Tag Archives: chronic pain

What Did I Do to My Back?!

Back pain is a pretty common complaint. But there isn’t just one type of back pain — and there isn’t just one thing that causes the problem. Here are three major causes of back pain. A sprain or strain is the most common cause of back pain. Tendons and ligaments are the stretchy stuff in your body that (among other things) hold the vertebrae of your spine in place and attach muscles to the spinal column. An injury or tear to a tendon, ligament, or muscle can cause some serious pain. Why? If these support pieces are weak or injured, … Continue reading →

Don’t Ignore These Pains

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I was at work at the cats-only boarding facility over the weekend and twisted the wrong way, wrenching my knee. The pain about floored me, and I had to grab onto the nearest counter in order to stay on my feet. Sometimes, your body gives you signals you just can’t ignore! There are some pains that can signal serious health issues — so don’t talk yourself out of getting some help if you experience something like these. The worst headache of your life could be a serious problem — a classic sign of a brain aneurysm is when a patient … Continue reading →

Can Hypnotherapy Help You Create a Healthy Lifestyle?

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A friend of mine hates answering the phone. She hates it so much that she ignores any calls from unknown numbers and never even checks her voicemail. As a small business owner, she fears that she’s losing lots of business — but even that won’t get her to listen to her messages. She mentioned wanting to try hypnotherapy to help get her past her phone problems. Personally, I think it’s a good idea. Hypnotherapy isn’t just the stage tricks we see at fairs and on television. Working with a trained, licensed hypnotherapist can help a person make huge life changes. … Continue reading →

Treating Chronic Pelvic Pain

Chronic pelvic pain is often a result of more than one health issue. Treating just one problem may not relieve your chronic pelvic pain. Dealing with your chronic pelvic pain starts with finding the right doctor. Chronic pelvic pain involves several body systems: the bladder, the colon, the uterus, and more. It may be difficult to find a pelvic pain specialist in your area. Ask your regular doctor or gynecologist for a referral, look into local teaching hospitals, or do some research online. If you don’t have a specific diagnosis yet, try starting with the International Pelvic Pain Society. If … Continue reading →

What Causes Chronic Pelvic Pain?

Approximately fifteen percent of women in America suffer from chronic pelvic pain. Sitting, walking, going to the bathroom, and even certain clothes can be incredibly painful for women who suffer from chronic pelvic pain. Doctors have recently realized that chronic pelvic pain is often caused by more than one problem. Treating just one cause may not solve the problem of chronic pain. Here are some of the most common causes: Endometriosis — a condition where cells that are similar to the lining of the uterus migrate and break down during your monthly menstrual period. If you have endometriosis, you may … Continue reading →

Fibromyalgia: Symptoms

Pain is the main symptom of fibromyalgia, but the condition comes with many other symptoms. Women typically feel muscle pain throughout the body or at certain points; men with fibromyalgia often feel pain in the face and at points around the body. The pain can rage from mild to severe. Severe pain can limit work, social activities, and everyday tasks. It may feel like a burning, gnawing, throbbing, stabbing, or aching sensation. The onset of pain may be gradual, and the pain may be worst when a person is trying to relax. The pain may seem less intense during activity. … Continue reading →

Fibromyalgia: Overview

Fibromyalgia means “pain of the muscles and other fibrous tissue”. It is a chronic disorder of the muscles, ligaments, tendons, and other soft tissue. Many people who suffer from fibromyalgia compare it to a persistent flu; the main symptoms are pain, fatigue, sleep disturbances, and tender points around the body. The symptoms can increase in severity at different times of the day, during weather changes, and during different activities. Other names for fibromyalgia include: fibromyositis, fibrositis, muscular rheumatism, chronic muscle pain syndrome, and musculoskeletal pain syndrome. Terms that end in -it is (indication inflammation) are inaccurate, as inflammation does not … Continue reading →

Managing Chronic Pain

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I used to work with a guy who had been in a pretty bad car accident. As a result, he had chronic back pain, and usually wore a prescription patch on his lower back to help ease the pain enough so that he could function. Chronic pain has an impact on your life, both emotionally and physically. The emotional strain of chronic pain can actually make the pain seem worse. Anxiety, stress, fear of re-injury, depression, anger, and fatigue can all decrease your body’s production of natural painkillers. All the negative feelings may actually cue your body to amplify the … Continue reading →

A Pain In The…

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Wherever your pain may be, we all have them. It is usually your body’s way of saying, “HEY! Something isn’t right around here! Yeah, here. The place where it hurts!” Acute pain is a sudden, sharp sort of pain. It often comes as a result of a broken bone or other injury. Labor pains are considered acute pain. Treating the underlying cause of the pain often makes acute pain go away. In some cases, though, acute pain can lead into chronic pain. Chronic pain is pain that lasts after an injury has healed. Your body may continue to send pain … Continue reading →