As anyone who suffers from the condition knows, a migraine is much more than a bad headache. It is a collection of neurological symptoms that may include throbbing pain on one side of the head, neck pain or stiffness, nausea, vomiting, and/or visual distortions called aura. The severity of migraine symptoms can vary widely from [...]
Nor shall any man's entreaty prevail upon me to administer poison to anyone; neither will I counsel any man to do so. – Hippocratic Oath When it comes to the treatment of chronic pain, the medical profession may be in violation of what can be regarded as the first medical ethic: First do no harm. [...]
Q: I have a question about low-dose naltrexone for chronic pain, I understand you use this in your clinic. The standard dose appears to be 4.5 mg in almost all of the information I can find. There are a few chronic pain MDs in the U.S. that seem to be using higher doses with success [...]
This Q&A was part of our Live chat with Dr. Lilienfield on Facebook in January, 2016! Fibromyalgia is a disorder that causes muscle pain and fatigue. People with fibromyalgia have chronic and widespread pain, as well as “tender points” on the neck, shoulders, back, hips, arms and legs, which hurt when slight pressure is applied. [...]
Migraines are mysterious and unpredictable at times. There are many migraine triggers and treatment is based on evaluation of all the potential contributing factors and triggers. Migraine triggers: Dr. Lisa: Migraine triggers can include weather changes, certain foods, alcohol, caffeine, stress, sleep disruptions, hormonal changes, and overuse of rescue medications. Other conditions that can lower [...]
Q: My mother suffers from chronic pain after having back surgery in 2004. Two discs were fused and she has two screws in her lumbar area. She currently alternates between Topiramate (Topamax) 25 mg for low grade pain and Hydrocodone Acetaminophen (Vicodin) 5-300 mg for high grade pain. I have taken her to several spine [...]
By Elizabeth Shimer Bowers As first seen on EverydayHealth.com. For managing chronic pain, opioid drugs may not be the answer. Here are ways to find relief without relying on a prescription. Doctors prescribe more painkillers today than they ever have — writing three times as many prescriptions for opioids as they did 20 years ago, [...]
Individuals with higher-than-normal cholesterol levels are commonly prescribed statins in the hope of reducing their risk of heart disease or stroke. Yet, the medical research to date indicates that statins actually have very limited usefulness in preventing heart disease unless the patient already has a personal history of the disease. This may be due, in [...]
Why No Pain Pill Is Totally Safe By Julia Westbrook As first seen on RodaleNews.com. We break down the hidden side effects of three common pain meds. It's time to reevaluate how we deal with pain. Pain meds, even the ones that are easily available or ones we think of as safe, can have unintended [...]
Patricia Alomar, M.S., P.T.: Chronic headaches affect millions of people each year, and are one of the most common complaints expressed by our patients at Kaplan Center. An individual can experience headache for any number of reasons, including stress, stationary positioning in front of a computer, and muscle tightness causing decreased range of motion in [...]
