Posts Tagged ‘pain management’
This is Why DEA Action Continues Catch-22 of Marijuana Research
A 57-year-old firefighter with chronic neck and back pain left a comment on my blog to ask: If they can send a man to the moon, why can’t they make a medication with no side effects that is not addictive and that can control pain? My response is that we do have the ability,…
Read MoreThe United State of Grief
This is a follow up to a guest blog my friend, Steve D. Passik, posted here on September 21, 2016, called “The Painful Later Years of Frances Passik.” Steven D. Passik, Ph.D., is a Pennsylvania-based pain psychologist. I’m proud to call him a friend. He is a giant in the field of pain medicine, but…
Read More3 Reasons the New CDC Guidelines May Contribute to the Cost of Addiction
In the September 13 issue of Vice, Maia Szalavitz challenges the myth that the U.S. can solve the opioid crisis by reducing the supply. According to her biography published in Wikipedia, “[Szalavitz] has been awarded the American Psychological Association’s Division 50 Award for Contributions to the Addictions, the Media Award from the American College of…
Read MoreUsing Pulses Instead of Pills to Control Pain
By Guest Blogger Russ Izzo A growing number of people suffering from all kinds of debilitating pain are experiencing relief from TENS therapy, which stands for Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation. This type of therapy may seem relatively new, but it’s actually been around for quite some time. If you can cast your mind back to around…
Read MoreWhat the Latest @NatCounterPunch Opioid Article Doesn’t Want You To Know
I was troubled to see a recent story in the online publication, Counterpunch. It starts off by declaring the root cause of the opioid crisis is Pharma’s contribution to professional societies for “educational” programs. Counterpunch reports that the funding was provided to advocate for “more aggressive identification and treatment of pain.” Ironically, the tag line…
Read MoreIn Pain Practice, Senator Gene Yaw Is Wrong
State Senator Gene Yaw means well when he suggests teaching all doctors the pros and cons of opioids. In theory, I appreciate what he’s saying and am pleased to see his support for broader education about opioids and pain management. Medical Students Receive One Hour of Pain Management Education — Veterinarians Receive More! I often…
Read MoreThe Science of Connection: How It Helps People in Pain
Connection Can Make People Feel Better Hugs and friendship … the combination of that connection can make people feel better. Science has proven it, and that’s the type of news I want to share. First, a disclaimer. I don’t mean to trivialize pain or turn the discussion into a Shirley Temple film. I have dedicated…
Read MoreThis is Why Sen. Edward Markey Is Short-Sighted on Opioid Crisis
Massachusetts Democratic Senator Edward Markey wants the FDA to rescind its approval of OxyContin for children, and then convene an advisory panel to reconsider the issue. Senator Markey is well intentioned but misinformed. The FDA is not the problem. The agency has not “willfully blinded itself of the warning signs” of prescription painkillers, as Senator…
Read MoreWhat’s Massachusetts Thinking?
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…
Read MorePendulums and Painkillers
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…
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