Three Ways to Address Emotional Pain

When your head or tooth is aching all you have to do is pop a painkiller and wait for a few minutes. But what about if you are experiencing emotional pain? Regardless of reason, painkillers are useless in addressing the latter. To help ease emotional pain, try out these suggestions:

Get active.

Although emotional pain can render you sluggish, fighting it by getting active would work wonders. Walk, run, swim, hike, dance, or play sports. Choose any activity you prefer. Accordingly, the brain releases endorphins, the brain's natural feel-good chemicals, every time you get moving. This works to dull your emotional pain, giving you an overall relieved feeling.

Divert your mental focus.

Although you need to ponder on the issue in order to come up with the best way to resolve it, dwelling too much on it, especially your pain would only drag you down further. Diverting your mental focus by concentrating on other activities or issues could work. Or you could try changing your perspective by viewing the matter from a positive angle.

Have some fun.

Duuhhh...This is self-explanatory, right? If emotional dramas are bugging you, then cheer yourself up by doing activities you find pleasurable.

-Maricel Modesto

Tension Headache Quick-Fixes

Got a tension headache? Try these quick-fixes:
Do proper breathing

The moment you feel that unmistakable tightening around your head, alleviate it by doing what comes naturally: breathe. However, as opposed to ordinary breathing, the kind of breathing that could help ease this kind of pain is of the deep kind. To get instant relief, breathe deeply three times. Feel the air as it slowly goes in and fills up your lungs. Likewise, feel it gradually slipping out as you exhale.

Calm down

Obviously, the culprit behind tension headaches is none other than tension. Since the tension mentioned here is the mental type, your feelings and thoughts are partly responsible for the onset of pain. So the moment you find yourself struggling with it; relax, take deep breaths, and clear your mind. You can either blank your mind or use creative visualization to help you calm down.

Get moving

You don't have to start planning an intensive exercise routine on the spot. The only thing called for here is a brief 10-minute walk around the room or stroll in the garden to help clarify your thoughts. As you walk around, make sure that you do proper deep breathing.

-Maricel Modesto

Diagnosing CRPS(Complex Regional Pain Syndrome)

Known to occur after undergoing surgery, stroke, heart attack, or any other kinds of physical injury; chronic regional pain syndrome or CRPS can affect any part of the body although it commonly strikes the arms or legs. For sufferers, the burning feeling characterizing it is said to be much worse than the actual pain of the injury itself. Also referred to as causalgia or reflex sympathetic dystrophy, you may also experience any or all of the following symptoms in the affected area: swelling, uncommon sweating, oversensitivity, discolored skin, and a change in temperature.

Despite the symptoms identifying CRPS, its exact cause still baffles medical experts. As is often the case, people with this condition experience pain long after their injuries have healed. In getting a diagnosis, your doctor would use your symptoms and the result of the physical examination, which you are required to take, as the basis. Since there are varied kinds of tests to verify CRPS, your doctor could give you a test differentiated from what is given to others. However, be reminded that to improve your chances, it's always best to seek diagnosis and treatment while CRPS is still in the early stages—the earlier, the better.

- Maricel Modesto

Pain From Depression

Many people suffering in pain may not realised that it could be a symptom of depression. That's because many depressed individuals don't know that they are depressed. The pain and the depression go hand in hand. They are not just in your head. They are for real.

Experts believe that depression allows you to experience pain differently than other people.

Headache - This condition is common in depressed people. Those who already had migraine headaches may experience worse episodes when depressed.

Back pain - Just like a headache, individuals suffering from back pain may experience more pain when depressed.

Muscle aches and joint pain - Depression can make any kind of chronic pain worse.

Chest pain - While it can be a sign of serious heart conditions, chest pain is also linked to depression.

Fatigue - Depressed people may feel tired even after a long sleep that they find it hard to get up from bed.

Dental Emergencies

Accidents happen when you least expect them. In the case of dental emergencies, from the common toothache and broken tooth to the much more complicated situations like broken jaw and knocked out tooth, do not panic. Follow the tips below for first aid treatment:

For toothaches – Do not put painkillers on the gum to avoid burning sensation. Instead, gargle with warm water to clean and rinse your mouth. If there's any food particle left in between teeth, try flossing. Should the toothache persists, see a dentist.

For broken tooth – Gargle with warm water to clean your mouth. Reduce swelling in the area by applying cold compress. Then, contact your dentist immediately.

For broken jaw – Reduce swelling by applying a cold compress to the area. It is better that you call your dentist or go the emergency room of a nearby hospital or clinic.

For knocked out tooth – Gargle with warm water to rinse the tooth. Avoid brushing and do not pull out any tissue that may still be attached to it. Instead, try to place the tooth back into the socket. If not, keep the tooth in a safe container and bring it to the dentist.

Abdominal Pain: When Is It Serious?

Everyone has experienced abdominal pain at one point in their lives. While most abdominal pain cases can easily be treated, some conditions may be symptoms of a health problem and may prove to be serious.

Recognizing the cause of abdominal pain can help you be aware which needs no cause for alarm and the ones that need immediate medical attention.

The list of common abdominal pain causes include:

• Menstrual Cramps
• Indigestion
• Gas
• Ulcers
• Constipation
• Stomach “flu”
• Food poisoning
• Food allergies
• Lactose intolerance
• Urinary tract infection
• Pelvic inflammatory disease
• Hernia
• Gallstones
• Kidney stones
• Endometriosis
• Crohn's disease
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
• If the pain is severe, watch out for the following symptoms which may be an indication that immediate doctor's attention is required:
• Fever
• Inability to keep food down for several days
• Inability to pass stool accompanied by vomiting
• Vomiting blood
• Bloody stools
• Difficulty breathing
• Painful or unusually frequent urination
• Pain during pregnancy
• Tender abdomen that is sensitive to the touch
• Pain resulting from previous injury to the abdomen
• Pain lasting for several days

Pain In The Pool

Nothing beats swimming when it comes to over-all bodily exercise. It provides a lot of benefits such as improving ones agility, flexibility, muscle strength, blood circulation, as well as reducing body fat.

However, swimmers are not immune to pain. Problems usually associated with swimming are shoulder ailments due to its wide range of motion. The stress of repetitive motion can bring gradual wear and tear to the group of muscles in the rotating cuff, leading to the inflammation of the tendons. This is called the rotator cuff syndrome. Treatment includes anti-inflammatory medicines and injections of steroids. Sometimes, surgery is necessary for severe and chronic cases.

The neck is also prone to pain and injury due to the repetitive motion of the head while executing different swimming strokes. If you have a history of back problems, refrain from doing the dolphin kick to avoid low back pain.

Always make sure that you engage in proper stretching exercises before diving into the pool. Should you be in pain, apply ice on the affected area and rest. If pain persists and becomes chronic and recurring, consult your physician, specifically a rheumatologist, to find out if you have arthritic problem.

Stretch First To Keep On Dancing

Dancing can be a lot of fun, but it can also lead to a lot of pain. The time spent in spirited swirling can cause a lot of impact in the neck that if you don't take a break, you are surely setting yourself up for muscle strain.

Without proper stretching, you can be prone to muscle pains in the shoulders and the neck area. Dancing with your arms held above shoulder level can lead to the cramping of rotator cuff tendons, a common problem among dancers known as impingement syndrome.

Dancing that requires repetitive arm motion can hurt your elbows and may lead to a type of tendonitis affecting the outer part of the elbow. This painful condition is known as lateral epicondylitis.

Another part of your body that is greatly affected by dancing is the hand. Any form of dancing that requires interaction with a partner's hand may cause the median nerve to get tweaked and can result to carpal tunnel syndrome. Lifting a heavy partner can put a toll on your back as well as your knees. So make sure you do proper stretching before doing a routine to avoid hurting yourself.

Dulling The Pain With Hot Chili Pepper

Over the years, chili peppers have been used for various pain remedy while the heat-inducing capsaicin creams are well-known for soothing muscle spasms. Today however, the spice is hot due to the research showing how capsaicin targets key pain-sensing cells in a unique way.

Pain is one major reason why many people shun surgery. And while anesthesia can do wonders in keeping a patient asleep, immobile, and out of pain during complicated surgeries, as soon as the patient wakes up, it can't do anything to curb the pain caused by cutting into the body.

Recently, scientists are experimenting to find out whether the ingredients for hot sauces can also tame surgical pain. Surgeons tried to use the substance from chili peppers straight into the affected areas such as open wounds and lacerations during painful procedures. The experiments made use of a highly concentrated form of capsaicin to avoid infection. Volunteers were placed under anesthesia so that they don't feel the initial burn.

-Ramon Bravante

Winter Woes

It's winter season with record-breaking snowfalls that can bring visual spectacles that are sights to behold.

One way to combat all these winter ailments is to get a good massage. Besides the benefit of relaxation, massage can also be therapeutic by promoting blood circulation and boosting the immune system. It allows the body to release more endorphins to fight stress.

In case the weather does not permit you to go to your favourite spa for that much needed therapeutic massage, you may try the following tips at home:

Stretching – this may seem simple, but it can warm up the “sleeping” muscles before doing any activity to avoid injury.

Stress ball – lie face up in bed and place a tennis ball in the crook of your neck. By applying pressure to it, it can help relieve tense muscles.

Foot therapy – While sitting on a chair, roll your foot on a golf ball for 10-15 minutes to relieve nerve tension.

Cold compress – use ice or frozen vegetables for strains or sprains.

- Ramon Bravante

A Pain In The Rectal Area

We always hear the expression pain in the as. The truth is, there are health conditions that is literally painful down there. Patients describe this condition as a sudden, sharp, gripping pain in the rectal area. It usually subsides and recurs every now and then. It may occur any time of the day and affects more women than men.

Doctors may be aware of the existence of this condition, but until now, they still don't know its cause. In general, the rectal area may have conditions that can be considered serious such as infections and malignancies. For those of you who may have been feeling something down there, it is advised to have a complete examination with your physician. You may likely to have colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy.

-Ramon Bravante

What A Girl To Do With Menstrual Cramps

Most women have dealt with the pain of menstrual cramps – that throbbing cramps in the lower part of a woman's abdomen. It usually occurs either at the start or end of a menstrual period. The pain varies among different women. Some can take it as mere annoyance. Others consider it as a curse for interfering with their usual daily functions. Some may even end up bedridden for a few days.

That is why many women resort to all kinds of pain relief medications available. However, for those who are afraid of the risk involved in taking medications such as getting addicted or having serious side effects, here are some remedies to relieve menstrual cramps pain:

a warm compress using a bottle of warm water on the abdomen

an aromatherapy microwave heated pillow

warm baths

massage

yoga

walking

swimming

drink herbal teas

But the key to reducing menstrual cramps pain is to find out its cause and treat it. For it could be a symptom of endometriosis or uterine fibroids. Otherwise, menstrual cramps that are not caused by other health problems will eventually disappear on its own once a woman gives birth or when she gets older.

-Ramon Bravante

Labor Pain Blues

Many women worry about getting pregnant because of labor pains during birth delivery. However, you can ease down labor pains by making preparations and coming up with plans on how to cope with it when the big day arrives. Not being anxious and paranoid about labor pains can go along way.

You must understand that labor pains occur due to the contraction of the muscles in the uterus. It is characterized by abdominal cramps, pain in the groin, and back pain. The head of the unborn child can also bring pressure on the bladder and bowels. When the birth canal and vagina get stretched, it will surely bring about pain.

The pain of labor differs from one woman to another. Most likely, first-time moms will find it more painful compared to those who've given birth before.

Here are some quick tips to help reduce labor pains:

Exercise regularly – light exercises on a regular basis can help strengthen your muscles and prepare your body for the rigors of child birth.

Attend childbirth sessions – the Lamaze technique and the Bradley method are designed to strengthen your uterine muscles.

Practice yoga and meditation – these two can promote calmness and ease anxiety.

-Ramon Bravante

Different Approaches In Migraine Treatment

Are you experiencing a painful, pounding headache? Do you feel like vomiting, nauseated, and becoming sensitive to light? Chances are you have a migraine headache. Frequent migraine can be frustrating and can affect the quality of your life. It ruins your mood and productivity.

There are two approaches available in treating migraine: abortive and preventive approaches. Abortive treatment approach aims to pre-empt a migraine attack or once it starts. Doctors usually prescribe a drug that hampers a migraine during its prodrome stage or when the headache has occurred. Medication comes in the form of melt-in-your-tongue wafers or by self-injection. Those who vomit during migraine attack can benefit from these approach since the medications work fast. T

For people whose migraine attacks occur more than once a week, a preventive treatment approach is prefered. The purpose of this approach is to reduce the frequency and lessen the severity of each attack. The prescribed medication to be taken on a daily basis are:

- By : Ramon Bravante

The Advent Of Pain Management

Patients suffering from chronic pain used to have very limited options when it comes to treatments of their condition. Recently however, advances in medical technology paved the way for the availability of more treatment options that respond to the many special needs of patients suffering from chronic pain.

Since most chronic pain cases have no known cure yet, the medical community created a new field of specialization called pain management which focuses on different ways to handle the condition. Pain specialists work hand in hand with physical therapists, nurses, and mental health professionals.

Since chronic pain has various causes, not one treatment works best for everyone. That is why pain specialists undergo advanced and extensive trainings in diagnosis and rehabilitation of the patients suffering from the condition. They are aware that pain may change over time. Chances are, treatments that proved effective in providing pain relief in the past may no longer work well or may even cause unusual side effects.

-Ramon Bravante

Painkiller Abuse Leads To Addiction

We have seen many celebrities succumbing to death involving prescription drug overdose. From the legendary icons Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe, to modern day icons Heath Ledger and Michael Jackson. Whether the cause of deaths were suicide or accidental overdose, the stigma on prescription drugs, particularly painkillers, has already been etched on the minds of many people.

As if these deaths were not enough, last month's headline about Aerosmith's Steven Tyler getting into rehab due to painkiller addiction once again brings to fore the risk and danger of painkillers.

Painkillers are prescription medication intended to block pain pathways in the body. This medication is administered to patients suffering from chronic pain. Experts believe that it is very unlikely for a patient who is regularly taking painkillers with a doctor's prescription and direction to get addicted to the medication, much less a normal person.

While some painkillers may be potentially addictive, the only sure way for it to happen is when a person abuses it – meaning to say, it goes beyond the bounds of prescription and direction of use. Usually, painkiller abuse is associated with a desire to derive a euphoric sense of well-being. - Ramon Bravante

Radiofrequency Ablation: New Treatment For Chronic Pain Relief

For many types of rapid heartbeats, the preferred treatment is Radio frequency Ablation. In this outpatient non-surgical procedure, a small area of the nerve tissue is heated to decrease pain signals from that area. The procedure is conducted under guided CT imaging, with real-time, moving x-rays (fluoroscopy) displayed on a video screen. A catheter is inserted at the offending nerve site, then an electrical current produced by a radio wave is used for the heat-and-destroy mission, stopping the area from conducting the extra impulses that caused the rapid heartbeats.

Radio frequency ablation has a success rate of over 90 percent with a minimal risk of complications. Patients who have gone through the procedure are said to resume their normal function in just a few days. The procedure is done under mild sedation with local anaesthesia which causes very little discomfort or none at all. The chronic pain relief lasts for a relatively long period, from three to six months.

-Ramon Bravante

Alternative Pain Treatments

We all know that medicines are developed to make us feel better when we are feeling sick. Medicines are chemical substances or compounds that are used for the treatment and prevention of diseases and their symptoms. Advances in medications have enabled doctors to find cure to many diseases and save lives.

Analgesics are medicines for pain relief. However, each type of pain responds to certain medications differently. What works for one may not work for another. That is why there are OTC (Over-The-Counter) pain relief drugs and prescription pain medicines.

OTC pain medicines include acetaminophen and NSAIDs (Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs). Acetaminophen is a non-aspirin pain medicine used for the treatment of fever, headaches, and other common aches and pains. It is safer for children and easier to the stomach than other pain medicines. NSAIDs are pain relief drugs that can reduce inflammation or swelling caused by injury, arthritis, or fever. These drugs include aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, and other prescription drugs.

Prescription pain medicines include COX2 and other narcotic painkillers for treatment of severe pains. These drugs are very strong and potentially habit-forming.
Some people prefer alternative pain treatments such as relaxation techniques, massage, biofeedback, hot and cold compress, and rest.

-Ramon Bravante

Natural Treatments to Headache and Migraine

What pain relief do you use? natural or prescription drugs? It is proven that most cases of headaches are related to tension which experience muscle in the head tighten. While on the other hand, migraines or vascular headaches are due to constricted blood vessels.

Most people experience head pains at some point in their lives. Most doctors prescribe pain relief medications for this type of pain condition. While other people advices to have natural remedies. They said that natural remedies are better alternative treatment for headaches.

Aside from the fact that these are safer to use and practice, natural remedies also promote relaxation.

The following are some of the known and recommended natural treatments to headache and migraine:

1. Stay away from foods that can trigger headache and migraine.

There are some foods that can trigger migraine or head pains. With this, it is best to determine which food you often eat easily trigger migraine. As it may take time for one to determine which foods are likely to trigger headache, it may be best to avoid the foods mentioned beforehand and free your kitchen as well as your diet from these foods.

2. Use an ice pack.

As soon as the headache strikes, quickly apply an ice pack, for this can provide quick relief. Ice packs can be placed on the forehead or on top of the head.

3. Get a relaxing massage.

Many commend that a massage can really relieve one from stress as well as it can relax the muscles in the neck. Using the fingertips, start massaging the temples and the scalp in a circular motion.

4. Check out aromatherapy.

Healthcare experts claim that aromatherapy can relieve pain and stress as well as it can promote relaxation. Herbal oils when inhaled can relax the body. These can also be used in massaging the head – across the temples, back of the neck, behind the ears, and the forehead.

5. Exercise regularly.

Regular exercise can definitely help one avoid experiencing frequent headache and migraine attacks. Simple exercise routines include jogging, swimming, or walking. These can help prevent the occurrence of head pains or migraines.

6. Seek biofeedback treatment.

Studies show that the biofeedback treatment can effectively relieve as well as prevent headache. This procedure works by changing and controlling the vital functions of the body like blood flow, muscle tension, and temperature.

Other Serious Back Pain Treatment

Finding treatment for serious backpain is really difficult to find. USA findings that 60-90% of the population is touted to have at least a single incident of back pain in their lives. Back pain spells trouble for even the seemingly effortless movements we make every day. Which is annoying, anyway majority of back pain cases are remedied via home treatment And for low back pain relief, non-prescription pain killers are the common resort. Combined with bed rest within a specific period, these medications would do well enough to alleviate back pain condition.

In a certain circumstances wherein none of these methods work, our doctor could suggest any of the following forms or methods of treatment and therapies.

1. Remedies. During instances wherein over-the-counter pain killers would not work on mild to moderate cases of back pain, our doctor could prescribe non-inflammatory medications or even muscle relaxants. Prescription pain relievers like narcotics can be used briefly under our doctor's strict supervision. Chronic back pain, on the other hand, are sometimes remedied with low dosages of antidepressants.

2. Injections.There are some specific cases, however, in which none of the usual known methods would work. As such, these instances would call for cortisone injections, especially in the case of pain that travels all the way down the leg. To be administered by our doctor, cortisone injections alleviate the inflammation in the nerve roots' area for approximately less than six weeks.

3. Physical Therapies and Exercises.There are several treatment approaches a physical therapist can do to alleviate our pain in the soft tissues and back muscles: ice, heat, electrical stimulation, muscle-release methods, and ultrasound. They would then introduce us to specific exercises as soon as our condition gets better. These exercises are intended for the following purposes: strengthen our back and abdominal muscles, raise our flexibility, and develop better posture. Performing these exercises on a regular basis would help keep us pain free for the rest of our life.

4.Surgery.Surgery is a drastic approach for treating soft tissue and muscle-related back pain. It is usually done for herniated disk cases only. However, surgery is applied if the pain is persistent, and it causes weakening of the muscles due to nerve compression.