Archive for the ‘Pain Management’ Category

Somatic Tracking for Pain

**DISCLAIMER**

Sorry for the monologue, but it’s important.

As anyone in Lymeland knows, ‘what works for one, doesn’t work for another.’  Please keep this in mind as you read the following information that I hope will help someone.  Further, I am in complete disagreement with any statements that Lyme/MSIDS can not be a persistent/chronic infection(s).  The doctor in the documentary, Dr. Howard Schubiner, admits there is controversy in the medical community over chronic Lyme/MSIDS, and that he has had the experience of seeing patients ‘overtreated’ with antibiotics for weeks, months, and years. While he states he is very happy for those who are doing well with long-term of treatment, he states patients should rethink their diagnosis if they are on a merry-go-round of costly and invasive treatments that aren’t working. To this doctor I would state: while you have had the unfortunate experience of helping ‘overtreated’ patients, there are thousands upon thousands in the real world who are dying from undertreatment.  Tread lightly.

While rethinking a diagnosis appears to be logically sane thinking, it’s imperative to understand treating Lyme/MSIDS is fraught with confusion, mystery, set backs, and pain. To my knowledge the only other diseases with Jarisch-Herxheimer reactions besides Lyme disease are syphilis, leptospirosis, and relapsing fever – which means unless you have had one of those diseases before, you have never experienced how confusing and relentless herxes are. They truly make you think you are losing your mind.

It is not uncommon at all for patients to hit plateaus in Lyme/MSIDS treatment. They might go through a period where they feel great only to have the dreaded symptoms, or even worse ones appear over night.  This is why Lyme literate doctors describe treating this similarly to peeling back the layers of an onion.  When one infection gets under control another one suddenly becomes visible.

This coinfection involvement never gets any air-play, but is crucial in understanding this beast. These infections require different medications entirely, but mainstream medicine doesn’t even consider them, so when a short course of doxy doesn’t make a person well, they simply fold up shop and declare, “you don’t have Lyme,” which could very well be true; however, they could also have Babesia, Bartonella, Relapsing Fever, or a whole host of other infections that look and act just like Lyme disease. Please go here to learn of the many issues surrounding why patients don’t get well.

So, once again, none of this is simple.  Keep an open mind.

One final note: I ended up using many aspects of this technique out of desperation, completely on my own.  I had no idea it was a ‘thing,’ but as they say, ‘necessity is the mother of invention.’

https://careclinic.io/somatic-tracking-pain/

Somatic Tracking for Pain: Unveiling Effective Techniques

somatic tracking pain

Living with pain can be a daunting and overwhelming experience. It can drastically affect our quality of life and prevent us from fully enjoying the activities we love. However, there is a technique called somatic tracking that can help us better understand and manage our pain. In this article, we will delve into the intricacies of somatic tracking, explore its benefits, and discuss how it can be implemented in our daily lives.

Understanding Somatic Tracking

Somatic tracking is a mindfulness-based technique that involves bringing awareness to our bodily sensations and learning to interpret them. By paying attention to our physical experiences, we can develop a deeper understanding of the underlying causes of our pain and explore ways to alleviate it.

When we talk about somatic tracking, we are referring to the practice of tuning in to the sensations and signals that our bodies send us. It’s like becoming fluent in the language of our own physical experiences. Just as we can learn to interpret words and phrases in a foreign language, we can learn to interpret the messages that our bodies are constantly sending us.

Imagine this: you wake up one morning with a dull ache in your lower back. Instead of dismissing it as just another discomfort, you decide to practice somatic tracking. You close your eyes, take a deep breath, and bring your attention to the area of your back that is bothering you. As you focus on the sensation, you start to notice subtle nuances – a tightness, a twinge, a warmth. These sensations become the building blocks of your understanding.  (See link for article)

________________

https://www.curablehealth.com/podcast/what-is-somatic-tracking  Podcast Here

A Podcast Where Real Chronic Pain Sufferers Meet Science-Backed Solutions 💫

Join us as our expert hosts help listeners overcome obstacles to healing through evidence-based techniques.

Go here for a Somatic Tracking exercise, and here for 10 best exercises

And here for an excerpt from The Way Out: A Revolutionary, Scientifically Proven Approach to Healing Chronic Pain by Alan Gordon and Alon Ziv, the speakers from the podcast above.

And here for one person’s successful experience with Somatic Tracking without using drugs or getting surgery.

It is described as physical therapy for the brain.

https://www.thismighthurtfilm.com/

This Might Hurt

A Film about a radical treatment for chronic pain

THE PROBLEM: CHRONIC PAIN

One in seven people around the world suffer from chronic pain, and nearly 80% of us will experience it at some point in our lives. The symptoms show up as back pain, neck pain, fibromyalgia, migraines, irritable bowel syndrome, anxiety, depression, fatigue, and a dozen others. The standard treatments are often ineffective, and one of the main remedies, opioids, has made the problem worse. What’s going on here?

THE FILM

This Might Hurt is a documentary that offers solutions to reduce and unlearn chronic pain. The film follows three chronic pain patients who have spent years searching for answers. Desperate for relief, they enter a new medical program — run by Dr. Howard Schubiner — that focuses on uncovering hidden causes of pain, and retraining their brains to switch the pain off.

This new paradigm for diagnosis and treatment was found to be effective in several randomized trials, and was listed as a “best practice” by the HHS’s task force to combat the opioid epidemic. This Might Hurt provides an intimate exploration and suggests a path to healing for millions.

Here are just some of the conditions that can be caused by “primary pain,” also know as brain-generated pain:

Brain Induced Conditions.gif

*These treatments are generally not recommended for people dealing with “secondary pain,” that is, pain that derives from cancer, fractures, muscle diseases, or infections.

NOT SURE IF THESE IDEAS APPLY TO YOUR SYMPTOMS?

HowardLecture3.jpg

5 STEPS TO UNLEARNING CHRONIC PRIMARY PAIN EXPLORED IN THIS MIGHT HURT

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There are published studies demonstrating the effectiveness of mind-body treatment for people who have a similar collection of symptoms, but who were labeled as having fibromyalgia, not chronic Lyme. But there has not been a study of the mind-body treatment for people labeled as chronic Lyme disease, to our knowledge.

Category:

Lyme, Pain Management, Treatment

How Safe Are Topical NSAIDs Like Voltaren Gel?

https://www.peoplespharmacy.com/articles/how-safe-are-topical-nsaids-like-voltaren-gel

How Safe Are Topical NSAIDs Like Voltaren Gel?

FDA’s warning on doctor-prescribed topical NSAIDs like Voltaren Gel is scary. Are gels as dangerous as oral NSAIDs like ibuprofen or naproxen?
Joe Graedon
February 20, 2024
 
When the FDA allowed drug companies to sell NSAIDs over the counter we were concerned. That’s because drugs like ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, etc) and naproxen (Aleve) came with some pretty serious side effects including stomach irritation and bleeding ulcers. Given that tens of millions of Americans use such drugs every day, the potential problem worried us. When the FDA gave the green light to topical NSAIDs like Voltaren Gel (diclofenac), we thought it was probably a good idea. It seemed to suggest that people could get localized relief for arthritic fingers, knees, shoulders and hips without as many systemic side effects. Were we wrong?

Oral NSAIDS Come With Other Worrisome Side effects:

Americans are in a lot of pain! Medscape provides physicians and other healthcare professionals up-to-date medical news and information. It offered this overview of “Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) Toxicity” on Sept. 15, 2023:

“More than 70 million prescriptions for NSAIDs are written each year in the United States. With over-the-counter use included, more than 30 billion doses of NSAIDs are consumed annually in the United States alone.”

(See link for article)

_____________

**Comment**

Important article for Lyme/MSIDS patients who deal with excruciating pain.

Many oral NSAIDs can cause heart attacks and strokes, hypertension, irregular heart beats, dizziness, blood clots, fluid retention, heart failure, tinnitus, and liver or kidney damage.

Regarding topical NSAIDs, a Cochrane review for ACUTE pain showed that they provide similar relief as orals with minimal adverse events. So topical NSAIDs used for a short period of time appear to work and are fairly safe; however, less than a year later some of the same authors published a new review for CHRONIC pain which found they only worked for 10% more people than those who got a placebo for osteoarthritis and that there is no evidence for other conditions. While the authors admit the quality of evidence was low, the side-effects were wide ranging but supposedly mild and included:

  • headache
  • diarrhoea
  • drowsiness
  • dyspepsia [heartburn]

Some patients wrote in that they experienced more serious side-effects like stomach pain, abdominal cramps, and high blood pressure.

The article author is puzzled as to why the FDA took so long to allow topical NSAIDs to be sold over the counter when orals have been available OTC despite scary warnings.

For more:

 

Category:

Activism, Pain Management, research, Treatment, Uncategorized

The Potential Benefits of Proteolytic Enzymes to Help Manage Rheumatoid Arthritis

https://popularrationalism.substack.com/p/the-potential-benefits-of-proteolytic?

The Potential Benefits of Proteolytic Enzymes to Help Manage Rheumatoid Arthritis

People with RA often have restricted diets. Check this out!

JAMES LYONS-WEILER
DEC 3, 2023

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disorder that predominantly affects the synovial joints, leading to progressive joint destruction and disability. Traditional treatment modalities have primarily focused on anti-inflammatory medications and immunosuppressants. However, the exploration of complementary therapies, such as proteolytic enzymes, has gained momentum in recent years. This article aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the potential benefits of proteolytic enzymes in managing RA, backed by scientific evidence and clinical trials.

What are Proteolytic Enzymes?

Proteolytic enzymes, also known as proteases or peptidases, are enzymes that catalyze the breakdown of proteins into smaller peptides or amino acids. They are naturally occurring enzymes found in the digestive system, certain foods, and available as supplements. The enzymes work by breaking down protein structures, which can be beneficial in inflammation and tissue damage. They have a wide range of medical applications, from aiding digestion to wound healing1.

Key Reference: Serratiopeptidase: Insights into the therapeutic applications

(See link for article)

________________

**Comment**

This website has posted on proteolytic enzymes (PE) for years.  They do so many beneficial things, every Lyme/MSIDS patient should learn about them and consider adding them to their regimen.

The article states that proteolytic enzymes have been studied for their anti-inflammatory effects as well as their ability to reduce pain and improve mobility – all of which are often issues with Lyme/MSIDS patients.  It also states that conventional treatments for RA come with a host of side effects while PE are safer and more cost effective.  RCTs are still needed to establish long-term safety and efficacy.

For more:

Category:

Inflammation, Lyme, Pain Management, research, Supplements, Treatment

Pine Bark Extract Puts Aspirin to Shame

https://greenmedinfo.com/blog/powerful-aspirin-alternative-grows-trees-2

The Powerful Aspirin Alternative Your Doctor Never Told You About

Friday, April 12th 2019 at 4:15 am
Written By:  Sayer Ji, Founder
Article Excerpts:

Pine Bark Extract (Pycnogenol) Puts Aspirin To Shame

When it comes to aspirin alternatives, one promising contender is pycnogenol, a powerful antioxidant extracted from French maritime pine bark, backed by over 40 years of research, the most compelling of which we have aggregated on GreenMedInfo.com here: Pycnogenol Research. Amazingly, you will find research indexed there showing it may have value for over 80 health conditions

Not Just A Drug Alternative

Pycnogenol, like so many other natural interventions, has a wide range of side benefits that may confer significant advantage when it comes to reducing cardiovascular disease risk. For instance, pycnogenol is also:

  • Blood Pressure Reducing/Endothelial Function Enhancer: A number of clinical studies indicate that pycnogenol is therapeutic for those suffering with hypertension. Pycnogenol actually addresses a root cause of hypertension and cardiovascular disease in general, namely, endothelial dysfunction (the inability of the inner lining of the blood vessels to function correctly, e.g. fully dilate).[1] It has been shown to prevent damage in microcirculation in hypertensive patients, as well as reducing the dose of blood pressure drugs in hypertensive patients,[2] including hypertensive diabetic patients.[3] It has even been found to reduce intraocular hypertension found in glaucoma patients.[4]
  • Anti-Inflammatory Effects: There is a growing appreciation among the medical community that inflammation contributes to cardiovascular disease. Several markers, including C-reactive protein are now being fore grounded as being at least as important in determining cardiovascular disease risk as various blood lipids and/or their ratios, such as low-density lipoprotein (LDL). Pycnogenol has been found to reduce C-reactive protein in hypertensive patients.[5] Pycnogenol has been found to rapidly modulate downward (inhibit) both Cox-1 and Cox-2 enzyme activity in human subjects, resulting in reduced expression of these inflammation-promoting enzymes within 30 minutes post-ingestion.[6] Another observed anti-inflammatory effect of pycnogenol is its ability to down-regulate the class of inflammatory enzymes known as matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs).[7] Pycnogenol has also been found to significantly inhibit NF-kappaB activation, a key body-wide regulator of inflammation levels whose overexpression and/or dysregulation may result in pathologic cardiovascular manifestations.[8] Finally, pycnogenol has been found to reduce fibrinogen levels, a glycoprotein that contributes to the formation of blood clots; fibrinogen has been identified as an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease.[9]
  • The Ideal Air Travel Companion: In a previous article entitled, “How Pine Bark Extract Could Save Air Travelers Lives,” we delve into a compelling body of research that indicates pycnogenol may be the perfect preventive remedy for preventing flight-associated thrombosis, edema, and concerns related to radiotoxicity and immune suppression. 

For more:

  • Pycnogenol reduces pain & stiffness & improves physical function in knee osteoarthritis
  • Pycnogenol accelerates wound healing & reduces scar formation
  • Pycnogenol improves:
    • painful and visible symptoms of psoriasis
    • cognitive performance and neurodegeneration in the rat model
    • blood pressure
    • blood glucose
    • airway inflammation
    • pulmonary function
    • endometriosis
    • ADHD and hyperactivity
    • circulation
    • allergies
    • tinnitus
    • diabetes
    • ED
    • varicose veins
    • menopause symptoms

For more:

Category:

Pain Management, research

The Link Between Nightshades, Chronic Pain and Inflammation

https://greenmedinfo.com/blog/link-between-nightshades-chronic-pain-and-inflammation

The Link Between Nightshades, Chronic Pain and Inflammation

March 8th 2023
Written By: Elisha McFarland
“© [Article Date] GreenMedInfo LLC. This work is reproduced and distributed with the permission of GreenMedInfo LLC. Want to learn more from GreenMedInfo? Sign up for the newsletter here //www.greenmedinfo.com/greenmed/newsletter.”

Few people are familiar with the term nightshades, and many will be surprised to learn that consuming foods from this plant group may be contributing to their pain and inflammation

Nightshades belong to the Solanaceae family which includes over 2,000 species. They also include some of the most popular foods consumed today; such as tomatoes, potatoes, all types of peppers, and eggplant. Although not truly nightshades, blueberries, huckleberries, goji berries and ashwaganda all share the same alkaloids which may have inflammation-inducing properties.

The Solanaceae family contains cholinesterase inhibiting glycoalkaloids and steroid alkaloids including, among others, solanine in potato and eggplant, tomatine in tomato, nicotine in tobacco, and capsaicin in garden peppers. The glycoalkaloids in potatoes are known to contribute to Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and negatively affect intestinal permeability. (1,2) According to Dr. Marvin Childers, “When these inhibitors accumulate in the body, alone or with other cholinesterase inhibitors such as caffeine or food impurities containing systemic cholinesterase inhibiting pesticides, the result may be a paralytic-like muscle spasm, aches, pains, tenderness, inflammation, and stiff body movements.” (3) These symptoms may dissipate in a few hours or days if ingestion is stopped, based on the sensitivity of the individual, the amount of nightshades consumed on a regular basis and their level of inflammation. However for some heavy consumers of nightshades the process of inflammation and pain reduction can take up to 3 months.

After reading the symptoms associated with nightshade consumption, it is easy to understand why one of the major problems attributed to nightshade is arthritis. Arthritis is also the most common disability in the U.S. (4,5) Statistics from a 2007-2009 study show that doctor diagnosed arthritis affects 49.9 million people in the United States alone (6). Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis affecting more than 20 million people. More than 2 million people are affected by rheumatoid arthritis, the most disabling and painful form of arthritis. Arthritis has no boundaries to gender, race or age, it affects young and old alike. (5, 7) In fact it may be surprising to some that an estimated 294,000 children (age 18 and under), have some form of arthritis. (7) In 2003 the medical cost of arthritis alone was approximately 128 billion annually. (4) Since 1994, disability-related costs for medical care and lost productivity have exceeded an estimated $300 billion annually in the United States, this includes arthritis and other rheumatoid related illness (8) Add to these numbers the report released in 2011 by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, where an estimated 116 million adults live with chronic pain, which costs the United States $635 billion annually in health care and lost productivity. (9) So the question is how much of these problems are nightshade related? That is the question some researchers are asking, as they believe that arthritis is often misdiagnosed in people who may in fact be experiencing severe side effects of nightshade consumption.

Many who suffer with arthritis or an arthritis related disease such as lupus, rheumatism, and other musculoskeletal pain disorders, have found that consuming foods from the nightshade family is in fact adversely affecting their health. Norman F. Childers, PhD, founder of the Arthritis Nightshades Research Foundation stated: “Diet appears to be a factor in the etiology of arthritis based on surveys of over 1400 volunteers during a 20-year period. Plants in the drug family, Solanaceae (nightshades) are an important causative factor in arthritis in sensitive people.” (3)

Three month challenge

If you want to know if nightshades negatively affect you, take the three month challenge. Avoid all nightshades for three months. (It’s called a challenge for a reason).Be careful to note the nightshade list, and become a label reader as some homeopathics, prescriptions, over the counter medications as well as numerous processed foods contain nightshades. Prescriptions and over the counter medicines may require a discussion with your pharmacist or a phone call to the manufacturer of your over the counter medicines to determine ingredients.

After three months, begin to reintroduce one nightshade at a time. Take note of any aches, pains, stiffness, and loss of energy, headaches, respiratory problems or any other symptoms. You may find as many others have, that the quality of your daily health will dramatically improve after eliminating nightshades from your diet.

The nightshade list

  • ­ tomatoes (all varieties, including tomatillos)
  • ­ potatoes (all varieties, NOT sweet potatoes or yams)
  • ­ eggplant (aubergine)
  • ­ okra
  • ­ peppers (all varieties such as bell pepper, wax pepper, green & red peppers, chili peppers, cayenne, paprika, etc.)
  • ­ goji berries
  • ­ tomarillos (a plum-like fruit from Peru)
  • ­ sorrel
  • ­ garden huckleberry & blueberries (contain the alkaloids that induce inflammation)
  • ­ gooseberries
  • ­ ground cherries
  • ­ pepino Melon
  • ­ the homeopathic “Belladonna” [note: this is highly precautionary as homeopathics contain virtually no measurable “active” chemical]
  • ­ tobacco
  • ­ paprika
  • ­ cayenne pepper

Soy sauce made in the U.S. is generally made with genetically modified (GMO) soy beans, which are cut with the nightshade plant Petunia.

The condiments black/white pepper and pepper corns are not nightshades

Other ingredients and products to avoid

  • ­Homeopathic remedies containing Belladonna [note: this is highly precautionary as homeopathics contain virtually no measurable “active” chemical]
  • ­Prescription and over-the-counter medications containing potato starch as a filler (especially prevalent in sleeping and muscle relaxing medications)
  • ­Edible flowers: petunia, chalice vine, day jasmine, angel and devil’s trumpets
  • ­Atropine and Scopolamine, used in sleeping pills
  • ­Topical medications for pain and inflammation containing capsicum (in cayenne pepper).
  • ­Many baking powders contain potato starch
  • ­Don’t lick envelopes, many adhesives contain potato starch
  • ­Vodka (potatoes used in production)

Read labels carefully because you could be doing everything else right, and still be sabotaged by one small amount of an ingredient.

Never buy a food has that uses the generic term of seasoning or spices…. nightshades may be included in the ingredients.

Learn more about the similarity of tomato lectin with wheat germ lectin (WGA), as well as lectins found in rice and barley:

Rice, Potato, and Tomato May Be As Inflammatory As Wheat

References

1. Potato glycoalkaloids adversely affect intestinal permeability and aggravate inflammatory bowel disease. www.greenmedinfo.com/article/potato-glycoalkaloids-adversely-affect-intestinal-permeability-and-aggravate

2. Naturally occurring glycoalkaloids in potatoes aggravate intestinal inflammation in two mouse models of inflammatory bowel disease. www.greenmedinfo.com/article/naturally-occurring-glycoalkaloids-potatoes-aggravate-intestinal-inflammation-two-mouse

3. Journal of Neurological and Orthopedic Medical Surgery (1993) 12:227-231.An Apparent Relation of Nightshades (Solanaceae) to Arthritis https://www.noarthritis.com/research.htm

4. National and State Medical Expenditures and Lost Earnings Attributable to Arthritis and Other Rheumatic Conditions — United States, 2003 https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5601a2.htm?s_cid=mm5601a2_e

5. Differences in the Prevalence and Impact of Arthritis Among Racial/Ethnic Groups in the United States, National Health Interview Survey, 2002, 2003, and 2006 https://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2010/may/10_0035.htm

6. Prevalence of Doctor-Diagnosed Arthritis and Arthritis-Attributable Activity Limitation – United States, 2007-2009 https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5939a1.htm?s_cid=mm5939a1_w

7. Prevalence of and annual ambulatory health care visits for pediatric arthritis and other rheumatologic conditions in the United States in 2001-2004. Sacks JJ, Helmick CG, Luo YH, Ilowite NT, Bowyer S. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?Db=pubmed&Cmd=ShowDetailView&TermToSearch=18050185&ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum

8. Prevalence and Most Common Causes of Disability Among Adults — United States, 2005 https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5816a2.htm

9. Relieving Pain in America: A Blueprint for Transforming Prevention, Care, Education, and Research https://www.iom.edu/Reports/2011/Relieving-Pain-in-America-A-Blueprint-for-Transforming-Prevention-Care-Education-Research.aspx

After sixteen years of struggling with MCS, Elisha McFarland recovered her health through alternative and natural healing methods. It was this experience that encouraged her to pursue an education in natural health.  She has the following designations:  Doctor of Naturopathy, Master Herbalist, D.A. Hom., B.S. in Holistic Nutrition, Certified Wholistic Rejuvenist and EFT-ADV. You can visit her website at:  https://www.myhealthmaven.com or follow her on Facebook  at  https://www.facebook.com/myhealthmaven

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of GreenMedInfo or its staff.

Category:

diet and nutrition, Inflammation, Pain Management, research, Supplements