare policy. They will take office in January. In the meantime, do your homework. When you’re worried that your doctor might be pressured to…
Read MoreGet Out to Vote
Vote to Change Healthcare Policies Mid-term elections are approaching. If you have the ability to vote, then this is a chance to help determine the direction of our healthcare policies. There are many issues important to each of us. To people who follow my blog, the most important healthcare issues have to do with how…
Read MoreHealth Professionals Call on the CDC to Address Misapplication of Its Guideline
Stefan G. Kertesz, MD Pens a Letter to the CDC Health Professionals Call on the CDC to Address Misapplication of Its Guideline on Opioids for Chronic Pain through Public Clarification and Impact Evaluation by Health Professionals for People in Pain is a letter that I recently had the privilege of signing. (Click here to see…
Read MoreEveryday 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 MoreWill Brain Injuries End the Game of Football?
Sports are central to American culture; they teach kids the concepts of hard work, perseverance, and teamwork. Each sport has its own risks for specific injuries, but football is particularly dangerous because it can cause extensive damage to the brain. A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) found that…
Read MoreThe Painful Truth According to @SteveTransform of @transformdrugs
According to Steve Rolles, Senior Policy Analyst for Transform (who was quoted in an article in Sputnik News): “The drivers of drug dependence are a complex mix of social and cultural factors — including [such] inequality as poverty, as well as wider issues with education, mental health and social service provision. Problematic drug use tends…
Read MorePrince and Why We Need More Compassion About Addiction
We don’t yet know why Prince died. The facts aren’t in, and I don’t want to draw conclusions until I have more information. That said, some entertainment media outlets (TMZ, Variety, and more) are reporting that Prince was treated with naloxone, which is the antidote for opioids including heroin, in the days before his death.…
Read MoreThis is How Prince’s Death Begins Conversation about Addiction
The Conversation Is About Compassion and Addiction When I published my recent blog, Prince and Why We Need More Compassion About Addiction, I began by saying that we didn’t yet know why Prince died. The facts weren’t in, and I didn’t want to draw conclusions until I had more information. I still don’t have all…
Read MoreOpen Letter to Prince’s Supporters and Devoted Fans
Fans and Supporters Saddened by Loss of Prince When the news broke about the death of Prince, and reporters began to link his death to a possible opioid addiction, I empathized with his fan base and supporters who were deeply saddened by the loss. All the facts weren’t in — they’re still not — but…
Read MoreThis is the Opioids Paradox for Chronic Pain Patients
Our wise elders had a saying: moderation is the key to happiness. Unfortunately, there is little moderation where opioids are concerned. They are both over-prescribed and under-prescribed for patients in chronic pain. This results in what I call the opioids paradox. Read the whole post here on my book blog: The Painful Truth
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