Is the Pain All in Your Head?

I can't think of a more common symptom to which people seek medical care other than the dreaded feeling of pain. Setting aside the obvious reasons as to why pain does not make for the best of days, I want to share some interesting information on pain perception. Hear me out on this one.

Our basic understanding of pain is such that it is our body's way of telling us something is wrong, right? Many of you probably believe the feeling of pain is mutually exclusive to tissue damage. If you, while walking with an abnormally large pile of folded laundry, bump your hip into the side corner of your dresser (ok, well maybe thats just me...) your hip hurts right? Thats where we're fooled.

When you stub your toe or bump into something, it may feel as though the pain is in the specific location of injury. But, it is really in your brain. Information from our sensory nerves are constantly filtered by the brain and this very process determines our pain perception.

The brain has the capacity to either "turn up the volume" on the pain information coming in or turn it down and pay less attention to it.

To better understand this concept, think of an injured soldier who despite multiple injuries, keeps on fighting. Or, think of the football player who discovers a broken ankle well after the game has ended. Obviously in these instances, there is indeed tissue damage. It is also likely there was some kind of "sense" that something was wrong, but there was no pain.

So, if you are feeling anxious about receiving treatment for say, an injection for back pain; the brain will process this information as an indication of danger and it will (Yep, you guessed it.) increase pain.

In many chronic conditions, persisting pain creates changes in the brain and central nervous system resulting in a neural system that has become increasingly sensitized. This means that the relationship between pain and tissue damage becomes weakened and far less predictable.

Researchers from Brown Universtity monitored the brain waves of a group of people who were asked to direct their focus to their hand or to their foot. During the experiment, scientists delivered a light tap to each person of the foot group's finger and to each person of the hand group's toe. Findings were expected: Low frequency rhythms increased in the brain area that responds to pain sensations in the area participants were asked to ignore. It is these low-frequency rhythms that "block" the information about pain.

So, even though it's easy to succumb to the dreadful feeling, you are the one in the driver's seat. With practice, you just may be able to teach your brain how to filter out pain through mindfulness meditation and guided imagery.

Congrats to those who made it through reading this post pain free!

Source: Medical Information Pro

5 Back Pain Myths, Squashed!

Off the top of my head, I can’t think of a more common symptom than back pain. Everyone gets it and believe it or not, it can be fairly easy to manage. But, with any medical complaint, back pain is not to be taken lightly as it could be a sign of a serious condition.

It’s true, we (myself included) all too often fall victim to cyberchondria (the act of self-diagnosing after carrying out extensive internet research on everything that could cause specific "symptoms") and start rationalizing that an internet home-remedy is a suitable replacement to a visit to the doctor. Think long and hard about how your coconut-oil-apple-cider-vinegar-cayenne-pepper home made salve measures up to a professional evaluation.

Scheduling an appointment with a doctor may not be exactly convenient when the pain isn’t that bad, but as the old adage goes: It’s better to be safe than sorry.

Below, I've collected some of the most commonly misunderstood “back pain remedies” in an effort to shed light on the myths about back pain in hopes that a little information will help you make an informed decision about your medical care.

Myth 1. An ergonomic fitness ball makes for a better seat than an office chair.

Truth: Take a quick look around your office. If we’re being honest, it probably doesn’t take long to arrive at the realization that in fact, this type of seat makes a very brief appearance among coworkers before facing total extinction. Whatever your reason is for swapping the traditional for the ackward, we can assure you that unless you plan on actively and consciously engaging your core muscles while making deadline for a report due precisely at five pm that same day, you can probably count on it not being very effective. But, if were being fair to those who insist on using these things, alternate it with a traditional office chair during the course of the work day and especially, at the first sign of back discomfort.

Myth 2. A massage a day keeps back pain at bay.

Truth: Most of us love a good massage but in some instances of back pain, you’re probably not going to get much relief. Depending on the cause of back pain, a massage can do more harm than good as back tightness may be the body’s way of protecting itself. The work of a massage therapist quite possibly could cause even more instability and pain. Back pain that involves stiffness of the muscles and joints however, may benefit from light massage. It’s critical to be very thoughtful in evaluating your degree of pain to determine the most appropriate plan of action. When in doubt, see a doctor.

Myth 3. Relief comes from a good stretch.

Truth: It should go with saying that like massages, any type of stretching could cause more damage and pain if you’re unsure of the cause. In conditions with spinal nerve involvement (i.e. intervertebral disc injuries), stretching the quads and hamstrings (an action that otherwise could provide some relief) can also stretch the inflamed nerves, leading to increased pain and discomfort. Avoid stretching until a. You receive clearance from your physician and b. When symptoms subside.

Myth 4. Take a hot bath to soothe back inflammation.

Truth: On the subject of whether to use heat or ice for back inflammation, have you ever wondered which one is better for your particular injury?

As a rule of thumb – Ice eases inflammation, while heat relieves stiffness after inflammation resolves. 

So, to get back on topic, taking a hot bath while back muscles are still inflamed can up the inflammatory response in acute injuries (that’s not a good thing). It is better to apply ice (avoid direct contact with the skin) to an injury for 15-20 minutes on, 15-20 minutes off during the first 48-72 hours directly following an injury.

Myth 5. Back pain eventually requires surgical intervention.

Truth: In reality, most of us avoid seeing a doctor in fear of him or her mentioning the dreaded s-word. Well, we’ve got good news for you: Chances are, you’re probably worrying unnecessarily.

Most cases of back pain can be treated with non-surgical or conservative measures such as injections, NSAIDs, physical therapy among others. However, there are no hard and fast set of rules that apply across all types of back pain and associated conditions. Remain cognizant of the fact that some conditions (if serious or pose significant danger to your well being) absolutely require surgery. 

Moral of the story: Don't delay seeking treatment. Chances are there is an easy fix.

Source: Medical Information Pro

What Texting Does to Your Spine

It's no surprise that billions of people today are using mobile devices to do just about everything. In the past, I've always disliked texting. And just so we're clear, I still really hate it. And yet, with more and more people who return my phone calls with a text, I've had no choice but to embrace the present and future way of communicating. Little do we all know the effects texting has on our health...

And so, I am now forced to rip the proverbial bandaid and initiate the free-flowing of mass tears in attempt to share with our tech-loving society what texting really does to our spine, specifically.

In case you may be reading this from your mobile device in typical "hunched over fashion", you're in for a wakeup call: Looking down to text or read on your phone can place up to 60 pounds of weight on your spine, according to a Surgical Technology International study on Stresses on the Cervical Spine Caused by Posture and Position of the Head.

Most of us spend two to four hours average per day hunched over our mobile devices and because of this scary statistic, I'm starting to realize the error of my assumed position and the less than favorable actions it is doing on my neck and back. The adult head weighs about 10 to 12 pounds which is also directly related to the amount of stress placed onto the spine when standing upright. According to the study, just a 15 degree forward tilt of the head can significantly increase the amount of stress (and weight) on the spine. In fact, at a mere 15 degrees, the amount of spinal stress is approximately 27 pounds and at 60 degrees it increases up to 60 pounds.

If we're being honest, it is probably unreasonable to suggest ditching the phone or tablet. But don't despair, I've got great news for you: There are ways to accomplish both tasks -- minimizing spinal damage while keeping a social life. Good posture is key, which means keeping a relaxed back and shoulder position (stop shrugging), pulling in the abdomen, placing both feet about hip distance apart and maintaining an equal distribution of weight on both feet.

What about texting thumb (pain in the thumbs caused by excessive texting)? We'll get to that later...

Source: Medical Information Pro

The Truth About Growing Pains

It is true that during childhood and throughout the growing process, the body goes through changes of dramatic proportion. During these periods of growth, children most often report pain in the legs, arms or knees especially during nighttime -- all signs that generally point to a condition commonly known as "growth spurts".

Although these so called "growing pains" will feel intense, sharp or throbbing, they are nonetheless very normal and often disregarded as anything serious.

Complaints of pain in or around the patella (knee bone), femur (thigh bone), tibia (lower leg bone), humerus (upper arm bone), pelvis, jaw or skull should not be taken lightly. This pain could be a sign of a very serious bone cancer called osteosarcoma, which most often occurs in young people.

Osteosarcoma can appear in people up to 30 years of age. And while most adults exhibiting signs or symptoms are adept at seeking care on their own for chronic pain, children can only voice their painful symptoms to their parents and teachers. Osteosarcoma is a malignant disease with very severe consequences; and although the management of the disease is improving, it spreads very quickly. If this cancer is not caught in early stages, radical intervention is often required to save the child's life.

So, before you shush your kids and tell them their leg pain is just "growing pains", it may be worth a visit to a medical provider just in case.

Source: Medical Information Pro

Baffling "Super Sub-Specialties": Left Pinky Edition

Shifting needs bring a whole slew of new medical sub-specialties to the field of Orthopedics. Instead of searching high and low for an orthopedic surgeon who has experience treating lesser known conditions, many of you can now look forward to a new wave of docs to take on a "super sub-specialty". Take Dr. James Bender of St. Louis for example...

Dr. Bender is one of five orthopedic surgeons in the nation to "super sub specialize" in left pinky pathology and sticks firm to these obscure skills, openly turning down treatment of all limbs except the left pinky.

Last hear Dr. Bender was hired by Redding Orthopedics, the largest multi specialty orthopedic practice in Missouri* to join other highly specialized orthopedists as the group's go-to-guy for his respective sub-specialty. His colleagues include one spine surgeon who will only operate on the third lumbar vertebra of the spine and a wrist surgeon who will only treat injuries involving the right wrist bone.

How does one become a left pinky surgeon? According to The Happy Hospitalist, becoming a pinky specialist is not a short path. Dr. Bender reportedly dedicated 12 years of his life to his pinky education which included four years of medical school, a five year residency in orthopedics, a one year hand fellowship, a one year bilateral pinky fellowship and a one year left pinky fellowship.

Unfortunately, we cannot make any pinky promises on this one just yet...

* Note: We are not convinced as to the accuracy of this information, as we've yet to find any other documented proof of Redding Orthopedics or Dr. James Bender. If anyone comes across a lead in this area, we encourage you to comment below!

Source: Medical Information Pro