The U.S. Food Hazard. Are We Safe?

 

Food safety is a big concern of mine.  I’ve even been forced into making my own meatfree entrees to avoid genetically engineered soy and overprocessed ‘mushroom byproducts’.  News of the possibility of  the government infringing upon my access to healthy food made me very nervous.  I had to find out the details for myself.   You too can read the new food safety House Bill in its ENTIRETY right here, make your own analysis and contact your representative accordingly.

 

Sincerely, 

Dr. Donna Douglas

www.DrDonnaDouglas.com

Pain Management in the 21st Century

View the Podcast here.

Chronic pain affects nearly 90 million Americans. It usually begins with a sports injury, car accident or health condition like migraines, diabetes, arthritis and cancer.  Chronic pain is different from the acute pain of stubbing your toe and often feels like burning, shooting, or shocking sensations.  The good news is that today’s pain specialists have sophisticated new treatments — from medications to advanced technologies — to provide chronic pain relief. 

 

Chronic pain can be classified as nociceptive or neuropathic pain.  In some cases (nociceptive pain) the body’s nervous system is working properly, relaying signals to the brain that there is an injury.  But in neuropathic pain the nervous system is not functioning properly.  There is no obvious source of pain but the body continues to tell the brain that injury is present.  Treatment is guided by the history of the pain, its intensity, duration, aggravating and relieving conditions.  The concept behind most interventional procedures for pain control is that there is a specific structure in the body with nerves of sensation that is generating the pain. Repair or replacement of the damaged structure may be all that is needed to bring relief. For neuropathic pain, specialists have multiple tools at their disposal – painkillers, injections, physical therapy, massage, heat therapy and use an individualized approach to attack symptoms from multiple angles.

 

Treatment		Comments
Heat	Infrared heat	Transmits the heat directly to the body through vibration of the water molecules present. Vasodilation– an increase in the diameter of the blood vessels, results in increased permeability allowing substances (oxygen , etc.) to pass more easily
	Heat sensation	Capsaicin- works by reducing transmission of a pain-relaying chemical called substance P to the brain
	Radiofrequency ablation	Pain relief lasts for a relatively long period, from three to six months.
Massage		Influences the activity of the musculoskeletal, circulatory, lymphatic, and nervous systems.
Exercise/ Physical Therapy		Reduces pain perception, Strong muscles help support and protect,   Stretching exercises lengthen shortened muscles which can pull and cause pain. (amount and form of exercise recommended for each individual will vary depending on area affected, amount of inflammation, how stable the joints are)
Percutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (PENS)		Theorized that electrical stimulation of the nerve fibers close to a segment of the spinal cord blocks the pain signals from reaching the brain or that electrical stimulation reduces inflammation, swelling and relaxes muscle fibers by releasing endorphins in the brain which act like analgesics
Linear polarized near-infrared light		Suggested that PL-irradiation produces almost the same effect on shoulder joint range of motion as light exercise.
Radiofrequency ablation		Electrical current produced by a radio wave is used to heat-and-destroy a small area of nerve tissue
Accupuncture/ Sham acupuncture		evidence supports the claim that opioid peptides are released during acupuncture
Nutritional Modification		Certain foods (aspartame, methanol) contribute to nervous system damage, others modulate inflammation (omega fatty acids)

 

Modern knowledge of chemical pain signals — how the nervous system, including the spinal cord, interacts with the brain to create the sensation of pain– has led to methods for blocking or ‘confusing’ these signals.   

 

The brain can powerfully shape pain and we are just learning how to exploit its power.  Scientists are investigating the use of antidepressants, biofeedback and relaxation techniques. Wake Forest University School of Medicine researchers conducted a study that suggests that decreasing the expectation of pain can reduce both the pain-related brain activity and perception of pain intensity (Koyama).  Patients elsewhere have been taught to control body functions such as muscle tension, breathing, and heart rate — all of which help to reduce anxiety and stress reactions.  They can be taught to unlearn the pain response.

 

There is help available for chronic pain.  Seek treatment early when there is a better chance for success.

 

References

 

Binder, I..  Aktuelle Urol. 2008 May;39(3):205-14. The complexity of chronic pelvic pain exemplified by the condition currently called interstitial cystitis. Part 1: Background and basic principles.

Usha, Clin Drug Investig. 2004;24(6):353-63. Randomised, Double-Blind, Parallel, Placebo-Controlled Study of Oral Glucosamine, Methylsulfonylmethane and their Combination in Osteoarthritis

Muneshige H. J Rehabil Res Dev. 2006 Jul-Aug;43(4):565-72. Antinociceptive effect of linear polarized 0.6 to 1.6 microm irradiation of lumbar sympathetic ganglia in chronic constriction injury rats.

Demura, Shinichi Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine:Volume 16(4)July 2006pp 293-297

Haake M. Arch Intern Med. 2007 Sep 24;167(17):1892-8. German Acupuncture Trials (GERAC) for chronic low back pain: randomized, multicenter, blinded, parallel-group trial with 3 groups.

Koyama T, McHaffie JG, Laurienti PJ, Coghill RC. “The subjective experience of pain: Where expectations become reality.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, September 6, 2005, Vol.102, pp.12950-12955.

http://www.empireblue.com/wellchoice/medicalpolicies/guidelines/gl_pw_a053534.htm  accessed Mar 9, 2009

Martin Hoffman, MD. Medical College of Wisconsin. Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.  Exercise: a Natural Reliever for Chronic Low Back Pain  http://www.mcw.edu 

Little, P. Br J Sports Med. 2008 Dec;42(12):965-8. Randomised controlled trial of Alexander technique lessons, exercise, and massage (ATEAM) for chronic and recurrent back pain.

http://www.blatmanpainclinic.com/blat_articles_12.htm

Haake, M. Archives of Internal Medicine, Sept. 24, 2007; vol 167: pp 1892-1899. Heinz G. Endres, MD, Eric Manheimer, MS, research associate, Center for Integrative Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, College Park.

Relief for Seasonal Allergies

                          Allergic rhinitis (often called hay fever) occurs when your immune system overreacts to particles in the air that you breathe—you are allergic to them. Your immune system attacks the particles, causing symptoms such as sneezing and a runny nose. Chronic sinusitis, which recurs or lasts longer than 12 weeks, can be caused by upper respiratory tract infection, allergies, deviated septum or other anatomical conditions, and fungi.  Symptoms may include trouble breathing through the nose, headache, aching behind the eye area, tenderness in the cheeks, sinus congestion, nasal discharge, or post nasal drip. But you can control these symptoms with medicine and by avoiding the irritants that cause them.  If allergies are left  uncontrolled you may get complications such as sinus infections, plugged ears or ear infections, and sinusitis. Asthma is a long-lasting condition that results in difficulty breathing, wheezing, tightness in the chest, and coughing. When allergens such as pollens, dust mites, animal dander, cockroaches, and mold make your symptoms worse, it is known as allergic asthma.

                          If you are allergic to outdoor allergens, such as pollen and mold, you don’t have to give up an outdoor life. You just need to identify the irritant and learn when/how to take precautions.  If your allergies flare up in the winter and spring, you are probably allergic to tree pollens.  If summer is unbearable, you are probably allergic to grass and weed pollens.  Late summer and fall problems coincide with ragweed or other weed pollens, such as tumbleweed and sage.  Mold may cause allergies that get worse in damp weather.

There are several types of medications used to treat and prevent allergy symptoms. Medications are available in pill and liquid forms, nasal sprays, eyedrops and skin creams.

       Corticosteroids help prevent and treat the inflammation associated with allergic conditions.

       Antihistamines block histamine, an inflammatory chemical released by your immune system during an allergic reaction.

       Decongestants relieve nasal and sinus congestion.

       Leukotriene modifiers block the effects of leukotrienes, inflammatory chemicals released by your immune system during an allergic reaction.

       Cromolyn sodium prevents the release of histamine, an inflammatory chemical released by your immune system during an allergic reaction.

                          Immunotherapy (allergy shots) may be helpful to some.

Breathe easier this allergy season using these solutions

 

1.      Install a HEPA air filter to purify room air

2.      Try flushing the nasal passages with a warm saline solution

3.      leave shoes at the door to avoid trafficking pollen indoors and change clothes immediately upon entering the dwelling

4.      Cover/wash hair at nights. This prevents allergen buildup on your pillow

5.      Consider wood or solid surface flooring rather than wall to wall carpeting.

 

Watch  “Dr. Donna, MedicineWoman” for Part 2:  Addressing allergy symptoms without drowsiness and side effects.  www.DrDonnaDouglas.com

(with references)