Pain Management Archives - The Painful Truth

Marijuana and Pain

Marijuana May Help Solve the Opioid Crisis

The opioid crisis is a complex problem with many components, one of which is untreated pain. To the extent that it could be used to help patients manage pain, marijuana might have the potential to become part of the solution.

However, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has made it difficult — although not impossible — for researchers to responsibly explore marijuana’s use in treating pain. Since 1970, the DEA has categorized marijuana as a Schedule I drug “with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.”

Yes, Restrictions on Opioids Are a Threat to Human Rights

Checking the Accuracy of a Story

In a recent Washington Post story, “Are restrictions on opioids a threat to human rights?,” Charles Lane states that the wave of prescription opioid overdoses has crested thanks to public policy changes including the 2016 CDC Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain.

Actually, opioid prescribing and overdoses essentially peaked four years before the CDC guidelines were introduced. According to a recent report from the CDC, the rate of opioids prescribed is lower than at any time in the past 10 years. The peak occurred in 2010.

Opioid Lawsuits Threaten Lives of Pain Sufferers

Implications for People With Chronic Pain

Several lawsuits have been filed against several opioid manufacturers, distributors, and physicians for participating in what was allegedly a scheme to cause incalculable harm for profit. I am one of the physicians named as an alleged “conspirator.”

The opioid lawsuits are far more than legal matters that involve the defendants. They also have serious implications for people in pain.

The opioid crisis and resulting lawsuits have significantly impacted regulatory scrutiny of prescribing, which in turn has had a chilling effect on physicians who are increasingly unwilling to treat people in pain for fear of losing their license. Unfortunately, the lawsuits and the hyperbolic charges they contain fail to recognize the scientific, medical realities of chronic pain patients.

Repeating the Mistakes of the Past

I’m pleased to present a blog written by Megan Nalamachu who is a bright, articulate high school student.

Her father, Dr. Srinivas Nalamachu, is a treasured colleague and friend. He proudly sent me his daughter’s well-researched work, because he believed I’d be interested in it. He was correct. Megan did a wonderful job rendering a powerful piece that, in my opinion, is well worth sharing.

My usual disclaimer applies. Megan’s article reflects her own views. They are not necessarily my own, nor do they represent medical advice.

Megan Nalamachu, it’s a privilege for me to publish your work. Thank you for your contribution.

Family of Pain

Failing to Understand the Experience of Pain

Most people in pain do not like talking about their pain problem with others. When they do mention it to friends and family, they generally are disappointed at the responses. People are well intended, at least initially, but they can be insensitive. Fundamentally, they fail to understand what someone in pain is experiencing, so they can only provide a limited amount of support.

The ACPA Presents Programs for Migraine Sufferers

Migraine Awareness

According to Penney Cowan, Founder and CEO of the Founder and CEO of the American Chronic Pain Association (ACPA), “More than 29.5 million Americans suffer from migraines, with women being affected three times more often than men.”

Contrary to the popular misconception, a migraine isn’t just a severe headache. According to the ACPA, a migraine can cause intense throbbing or pulsing in one area of the head and is commonly accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and extreme sensitivity to light and sound. Migraine attacks can cause significant pain for hours, or days, and be so severe that all a migraine sufferer can think about is finding a dark, quiet place to lie down. Some migraines are preceded or accompanied by sensory warning symptoms (aura) such as flashes of light, blind spots, or tingling in the arm or leg.

Why Is Chronic Lyme Disease Controversial?

Novelist Amy Tan’s Experience With Lyme Disease

On her web site, bestselling novelist Amy Tan shares her belief that she has late-stage neuroborreliosis, or Lyme disease. She suspected she might have Lyme disease because of her mysterious symptoms that included migrating aches and neuropathy, a racing heart, hallucinations, getting lost in familiar places, difficulty talking, plunging blood sugar, insomnia, and fatigue. She finally found a doctor who was able to confirm the diagnosis. After years of expensive treatment, Tan can now manage her symptoms, but she doesn’t expect to ever be cured.

Body Pains That May Be an Early Sign of HIV

This is an article by Cara Smith. I offer it with the author’s permission for informational purposes. The author and I have no financial involvement.

THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY THE AUTHOR ARE HER OWN AND DO NOT REPRESENT MY VIEW OR MEDICAL ADVICE.

Photo by Kat Love on Unsplash

HIV is a disease that scratches out the immunity system and makes a person vulnerable to more opportunistic diseases which kill the person and not the HIV.

A person who is diagnosed with an HIV faces numerous health issues that affect both physiological and bodily aspects of the person.

Marcus Welby, M.D. Is the Wrong Doctor for These Times

The Marcus Welby Fantasy Lives in the Past

Many people fantasize about having a folksy doctor like Marcus Welby, M.D. An idealized physician, Dr. Welby didn’t have to worry about malpractice insurance, co-payments, political agendas, interference by government agencies, or bureaucratic matters of any kind. He could be fully present for his patients.

Dr. Welby was a fictional character. Robert Young, the actor who portrayed him, may have convinced us that Dr. Welby was real, and it wasn’t all that difficult for television viewers to suspend disbelief. During the 1970s, when the show aired, many of us had a doctor similar to Dr. Welby.

Soulmate

Soulmates Unselfishly Connect

What is a soulmate?

Recently, a United States representative was accused of sexually harassing one of his female staffers after sending her a letter stating he believed they were “soulmates.” Apparently, she did not agree.

Many of us understand that soulmates are individuals with a deep connection toward each other. Words alone are insufficient to express the bond between soulmates. For those who have a soulmate, the ability to give, and receive, unconditional love is instinctive and omnipresent.