Does Weather Make Pain Worse?
Any doctor who has treated people in chronic pain will hear the patients say that they feel more pain when the weather is bad. Especially cool humid weather.
Is this all in the patient’s head or is there some scientific cause for it ?
Well a study done in the journal, Spine, in 2004, studied 26,862 patients from 23 different health centers in the National Spine Network. They concluded that changes in barometric pressure caused people to have lower scores on general health surveys. (SF-36). This meant that people rated their general health, physical function, bodily pain, mental health, social function, fatigue and emotional health, lower when the barometric pressure changed.
A study in the Journal of Rheumatology in 1985 showed that falling barometric pressure indicative of a coming storm, increased arthritic symptoms in patients.
Another study noted that 76 to 83% of patients could predict rain by their arthritic symptoms. (Ann Rheum Dis 1990;49:158-9)
Patients with higher self-reported pain were more weather sensitive. (Pain 1999;81:173-7)
So there is a definite link to weather and chronic pain. Research findings suggest that abnormal nerve impulses generated at injured areas could cause increased pain and that these impulses are sensitive to and aggravated by weather.
But the pain is not directly caused by the weather. An injured or arthritic area is the cause of the pain. The weather changes merely aggravate the problems. It is important to get injuries and arthritis treated properly so your pain levels go down and you aren’t as sensitive to weather changes.
For more information on how I treat chronic pain, log on to www.stopyourfibronow.com or www.newbackpainreliefinfo.com.
Sleeping With Chronic Pain
Just about everyone with chronic pain has problems sleeping. Some of the latest research on chronic pain shows a connection between the two. The research is showing that when you are sleeping poorly, you feel more pain.
Some doctors say that chronic pain (like fibromyalgia) comes from the sleep disturbance. Others say that you don’t sleep well because you are in pain. I like to take a different approach. I think you need to treat both at the same time.
Get the patient out of pain as much as possible and at the same time, help to get them to sleep better. You would be surprised at how much sleep can improve, even if you haven’t slept well in years.
Here are some quick tips that can help you sleep better:
- Change your mattress. If your mattress is over ten years old, it’s a goner. They just don’t last longer than ten years. If its over five years old, it could be bad. Look for signs of pitting. Mattresses should be firm. Do not use pillow tops, exotic foams or water beds-all are bad for your spine and will create more pain.
- Change your pillow. If you sleep on your back, sleep with a very small pillow or none at all. If you are on your side, sleep with a large pillow. Stay off your stomach- it’s bad for your spine.
- If you nap, take short naps during the day- less than one hour. Try to take it before 3 o’clock. This will minimize any disturbance to your night sleeping.
- Watch what you feed your brain before you go to sleep. Read and watch calming things. You don’t want horror stories, political arguing, violence or intense sadness going through your mind when you are trying to relax.
- Keep your head cool and your feet warm. This is a little tidbit from Japanese medicine that I find works. I don’t know why, but it does.
If you can’t sleep or wake up feeling lousy, check one of the above. If you are doing well with everything above and you still are having problems, you may be in too much pain to relax. You should be treated by someone who knows about chronic pain and sleep disorders. If you get out of pain, you’ll sleep better.
For more information on chronic pain disorders, log on to: www.stopyourfibronow.com or www.newbackpainreliefinfo.com
Chronic Pain and Omega 6 Fatty Acids
If you suffer from chronic pain, you may be surprised to learn that the types of oils you consume are making your pain worse. The biggest offender is the omega-6 type oil. These oils cause the body to become more inflamed. The inflammation not only causes pain, but a whole bunch of other nasty diseases.
Here is what the American Academy of Pain Management has to say:
“Changes in the modern diet are largely responsible for the increasing incidence of essential fatty acid (EFA) imbalances and deficiencies.”
“The ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats has changed dramatically due to the
widespread use of vegetable oils (mostly n-6 fats) in cooking and to the processing of oils to alter omega-3 fats to improve shelf life and eliminate their stronger taste (just think of the distinctive tastes of cod liver or flax oil these are high in omega-3).”
“Historical estimates place the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 oils at nearly 1:1 for prehistoric humans.”
By the turn of the century (1900), the ratio had increased to about 4:1.
The current American ratio is about 25:1. (unbelieveable !!!)
“The sharp rise is due to increased vegetable oil consumption:
from 2 lb. per year in 1909 to 25 lb. per year in 1985!”
“Many of the chronic inflammatory conditions that accompany EFA imbalance are currently treated with symptom-specific pharmaceutical drugs such as steroids, prednisone, aspirin, and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), sulfasalazine, and colchicine.”
“The problem with such drug therapies is that they prevent the formation of ‘good’ anti-inflammatory eicosanoids, or they shift the production of one type of eicosanoid to another.”
“For effective, long-term management, eicosanoid production should be modified through dietary changes (balancing dietary intake of specific fats) and controlling insulin levels in the circulation.”
“Maintaining a proper balance between the various families of dietary fats may be one of the most important preventative measures a person can take to reduce the likelihood of developing one of the chronic diseases of modern civilization, such as diabetes, heart disease, obesity, irritable bowel syndrome, and autoimmune disease.”
“And for patients who may already have one of these diseases, Essential Fatty Acid testing and therapy has been demonstrated to reduce both morbidity and mortality associated with these diseases.”
For more information on natural solutions to chronic pain log on to: www.stopyourfibronow.com or www.newbackpainreliefinfo.com
Information for this article was taken from:
American Academy of Pain Management
Weiner’s Pain Management
A Practical Guide for Clinicians
Seventh Edition, 2006, pp.584-585
Edited by Mark Boswell and B. Eliot Cole
“The Only Proven Effective Treatment” for Chronic Whiplash?
You may have wondered, “If I get hurt in a car accident, who should I go to for treatment of my whiplash problem?” This can be quite a challenge as you have many choices available in the healthcare system ranging from drug-related approaches from anti-inflammatory over-the-counter types all the way to potentially addicting narcotic medications. On the other side of the fence, there are nutritional based products such as vitamins and herbs as well as “alternative” or “complementary” forms of treatment such as chiropractic, exercise, and meditation, with many others in between. Trying to figure out which approach or perhaps combined approaches would best serve your needs is truly challenging. To help answer this question, one study reported the superiority of chiropractic management for patients with chronic whiplash, as well as which type of chronic whiplash patients responded best to the care. The research paper begins with the comment from a leading orthopedic medical journal stating, “Conventional [meaning medical] treatment of patients with whiplash symptoms is disappointing.” In the study, 93 patients were divided into three groups consisting of:
Group 1: Patients with a “coat-hanger” pain distribution (neck and upper shoulders) and loss of neck range of motion (ROM), but no neurological deficits;
Group 2: Patients with neurological problems (arm/hand numbness and/or weakness) plus neck pain and ROM loss); and,
Group 3: Patients who reported severe neck pain but had normal neck ROM and no neurological losses.
The average time from injury to first treatment was 12 months and an average of 19 treatments over a 4 month time frame was utilized. The patients were graded on a 4-point scale that described their symptoms before and after treatment.
Grade A patients were pain free;
Grade B patients reported their pain as a “nuisance;”
Grade C patients had partial activity limitations due to pain; and
Grade D patients were disabled.
Here are the results:
Group 1: 72% reported improvement as follows: 24% were asymptomatic, 24% improved by 2 grades, 24% by 1 grade, and 28% reported no improvement.
Group 2: 94% reported improvement as follows: 38% were asymptomatic, 43% improved by 2 grades, 13% by 1 grade, and 6% had no improvement.
Group 3: 27% reported improvement as follows: 0% were asymptomatic, 9% improved by 2 grades, 18% by 1 grade, 64% showed no improvement, and 9% got worse.
This study is very important as it illustrates how effective chiropractic care is for patients who have sustained a motor vehicle crash with a resulting whiplash injury. It’s important to note the type of patient presentation that responded best to care had neurological complaints and associated abnormal neck range of motion. This differs from other non-chiropractic studies where it is reported that patients with neurological dysfunction responded poorly when compared to a group similar to the Group A patient here (neck/shoulder pain, reduced neck ROM, and with normal neurological function). We realize you have a choice in where you go for your health care needs and we truly appreciate your consideration in allowing us to help you through this potentially difficult process.
YOU MAY BE A CANDIDATE FOR CHIROPRACTIC CARE FOR WHIPLASH! FOR A FREE NO-OBLIGATION CONSULTATION CALL 262-251-8306 For more information log on to www.painfree-greatposture.com or www.thechiropracticimpactreport.com
Chronic Pain and Vitamin D
Vitamin D is an important nutrient to overall health. Low vitamin D levels have been associated with persistant, nonspecific, musculoskeletal pain.(fibromyalgia) and depression.
A recent study published in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings tested 150 patients with chronic pain. 93% or 140 of them had low vitamin D levels. An interesting finding was that 100% of all African American, East African, Hispanic and American Indians were deficient in Vitamin D. The study concluded that “All patients with persistant, nonspecific musculoskeletal pain are at high risk for the consequences of unrecognized and untreated severe hypovitaminosis D.”
I talk about vitamin D a lot in my practice. Too little vitamin D is common, especially in the Wisconsin climate. Typically the symptoms of hypovitaminosis D are treated with drugs that don’t do anything to fix the problem and in fact can deplete the body even more.
This year, I have partnered with a professional co-op so that I can order vitamin D tests at a cost of about $40.00. Already I have found patients that have severe vitamin D issues and it has been a pleasure to help them with a simple course of supplementation.
To schedule a free consultation with me, contact Jennifer at 262-251-8306 or log on to www.stopyourfibronow.com or www.newbackpainreliefinfo.com.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS): Management Strategies
Many patients ask whether I treat conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome. Usually they are surprised to learn that chiropractic approaches are very effective for this condition.
Interestingly, it is the rule rather than the exception that carpal tunnel syndrome is accompanied with other conditions also caused by repetitive types of activities like work or 
hobbies. Therefore, a very important treatment strategy is educating the patient about the causes of CTS. Overuse and fatigue typically precedes the onset of carpal tunnel syndrome.
Other types of conditions affecting the upper extremity such as tennis elbow, shoulder bursitis, and neck pain are often present with the CTS. Once all the conditions are identified, the next important aspect in the treatment process is gaining an understanding of the patient’s work or hobbies. A successful outcome is dependent on identifying faulty workstations and modifying the work environment so that repetitive forces in awkward positions can be corrected. This is important because the most effective treatment approach can be made totally ineffective by a faulty workstation.
To find out more about how I treat carpal tunnel syndrome, log on to www.relieffromcarpaltunnel.com
What Is Fibromyalgia and Can Doctors Agree On the Diagnosis?
Fibromyalgia (FM) has long been considered a condition involving the soft tissues of the body, that is, the muscles, ligaments and tendons. It is defined as “a chronic, generalized pain condition associated with symptoms of fatigue, stiffness, and sleep disturbance and is characterized by the physical findings of local tenderness in many specific but widely dispersed sites. Fibromyalgia is the most common cause of widespread pain. The prevalence of this disorder in the general population is between 3% and 5%… Most patients with fibromyalgia remain symptomatic for several years, and no cure has been identified.” Disturbances in the central nervous system (CNS) has also been linked to this condition.
In one study, 168 FM patients had the CNS evaluated by hearing tests, eye movement tests, and a test that evaluates balance/dizziness. Abnormal findings were common in the FM patient group compared to non-FM subjects. Another study utilized an electrical current treatment approach through the skull to stimulate part of the brain to see if that would help a group of patients with FM. Two different parts of the brain were stimulated as well as a sham or fake treatment approach. One of two parts of the brain that was stimulated resulted in reductions of pain that lasted for three weeks and mild improvements in quality of life were reported.
Comparing 287 general practitioners (GPs), 160 orthopedists, 160 physiatrists, and 160 rheumatologists, evaluating a patient injured in a motor vehicle crash, those most likely to diagnose FM were rheumatologists (83%) with physiatrists and GPs in the middle at 60% and 71%, respectively. Orthopedists were least likely at 29%. There were five factors found to be important in the respondent’s agreement or disagreement with the FM diagnosis:
1. The number of FM cases diagnosed weekly by the respondent (strong predictor).
2. The patient’s gender (females > males was a strong predictor).
3. The force of the initial impact (least important).
4. The patient’s psychiatric history before the trauma (more important).
5. The initial injury severity (least important).
This information is important as the shift from considering fibromyalgia to be strictly a condition of the muscles and other soft tissues to being a condition of the central nervous system will affect our future treatment strategies. Obtaining multiple opinions from various types of practitioners will most likely result in a variety of opinions. Treatment options utilizing chiropractic, exercise, and strategies to facilitate sleep have been shown to be very effective.
YOU MAYBE A CANDIDATE FOR DRUG-FREE RELIEF!
LOG ONTO www.stopyourfibronow.com for more information.
Solutions to Chronic Pain As Seen On What’s Cookin’?
I had the great pleasure of being on a local cable TV cooking show called “What’s Cookin’ ?”.
The show is hosted by KC Thorson who also teaches organic cooking classes and sells different tasty and healthy food items.
The show is about the health benefits of fish. I talk about the high amounts of vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids in salmon and other fatty fish. This show may be of interest to you, because fibromyalgia, endometriosis, arthritis, degenerative discs and chronic fatigue are related to lack of Vitamin D and Omega-3 fatty acids in the diet.
At the end KC cooks some salmon in mustard/tamari sauce. The fish is excellent!! You’ll see me continuing to nibble on it while KC is talking at the end
of the show! 
You can see the show on the web at the following links:
http://fallscable-wi.pegcentral.com/player.php?video=d14c5730b1795f6e4e2c8a
http://fallscable-wi.pegcentral.com/player.php?video=d14c5730b179
www.fallscableaccess.com
So check it out. I had fun doing it and I think you’ll enjoy watching it.
If you are suffering from chronic pain, good nutrition is the foundation you will need to feel better. However, you will need assistance from a physician that knows what you will need to eat and how to supplement safely and effectively.
For help on this, call Jennifer or Leah at 262-251-8306 and they can set up a free consultation when we can go over your health status and see if I can help.
If you have fibromyalgia go to www.stopyourfibronow.com for important information that can help you get better.
