Archive for the ‘Pain Management’ Category

ACTION: Protect CBD

https://anh-usa.org/action-center/? Go here to contact your reps.

Take Action Now to Protect CBD!

The House Agriculture Committee is considering amendments to the upcoming Farm Bill. We need to act fast to oppose a terrible amendment that would federally ban all ingestible hemp products with any level of THC. 

This would destroy a huge percentage of the industry, including many CBD and full-spectrum hemp oil products that have many health-supporting cannabinoids along with naturally-occurring but non-intoxicating levels of THC.

You can read the text of the amendment here. 

We must oppose this amendment and preserve our access to CBD and full-spectrum hemp oil products. Write to your member of Congress to oppose this amendment!

For more:

CBD is what pharmacologists call a promiscuous drug. That means it could be effective for treating a number of medical conditions. In broad strokes, CBD affects more than one process in the body – a term called polypharmacology – and so could benefit more than one medical condition.

As of early 2023, there are 202 ongoing or completed scientific trials examining the effectiveness of CBD in humans on such diverse disorders as chronic pain, substance use disorders, anxiety and arthritis.

In particular, CBD appears to be an anti-inflammatory agent and analgesic, similar to the functions of aspirin. This means it might be helpful for treating people suffering with inflammatory pain, like arthritis, or headaches and body aches.

CBD also holds potential for use in cancer therapy, although it has not been approved by the FDA for this purpose.

And this, right here, is why it simply must go.  It does too many things simultaneously that interferes with Big Pharma profits and since most of our politicians are all in bed with Big Pharma, there is a concerted effort to ban it, plain and simple.

 

 

 

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

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?

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:

 

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!

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:

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

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: