Tuesday, May 31, 2016

Why See a Pain Medicine Specialist?


Pain treatment is complex and can cause more harm than good if it is not provided by a pain medicine specialist. Physician anesthesiologists complete four years of medical school, four years of training in anesthesiology and pain medicine, and an additional year of training to become experts in treating chronic pain. This expertise is essential to completing a comprehensive evaluation and making a diagnosis to guide treatment. If interventional therapies are considered, real expertise is critical since the spine and nerves that register pain are delicate and everyone’s anatomy may be different. In addition, many of the medications used to treat pain are strong or may interact with other medications and can be harmful if not administered by a physician with appropriate training.

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Saturday, May 28, 2016

Acupuncture Relieves Failed Back Surgery Pain


Acupuncture relieves failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS) pain. Published in the Journal of Emergency in Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zheng et al. conclude that two types of acupuncture successfully relieve pain due to failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS). One acupuncture point prescription achieved a 94.87% total effective rate and another achieved a 76.32% total effective rate

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Friday, May 27, 2016

Many patients abusing drugs and alcohol are self-medicating chronic pain

(Boston)--With opioid addiction and prescription drug abuse considered one of the biggest public health threats of our time in the U.S., many are asking why so many Americans are struggling with addiction to illegal drugs and prescription medications. New research suggests that chronic pain may be part of the answer.

In a study that appears in the May issue of the Journal of General Internal Medicine, researchers at Boston University School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center have found that the majority of patients misusing drugs and alcohol have chronic pain and many are using these substances to "self-medicate" their pain.

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Thursday, May 26, 2016

Nightmare scenario - waking up under anaesthesia



The vast majority of patients who have general anaesthetics in hospital do so without a problem.
But writing in this week's Scrubbing Up, Prof Jennifer Hunter, of the University of Liverpool, says more could be done to prevent those few cases where something goes wrong - and that a simple monitor could be the key.

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Wednesday, May 25, 2016

NYSORA - Regional Anesthesia in the Anticoagulated Patient


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Summary
Adherence to the discussed guidelines should lead to a lesser risk of hemorrhagic complications after regional anesthesia, including spinal hematomas. Likewise, implementation of the guidelines leads to improved vigilance and better care of patients on anticoagulants in whom nerve blocks are performed or entertained. Consensus guidelines, however, should be viewed only as recommendations; specific decisions on nerve blocks in patients on anticoagulants should be individualized. Adequate monitoring, follow-up, and timely treatment should be implemented in patients on anticoagulants who are receiving neuraxial or peripheral nerve blocks (see algorithms on the following pages).

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Acupuncture Produces Anti-inflammatory Responses


Anti-inflammatory biochemical responses are stimulated by the application of acupuncture. As a result, the body decreases swelling associated with arthritis. In addition, acupuncture prevents postoperative intra-abdominal adhesions. The research is confirmed across several studies including laboratory investigations.

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Monday, May 23, 2016

Science Is Finally Proving The Existence Of Meridian Points Throughout The Human Body


One example where non-material science could benefit the human race is healthcare, as a number of publications have revealed the importance of mind-body connections, and how our thoughts, emotions, feelings, the perception of the environment around us and more are all connected to the health of our body and regulation of our immune system. A study published in the Journal of Acupuncture and Meridian Studies titled “The Primo Vascular System as a New Anatomical System” is one that has recognized the importance of these concepts.

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Sunday, May 22, 2016

2016 Global Year Against Pain in the Joints


Joint pain affects millions of people who suffer from a wide variety of ailments and conditions. Chronic joint pain can be manageable, but treatment is often inadequate, and patients may continue to suffer. Indeed, medications are sometimes unsafe, making rehabilitation and physical therapy essential.

 Joint pain also can exact substantial financial and other costs -- high medical expenses, lost work days, and diminished quality and productivity in people’s work and personal lives. Aging populations, sedentary lifestyles, and an increasing propensity toward obesity all mean that the problem of joint pain is likely to continue unabated worldwide.

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Friday, May 20, 2016

Acupuncture Relieves Neck Pain and Numbness

Acupoints for cervical radiculopathy.
Acupuncture relieves neck pain and numbness and reduces levels of proinflammatory blood cytokines. Researchers conclude that warm needle acupuncture has a 92.05% total effective rate for the treatment of pain, numbness, and radiating discomfort due to cervical spondylosis with radiculopathy.
This is a condition wherein there is spinal and soft tissue degeneration in the neck causing nerve impingement with subsequent pain or numbness. The symptoms often radiate from the neck to the shoulders, chest, back, and limbs. In addition, acupuncture successfully reduces blood levels of tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-a) and the proinflammatory cytokines interleukin-1 beta (IL1β) and interleukin 6 (IL6).

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Thursday, May 19, 2016

Acupuncture Relieves High Blood Pressure With Lasting Results


Acupuncture is an effective treatment for hypertension. Researchers demonstrate that acupuncture alleviates hypertension and its signs and symptoms.

Zhao et al. conclude that acupuncture reduces levels of high blood pressure and relieves associated headaches, dizziness, tinnitus, and anxiety. In addition, acupuncture successfully alleviates palpitations due to hypertension.

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Wednesday, May 18, 2016

How much does it hurt? New system quantifies pain


Rate your pain on a scale of 1 to 10: Health professionals rely on this subjective method to assess pain. It’s not only imprecise but also impossible in many circumstances, such as when the patient is not communicating or under anesthesia.
Israel’s Medasense Biometrics  is poised to solve the problem with a noninvasive system. The patented technology includes a finger-mounted sensor which records relevant physiological signs. Artificial-intelligence algorithms convert this data into a real-time, continuous pain index presented on a bedside monitor.

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Tuesday, May 17, 2016

Acupuncture Rivals Antidepressants For Insomnia And Depression



Acupuncture alleviates depression and insomnia. Research published in the Shanghai Journal of Acupuncture and Moxibustion (Ye et al.) finds acupuncture 90% effective in improving total sleep duration and sleep quality for patients with depression. Alleviation of insomnia directly correlated to improvements in the mental and physical health of study participants. Acupuncture treatments lowered relapse rates and produced similar clinical results as antidepressants. Notably, acupuncture did not produce any adverse effects.

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Monday, May 16, 2016

Acupuncture Reduces Tinnitus Levels




Acupuncture alleviates tinnitus. Researchers from the Central Hospital of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery in Chaoyang City investigated the efficacy of acupuncture for the treatment of tinnitus associated with cervical disorders. The data demonstrates that one standard acupuncture point prescription is 50% effective and a specialized acupuncture point prescription has an 80% total effective rate.

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Sunday, May 15, 2016

5 Tips for Pain Management with Opioids

Millions of Americans take prescription pain medications called opioids. While opioids control pain, they’re not without risk: each day 44 people die from opioid overdoses and 80 percent of those deaths are unintentional.

 “About 100 million people suffer with chronic pain and many of them rely on opioids,” said Daniel J. Cole, M.D. president of the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA). 

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Saturday, May 14, 2016

Mindfulness meditation offers relief for low-back pain: NIH

Mindfulness based stress reduction (MBSR) and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) may prove more effective than usual treatment in alleviating chronic low-back pain, according to a new study funded by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), part of the National Institutes of Health.

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Friday, May 13, 2016

Low-Dose Ketamine Infusion Appears Safe Even Without Continuous Hemodynamic Monitoring

New York—Are low-dose ketamine infusions for analgesia safe for patients who are not in a setting with continuous monitoring? The answer is yes, according to a small retrospective study.
Lt. Cmdr. Jeffrey M. Carness, MD, and his colleagues at the Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, in Virginia, have long recognized the efficacy of ketamine in subanesthetic doses within their practice, despite the drug’s “dynamic” effects as an analgesic.

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Thursday, May 12, 2016

New Anticoagulants and Emerging Trends in Regional Anesthesia

The use of anticoagulant and antiplatelet agents has been increasing, primarily as a result of improved life expectancy, the aging population, prevalence of cardiovascular disease, and expansion of indications for more potent anticoagulants.

Traditionally, the incidence of neurologic complications as a result of hemorrhagic complications from neuraxial anesthesia has been estimated to be approximately 1 in 150,000 for epidurals and 1 in 220,000 for spinal anesthetics.

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Wednesday, May 11, 2016

Knock migraines on the head: Acupuncture and Migraines




In the UK 5.85 million adults suffer with migraines and 190,000 people at any one time experience a migraine attack.
Research has shown that acupuncture can be very beneficial in the treatment of migraines as it tends to lessen the frequency and severity of attacks.

The British Acupuncture Council

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Tuesday, May 10, 2016

Steps for Doctors and Patients To Make Anesthesia Safer

Patients undergoing surgery are unlikely to be harmed by anesthesia, but potential complications can be dangerous. Giving drug and health histories is key. Doctors and nurses are ramping up training.

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