Pain Management and Chronic Pain - Causes
Chronic body aches and pain can be torturous and debilitating. For some, there is only so much pain they can handle. However, for Cheryl Trent, pain was part of her life for over a decade. Here is how she was able to get her life back.
Plus simple advice to better digest any food you eat.
Learn how over-the-counter or custom orthotics (such as shoe inserts or braces) may give your feet the support they need.
Are aches your constant companion? You re not alone. Learn more about coping with chronic pain.
Rheumatoid arthritis doesn't define this funny guy. Learn how Matt is continuing to follow his dreams.
Shoulder pain shouldn't be ignored, especially if it limits your arm's mobility. Here's what you need to know.
Studies shed light on the possibility that your migraines are connected to digestive disorders.
Nearly 20 percent of individuals with diabetes are affected by the painful, vexing condition adhesive capsulitis or frozen shoulder. Here's how to handle it.
While the logistics of air travel can be a pain in the neck, for some, flying can literally be a pain in the head.
Good posture may not be enough to save you from back pain. As it turns out, the physical condition of your back is far more dependent on genes than lifestyle.
Rheumatoid arthritis can increase your chances of infection, especially if you're taking certain medications. Here's how to protect yourself.
Understanding what you're experiencing can help you find the appropriate treatment.
Do you often wake up with an aching back? Use these techniques to limber up.
For some, the most difficult part of coping with lupus is the way it hinders the ability to concentrate and focus.
Arthritis doesn t just affect adults. Many children have this chronic condition, too.
Learn the different stages of migraines and how you can better manage them.
While you can t control Mother Nature, you can take charge of your weather-related migraines.
Curb your sweet tooth, and you just may notice an improvement in your symptoms.
This treatment option enables doctors to effectively target scar tissue that may be causing pain or limiting range of motion.
How long in the hospital? How long until recovered? How do they actually replace a knee? Get straightforward answers to these and other questions.
Making small, inexpensive changes to your personal environment can go a long way toward improving your quality of life.
Some pain is to be expected, but some of the best doctor advice on how to handle it will come as a surprise.
It's important to know arthritis can strike at any age because early treatment is key.
You look well. What are the challenges when you feel anything but on the inside?
Why do these bursts of pain occur? How can you prevent them and address them quickly when they come on?
Back pain affects nearly everyone at some point. And for men there are some particular causes and solutions.
Find out what helps and what hurts when it comes to preventing gout.
It can be hard to tell the difference between these two common conditions, but migraine headaches and sinus infections do have some hallmark signs.
Is that burning, tingling, pain and numbness in your hands carpal tunnel syndrome? Your doctor can put it to the test.
The rigors of daily living make the occasional ache commonplace. But when have you crossed the line to chronic pain?
Don't get bogged down in the fallacies about lupus. Get the facts here.
Here's your rundown of common causes, including which ones are serious and which are just nuisances.
Ouch! Ease those sharp muscle spasms, and try these preventative tips including keeping hydrated.
This medication can be a blessing and a curse. Here's how to tell if you, or a loved one, have crossed the line into addiction.
It can result from a car accident or even a bad fall. Here's what you should know.
One startling example of the mind-body connection is the link between back pain and depression.
Two studies reveal enough of a connection between kidney cancer and some popular painkillers that more questions are warranted.
By taking care of your health on a daily basis, you ll be better equipped to live well with fibromyalgia.
Follow these tips to prevent a painful bout with gout.
Typically a treatment for patients suffering from depression, transcranial direct current stimulation shows benefits for those coping with chronic pain.
This form of massage combines the relaxation of yoga and the muscular benefits of physical therapy.
Officially called "cognitive dysfunction" or "cognitive impairment," many people living with lupus find this symptom the most difficult part.
Even when pain feels like it's in your bones or joints, the root cause might be located in your muscles.
How could this therapy help you manage your worst pain symptoms?
While some exercises can cause your neck pain, performing these may remedy it.
From traction tables to decompression belts, this form of back pain relief has critics and supporters.
People who live with depression often also suffer from headaches. What's the link?
"Barefoot" running shoes are gaining popularity. But do they benefit your body or cause more strain?
While it's praised for its meditative approach to exercise, some experts are critical of the high incidence of injury.
If you have ongoing back pain, OMT offers a holistic approach to pain relief that addresses a variety of physical conditions.
Learn about the most common forms of arthritis, from causes and symptoms to treatment.
Headaches are among the most common pain symptoms in the world. Learn about the different types of headaches and what causes them.
For millions of people living with lupus, having a satisfying love life can be complicated. It doesn't have to mean life without one, however. Here's how to keep your the bedroom sizzling even if lupus is part of your life.
Painkillers are powerful medicines, but with them come the real risk of abuse. Understand the myths and determine how to use painkillers safely.
Mind over matter: You've heard it so many times, it may seem meaningless. But new research shows how emotional therapy helps to make pain symptoms easier to bear.
Tender point exams have been the gold standard for diagnosing fibromyalgia. But could the process be flawed?
Typically thought of as a remedy for depression, some experts are studying the effects of talk therapy on chronic pain.
Bringing a pet into your home is a big commitment, but it can come with serious rewards including a potential reduction of your pain.
Pain often comes from the inside. But could items on your exterior contribute to your discomfort?
Many headache sufferers swear there's a link between their pain and the weather. Now, studies are beginning to corroborate this belief.
If you live with chronic pain, you may need painkilling medications to help you make it through the day-to-day grind. However, if you rely too heavily on over-the-counter (OTC) medications, you may run the risk of developing long term and potentially deadly health risks.
If you suffer from stress or tension headaches, find out what causes them and how you can prevent or effectively treat them.
Typically when you have muscle pain it's equated to soreness from working out or maybe an injury. But what most don't consider is how muscle pain is often associated with chronic health conditions.
Patients who experience joint, bone, and muscle pain really know what it means to be "under the weather." Many patients experience increased pain and stiffness during cold weather. But is there anything you can do about it? Read on to find out.
Prescription glasses, over-the-counter reading glasses, and sunglasses may be contributing to your headaches. The good news is that there are clear solutions to solve this problem.
Once you recognize a migraine is on its way, is it possible to prevent it from taking hold? Read on it find out.
Losing that excess weight and becoming active can reduce and even eliminate your pain. But how can you safely get started? Our plan will get you exercising at almost any weight and with nearly any condition.
Research shows that as many as 60 percent of IBS patients also have fibromyalgia and as many as 70 percent of fibromyalgia patients have IBS. So what s the connection? Get the answer here.
Unlike other types of muscular back pain, which go away and typically don't come back, menstrual back pain can be a frequent, unwelcome visitor.
There's been much talk about the possibility that wearing high heels could be connected with getting migraines, but is there scientific weight to this claim?
If you live with frequent headaches or migraines, it's important to know what's causing them and what stops them. Sometimes it's all about what you eat.
The effects of fibromyalgia are far reaching and may even extend to your love life. But it doesn't have to ruin everything. We've got five tips for coping with fibro, so that you can enjoy your relationship.
There seems to be an overlap between allergies and a variety of chronic illnesses and researchers are trying to explore why. See what connections have been identified so far.
Can one of America's most popular cosmetic treatments provide powerful relief for chronic back pain? Many doctors and patients say, "yes." Here's what you need to know about back pain, Botox, and the beauty of pain relief.
While over-the-counter pain relievers are convenient and readily available, they still come with certain risks.
Could little things you do every day be causing your back pain? They could if you're making these five common mistakes.
Fatigue is one of lupus hallmark symptoms, but because the damage caused by Lupus is largely unseen, patients may be confused about why they re so tired. Read on for five tips that tackle fatigue caused by Lupus.
New studies find that the power of positive thinking applies to how well pain medication works.
Your back pain can be the result of a variety of causes; however, there is one that is often overlooked. Read on to find out if muscle weakness is what's causing your symptoms.
How do you get back to your active lifestyle once you've had knee surgery? Step by step. Here's how to make the most of your "new knee" and regain your active lifestyle after surgery.
What does it mean when your joints get puffy and sore? If you've had an injury or accident, you know what caused it. But what if it comes out of nowhere? Here, our list for what causes unexplained joint inflammation.
Don't let fibromyalgia rob you of the pep of a productive morning. These seven tips will help you give you the start you deserve.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has launched a new risk evaluation and mitigation strategy (REMS) to combat widespread prescription painkiller abuse. How will it impact patients who take prescription medications for chronic pain? Get the facts here.
Digestive problems tend to disguise themselves as other conditions, and as a result, it can be difficult to get an accurate diagnosis. But your health depends on it.
Temporomandibular joint disorder, or TMJ, is a jaw disorder that at its most basic may cause minor pain and at its most involved may include myriad overlapping conditions such as chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia.
Spinal stenosis is a narrowing of the spinal column resulting from the simultaneous shrinking and drying out of the spinal discs and the swelling or growth of the spinal bones and ligaments. But it also may also have other causes.
Depression is one of the most common complications in people with chronic illness, occurring in up to one-third of chronically ill patients. Learn how to manage your symptoms with these tips.
If you're a regular weekend warrior, it's essential that you give your ankles proper support. Let us sift through the myths and give you all the facts.
A lot of people think exercising is a headache, but for some people, it actually causes headaches. What causes exercise headaches and how can you stop them?
For a disease that affects 2.4 million Americans, we don't hear enough about Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS), a painful and potentially debilitating disease. Could you be one of the millions? Find out here.
Chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia are generally acknowledged to be two separate conditions, but some experts now believe they're actually part of the same underlying disorder.
Spinal manipulation has become a common treatment for many patients with chronic pain. In fact, as many as 60 percent of patients who see a traditional doctor for back pain will also see a chiropractor for spinal manipulation. But does it really work?
Did you know that joint wear and tear, also known as osteoarthritis, may be the cause of some head pain?
Good posture is the foundation for how the body moves, works and prospers. What exactly is good posture and how can you achieve it? Read on to become a posture perfectionist.
Also known as hereditary hemochromatosis, the body absorbs too much iron from foods you eat. The excess iron then gets stored in your organs, especially the liver, heart, and pancreas, which over time can damage them and lead to life-threatening illnesses.
More often than not, back pain is caused by repeated irritation spurred by poor practices. You can prevent and reverse damage to your back by cleaning up these five bad habits.
Chronic pain and obesity are epidemics in the United States and new research is shedding some light on why. A new study that obesity and pain are also linked to each other as well as other conditions.
Among the best and safest ways to properly strengthen your back and keep your spine, ligaments, and muscles limber is by doing yoga. Now, studies show that using yoga to relieve back pain is safe and effective.
Learn the essential rule of thumb for knowing the difference between heartburn and heart trouble.
Patients suffering with low back pain, sciatica, and herniated discs may want to ditch the smokes if they really want to get out of pain. The reason: cigarette smoking increases risks for developing herniated discs and low back pain.
Chronic pelvic pain isn t just a problem for women. Plenty of men suffer from it too. What are the common sources of pelvic pain for men and women? Find out here.
Forget about that famous "runner's high." Serious runners will tell you: running hurts, at least at first. If you can't run away from the pain, should you run through it?
According to a study presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 2010 Annual Meeting migraines are seen in women with multiple sclerosis (MS) more often than in women without. What's the link? Read on to find out.
A recent study from the National Institutes of Health says many women who suffer from migraines also suffer with chronic pelvic pain. Is there a connection between what s going on upstairs and what s going on below the belt? Find out here.
Poor sleep and chronic pain often go hand-in-hand. While there are a variety of treatments to help you through the night, could Cognitive Behavioral Therapy be the best bet? Find out here.
How do you know if you have degenerative disc disease? If you have low back pain, are in your thirties or forties, and are otherwise healthy, you're a typical sufferer.
Bulging disks can be painful and debilitating. If quick relief is what you're after, follow these tips.
The best way to avoid and recover from knee injury is to keep the muscles and ligaments surrounding your body's largest joint strong and flexible. If you have "bad knees," be careful about the exercises you choose.
Restless leg syndrome is 10 times more likely to affect people who have fibromyalgia than those who don't and may be one reason why they have trouble sleeping.
Could eliminating your migraines be as easy as visiting your dentist? One dentist/physical therapist team in Scotland says, "yes," according to recent research and their unique drug-free approach.
How do you know if you have a pinched nerve? Watch out for these signs.
While there's no singular cause for stress headaches, they often occur when the body is literally under duress like when you're tired, worried, hungry, over-stimulated, working too hard or just fed up.
Many patients with fibromyalgia, especially women, suffer with pelvic complaints and bladder problems.
Scientists and doctors are making new discoveries every day about how the immune and autoimmune systems are intricately involved in all areas of our health, including our skeletal system and back health.
Read on for a TMJ primer and tips for how to alleviate TMJ-related headaches.
If you experience deep, painful aches, you may wonder if it could stem from allergies in some way, although it's possible for them to co-occur, experts say that joint pain and allergies are usually not related.
Joint pain may seem to naturally result from purely physical ailments such as arthritis, but there's significant evidence that joint pain can be caused or exacerbated by mental distress.
Choosing pain medication is challenging considering the dizzying array of options available. How do you know which one choose? That depends on what type of pain you re treating and your individual health profile.
Why do some people get arthritis of the thumb and how can you manage this condition?
Do you know the difference between chronic and recurring pain? If not, learning more about these very different pain conditions may make a big difference in how you eliminate pain from your life.
Many patients report pain several months or more after having surgery and scientists are developing clues as to why. Several studies have focused on understanding the interlinking roles of genetics, anxiety and pain.
As if anger and sadness weren't tough enough, new studies indicate they may be even tougher on women with chronic pain, particularly fibromyalgia.
Normally, when someone gets injured, time heals the wounds and pain goes away. But patients with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), also known as Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Syndrome (RSD), don't heal that way. Instead, their pain gets worse instead of better and may even spread beyond the injured area.
New research has now determined that men and women misuse pain medication differently.
When your heels hurt, your arches ache or your toes are tender, it s hard to put your best foot forward. Fixing foot pain starts with determining what s causing it.
It can be hard to determine if your child is attempting to delay lights out during bed time or if she is in serious pain. Read on to see when you should worry about your child's aches and pain.
Backache isn t a one-size-fits-all complaint. Its location, severity, how fast it comes on and how long it hangs around says a lot about its cause, its cure and your health. Read on for four types of backaches and what you should do about them.
Fibromyalgia affects about one out of 50 people, with women much more susceptible than men. The main symptom of fibromyalgia is a widespread dull ache affecting multiple spots on the body, typically muscular in nature. Here, learn more about this condition.
Millions of Americans live with constant pain. But what if pain suddenly gets worse, your pain medication wears off too soon or you do something that aggravates your pain condition? That s called breakthrough pain.
While most people of a certain age are healthy and living full, productive lives, growing older often comes with a few aches and pains. Not surprisingly, many older adults go through the same changes.
What can you do to relieve your headache besides hit the medicine bottle? We ve got four natural headache remedies that will knock out your headaches right now and help prevent them in the future.
It is not uncommon for people to end up with pain in their gluteal region, or buttocks.
Certain foods pull the trigger that leads to crippling headaches.
I have treated many patients with migraine headaches who suffered for years because a proper diagnosis was never made. Migraine headaches are difficult to establish a cause for because there are many possible causes.
Changing your lifestyle habits could make a difference in whether or not you experience sciatica.
Avoiding exposure to smoke can prevent the onset of a migraine.
People who suffer from chronic pain are three times more likely to develop mood or anxiety disorders, and depressed people are three times more likely to develop chronic pain.
Since fatigue is one of the main painful characteristics of fibromyalgia, getting sufficient quality sleep is essential.
If you are struggling with tinnitus, or ringing in the ears, there are a range of treatments to consider.
Experiencing functional pain? If so, look to the muscle for establishing the cause.
Dietary modification, environmental modifications, and allergy medications can all help in preventing the onset of allergy-related migraines.
When some one has pain on one side of the lower back, it's not uncommon to find either gluteus medius is weak causing the lower back muscle to strain.
Suffering from a rare pain disorder not only affects your physical health, but also your mental health.
Physical therapist Mitchell Yass examines the true causes of knee pain.
It seems that trigger finger is not the most common of injuries that people experience, but when it occurs, it is a real nuisance. It affects your ability to grab objects and can be very painful.
While there are many back surgery success stories, surgeons advise that the decision for surgery should not be rushed.
Carpal tunnel syndrome is one of the most misdiagnosed syndromes.
Perfumes, weather, and even your up-do can cause that dreaded headache.
Many of the foods that you eat may be making your pain worse. Knowing what foods to avoid and what other dietary changes you can make to eliminate your pain could be the key to changing the quality of your life.
Understanding how muscle works can help to understand how muscle can affect pain.
Too much text messaging may increase the risk of neck or shoulder pain, a recent study shows.
Perhaps you've tried all of the time and your body aches, but your doctor can't find anything specificly wrong with you. If this sounds all too familiar, you could have a chronic condition called fibromyalgia.
Staying away from certain foods and adding others might help your fibromyalgia symptoms.
Does one always mean the other? Chances are that the answer is "no".
Study observing blind migraine patients explains why light worsens migraine headaches.
One of the key issues to understanding the cause of pain is whether the pain being experienced is referred pain or point tender pain. The difference lies in whether the tissue that is creating the pain signal is at the point where the pain is being experienced or whether it is located somewhere else. Referred pain can result from a nerve being affected or a strained muscle.
Most people with carpal tunnel syndrome experience effective treatment with non-surgical methods, however if your symptoms are severe, long-lasting, and not responding to non-surgical treatments, surgery may be the right choice for you.
Back pain can be caused by a number of conditions, but one that is often overlooked in osteoporosis.
A new study suggests that high-tech running shoes can cause joint strain.
Physical therapist Mitchell Yass discusses the differences between structural and muscular causes of pain and how they should be treated.
There is a widely held belief that strengthening the core muscles is key to resolving lower back pain. The number of patients who have told me they were treated based on this premise at other therapy facilities before obtaining treatment with me is staggering.
The use of a back brace can be helpful for some people for a short period of time. But using a brace long-term or for preventative reasons may land you in the situation that you were trying to avoid. Learn about the pros and cons of using a back brace.
Physical therapist Mitchell Yass answers readers' questions about back pain in our exclusive weekly series.
Physical Therapist Mitchell T. Yass answers a reader's question about treating his back spasms.
Research shows that if you are suffering from neck and back pain, improper sleep positioning may be the culprit. Find out how it can be prevented, decreased or even eliminated through proper sleep positioning and recommended exercises.
While stress typically starts out as mental and emotional stress, it quickly takes on a physical component, resulting in muscle tension in the body. For many Americans, this muscle tension is often felt as a stiff, uncomfortable and sometimes painful neck.
Back pain is one of the more common symptoms of PMS, and can range from a small ache to debilitating pain.
The cause of chronic pain is not always obvious. In the case of a type of chronic pain, known as referred pain, the patient perceives pain in one part of the body, but the source of pain is elsewhere in the body. With phantom pain, the patient perceives pain in a body part that s no longer even there.
Trigger point therapy may be a good option in treating chronic pain in some patients.
A hernia is a result of part of an organ or tissue pushing through a weak area of muscle. If you have experienced a hernia already, there are some steps you can take to prevent a hernia from recurring.
Kidney stones are one of the most painful urinary problems one could have. Passing one is even compared to the pain of giving birth. Although not a guarantee, doctors recommend some measures to prevent the formation of kidney stones.
Have you noticed that your arthritis pain becomes worse in certain weather conditions? If so, you re not alone and it s not all in your head. There is an association between temperature, humidity and barometric pressure and joint pain.
Have you or a loved one survived a life-threatening disease? Are you currently struggling with depression, chronic pain, heart disease, or other health-related condition? Have you gone to extraordinary lengths to help someone in a health crisis? If so, we want to hear from you!
If you are suffering from pain at the bottom of your heel, you will probably see a podiatrist who will probably take an x-ray and inform you that you have a heel spur.
When pain is a part of your everyday life, it may be hard to differentiate between normal soreness and pain. Read on to find out how.
If you are suffering from migraine headaches, finding out what triggers them may be the best medicine.
Forty million people are estimated to suffer from sciatica. But is there a misconception about its cause?
Here's how to reduce the risk of four common lupus complications miscarriage, kidney failure, infections, and heart disease.
Find out why chronic pain is typically misdiagnosed as acute pain.
You'd be surprised by the cause of your pain.
Suffering from fibromyalgia? Learn more about the risks of depression and what you can do to protect yourself from this mood disorder.
Find out what causes inguinal hernias the most common type of hernia and how to prevent them.
Seventy percent of the population have herniated discs and have no pain.
Lupus can cause neuropathy, also known as nerve damage. Learn about the symptoms, prevention and coping strategies you can use.
Learn what causes an inguinal hernia and the best treatment options for this common health problem.
Here, an overview of the causes of lupus, an autoimmune condition characterized by pain, fatigue, photosensitivity and skin rashes.
Here, lifestyle and workplace strategies that prevent carpal tunnel syndrome.
Chronic pain and sex are not good bedfellows. Learn ways to reduce the impact that pain can have on your sex life and relationship.
Other illnesses have similar symptoms to fibromyalgia, which can lead to misdiagnosis and treatment. Learn how to tell the difference.
When is pain a sign that something might be seriously wrong? Here, four pains you should never shrug off.
Scientists discover that concussions can damage brain tissue and impair brain function. Find out more about these common injuries, prevention and treatment.
Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common, but very treatable, condition. This article reveals the causes, tests and treatments for carpal tunnel syndrome.
Sky-high stilettos may be fashionable, but podiatrists advocate more down-to-earth footwear.
Lupus affects more women than men, but it also worsens two of the most common health problems women have heart disease and osteoporosis.
How to relieve and treat a pinched nerve.
Here, get common sense advice on how to avoid common gym injuries and prevent chronic pain in the future.
A look at pregnancy and neonatal lupus. Get information and tips on how to have a healthier pregnancy.
Sports hernia, an increasingly common type of sports injury, can cause chronic pain and loss of function. Learn about the causes, symptoms and treatment of a sports hernia.
Natural and alternative treatments for fibromyalgia can be effective.
Neck pain can be fleeting, but accompanying symptoms and duration may be signs that it s time to call a doctor.
When it comes to migraines, it can be difficult separating fact from fiction. Get the real story on the disease's biggest misconceptions.
Although back pain is common, it doesn't have to be inevitable. Follow these easy tips to reduce your risk.
Can changing how you eat help ease arthritis symptoms? The jury is out.
See how this disorder that affects 6 million Americans can be a burden to your heart.
Learn more about what causes hip fractures and how you can prevent them from affecting you or a loved one.
Hip pain is an increasingly common phenomenon that tends to occur with age. Find out what causes hip pain and what you can do about it.
Irritable bowel syndrome affects up to 20 percent of the U.S. adult population, and the disorder has no known cause. Here, a look at IBS, from symptoms to treatment.
Plagued by painful headaches? Find out how to pinpoint their source so you can prevent and treat them.
Parkinson's disease affects an estimated 1.5 million Americans. Here, a guide for patients and their loved ones.
After getting no answers from doctors about her severe pain, numbness, and tingling, Karen Calvert finally discovered the cause of her problems: multiple sclerosis. Learn about her courageous journey.