by Linda S. Ruehlman, PhD | Aug 8, 2017 | Print, This Issue, Wellness
People with chronic pain are significantly more likely to be cigarette smokers than those without chronic pain. Some smokers with chronic pain report that they use smoking as a pain-management strategy. However, smoking is not an effective coping strategy and has...
by PainPathways Magazine | Aug 1, 2017 | Articles, Print, Therapies, This Issue
When you hear the term “dry needling,” you may think it’s a kind of acupuncture. But the two therapies are, in fact, nothing alike, says Michael Coords, MD. They both use needles and can help reduce pain, but even the needles are entirely different from one...
by PainPathways Magazine | Jul 13, 2017 | Articles, Print, Therapies, This Issue
THIS IS GOING TO SOUND LIKE SOMETHING OUT OF A SCI-FI MOVIE. Deep brain stimulation (DBS)—used most commonly to treat advanced Parkinson’s disease and essential tremor but also for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), dystonia, pain and, recently, depression—is brain...
by PainPathways Magazine | Jun 19, 2017 | Articles, Caregiving, Print, This Issue
Are you ready for summer? Long days of sunshine, pools, family gatherings and social events? While these activities often produce some of the best summer memories, take care; they can also be especially challenging for people with chronic pain. Experiencing summer fun...
by Pain Pathways Magazine | Jun 6, 2017 | Featured, Only Online, Uncategorized
Pain and lack of energy…no matter what condition a person has, the two seem to go together. A 2006 study on chronic pain found that 74% of respondents said their energy level is impacted by their pain. Aside from getting rid of your chronic pain – which is the...
by PainPathways Magazine | Jun 1, 2017 | Articles, Caregiving, Celebrities, Cover Stories, Print, This Issue
She’s a well-known television personality, new Rose Bowl Parade host and an Emmy award winner, but Leeza Gibbons’ non-entertainment roles have introduced her to an entirely different audience of fans. As the founder of the Leeza Gibbons Memory Foundation, Leeza’s...
by PainPathways Magazine | May 15, 2017 | Print, Wellness
IT IS NOT UNUSUAL FOR PEOPLE WITH CHRONIC PAIN TO REPORT FEELINGS OF DEPRESSION. Signs may include sad mood on most days, loss of interest in activities that were once pleasurable, change in weight (gain or loss of 5 percent or more within a month),...
by Pain Pathways Magazine | May 11, 2017 | Acute, Integrative, Only Online
“It’s better than drugs.” This was how a pioneering scientist and professor described her first experience with virtual reality. Dr. Diane Gromala, a chronic pain sufferer since 1984, took MRI data of her torso and made it into a 3D simulation to try to understand why...
by PainPathways Magazine | May 1, 2017 | Articles, Print
Are men and women who work in the heavy construction industry more at risk for work-related chronic pain? According to Paul Fontana, OTR, FAOTA, owner of the Center for Work Rehabilitation, Inc., in Lafayette, Louisiana, and Houston, the answer is yes—and no. It’s a...
by PainPathways Magazine | Apr 17, 2017 | Articles, Fibromyalgia, Integrative, Print, Therapies
The people who come to see me for pain usually do so because nothing else has worked for them. They have been to doctors, taken tests and tried a range of medications but still have gotten no relief. Most have never had acupuncture before—they just heard that it can...
by Pain Pathways Magazine | Apr 14, 2017 | Articles, Featured, Only Online
Mind over matter…a phrase we’ve all heard before. It is typically interpreted to mean that we can use our mind to overcome a situation or even physical condition. For pain sufferers, does this mean that a technique such as hypnosis could help overcome the feeling of...
by PainPathways Magazine | Apr 3, 2017 | Articles, Physician Spotlight, Print, Therapies
If hearing the word marijuana (or weed, blunt, joint, ganja, hooch, Mary Jane or any of the other slang terms for cannabis) calls to mind Cheech and Chong movies or the stoner stereotype, then stop right there. According to Mark Ware, MD, that’s part of the problem in...
by Pain Pathways Magazine | Mar 24, 2017 | Articles, Featured, Only Online
Does America need a greater focus on mental health? Recent studies suggest that the answer may be yes. A 2016 study by Mental Health America revealed that 18.5 percent of American adults (43.7 million) were experiencing some form of mental health issue. And that’s...
by PainPathways Magazine | Mar 20, 2017 | Articles, Print
As caregivers and people with pain make the move from winter into spring, health concerns can also be in transition. WINTER CAN BRING A SLOWING DOWN for many people with pain. We spend a lot of time indoors and become less active, and we are in darkness for longer...
by PainPathways Magazine | Mar 1, 2017 | Arthritis, Articles, Celebrities, Cover Stories, Print
As one of the hosts and the signature voice for American Ninja Warrior, Matt Iseman regularly interacts with athletes at the top of their game in a role tailor made for the Los Angeles-based fitness aficionado and celebrity. However, many of Iseman’s fans are...
by PainPathways Magazine | Feb 20, 2017 | Articles, Press Releases
PainPathways Magazine Kicks Off a “14-Day Heart Healthy Challenge” in Support of American Heart Month. February is American Heart Month. To bring awareness, PainPathways Magazine is encouraging readers to skip the sugar on Valentine’s Day and show some love by staying...
by PainPathways Magazine | Feb 1, 2017 | Articles, Print
Martin Oleksy’s life changed at a job interview. During the interview, the company’s fire-alarm system sounded. And then again. Then twice more. “Each test pierced my ears harder than the previous time,” says the 46-year-old advertising and marketing executive. “I had...
by PainPathways Magazine | Jan 3, 2017 | Articles, Print
Dr. Paul Christo is a board-certified, Harvard-trained anesthesiologist and Johns Hopkins–trained pain medicine specialist. He’s an associate professor and researcher at Hopkins in the division of pain medicine and department of anesthesiology and critical care...
by PainPathways Magazine | Jan 3, 2017 | Articles, Central Pain Syndrome, Integrative, Physicians, Print
Many people with pain are so overwhelmed that they can’t function well— physically, emotionally and/or cognitively. A major contributing factor to this “meltdown” is a hyperaroused nervous system, which manifests as feelings of anxiety and stress. If it were possible...
by PainPathways Magazine | Dec 5, 2016 | Articles, Headache, Press Releases
TV star Scandal’s Bellamy Young takes on migraines In the winter issue of PainPathways, actress Bellamy Young reveals the challenges she’s faced as she battles chronic migraines while starring as America’s first lady on TV’s hit show Scandal. In our interview, Young...
by PainPathways Magazine | Dec 1, 2016 | Articles, Celebrities, Cover Stories, Headache, Print, Women
Eighteen-hour work days, in inconsistent food schedules, cringe-worthy lighting and intense emotional situations. This describes the daily production environment for TV star Bellamy Young, who plays Mellie Grant on the hit show Scandal. And she loves every minute of...
by PainPathways Magazine | Nov 15, 2016 | Articles, Communication, Integrative, Print, Therapies
Writing with a fountain pen and viewing the world through my camera lens is like a soothing balm for my body and soul. Writing and photography have helped me to heal and have changed my life and my work as a psychotherapist. When I write and make photographs about my...
by PainPathways Magazine | Nov 8, 2016 | Articles, Facebook Chat
Pain & Wellness Chat 2016 Transcript Highlights Dr. Peter Abaci October 27, 2016 Welcome! Thank you for joining us today for “How to Manage Pain and Improve Life.” This Facebook chat will be hosted by Dr. Peter Abaci and will cover topics such as: -tools to manage...
by Pain Pathways Magazine | Oct 13, 2016 | Featured, Only Online, Pain Resources
Finding videos for pain sufferers that both inspire and inform can be daunting and time-consuming. How do you know if you’ve found a reputable source? Can you trust the information? Each of the videos below, taken from such sources, gives a fresh perspective on...
by PainPathways Magazine | Oct 4, 2016 | Articles, Back, Press Releases
Do you or a loved one suffer from chronic back or neck pain? Is your daily life more challenging because debilitating spinal pain keeps you from being active? Looking for solutions? Join us tomorrow at 8 PM ET for an informative discussion as we team up with expert...
by PainPathways Magazine | Oct 4, 2016 | Articles, Back, Facebook Chat, Inflammatory, Only Online
Living with Chronic Spinal Pain Chat 2016 Transcript Highlights Dr. Anthony Berg September 29, 2016 Welcome! Thank you for joining us today for “What You Can Do About Back and Neck Pain.” This Facebook chat will be hosted by Dr. Anthony Berg and will cover topics such...
by PainPathways Magazine | Oct 4, 2016 | Articles, Physician Spotlight, Print
Vital signs are measurements of the body’s most basic functions and are used to detect or monitor medical problems. Vital signs can be measured in a medical setting or at home. It’s only been in the last decade that PAIN was added as the fifth vital sign, now being...
by PainPathways Magazine | Sep 9, 2016 | Cover Stories, Print
Prince, who died in April at age 57, sang openly about emotional anguish—and about sex, religion, race, and nearly every other challenging topic. But despite that openness in his music, Prince kept his own excruciating pain private. His death from an accidental...
by PainPathways Magazine | Aug 1, 2016 | Articles, Integrative, Print, Therapies
In 1994, the International Association for the Study of Pain pain as “an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage or described in terms of such damage,” and this has become the accepted of pain.1 As a psychologist,...
by Linda S. Ruehlman, PhD | Jul 21, 2016 | Headache, Only Online, Wellness Blog
I spoke with a woman recently about how she manages her chronic migraines. She has had migraines for over 5 years and finally feels she has them under good control. She has found a medication that works for her most of the time. But, she feels her most...
by PainPathways Magazine | Jun 20, 2016 | Articles, Headache, Press Releases
Ask a Pain Management Expert: LIVE Online Discussion Hosted by PainPathways, Wednesday, June 29 Do you suffer from migraines and want to feel better? PainPathways Magazine is teaming up with leading pain management and migraine experts Dawn Buse, PhD, and Jelena...
by PainPathways Magazine | Jun 2, 2016 | Articles, Cancer, Caregiving, Press Releases
Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter Opens Up About Her Most Important Role: Caregiving In the summer issue of PainPathways, Mrs. Carter shares her inspiring story of lifelong dedication as a caregiver, and reminds us of the importance of “helping yourself help others.”...
by PainPathways Magazine | Jun 1, 2016 | Articles, Headache, Print
One of the most recognizable paintings in the Western world is Edvard Munch’s The Scream. The subject of the piece, the screaming man, is pictured with his mouth wide open and his hands clasped against the sides of his face. For anyone who’s ever experienced chronic...
by PainPathways Magazine | Jun 1, 2016 | Articles, Cancer, Caregiving, Celebrities, Cover Stories, Print
Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter relates to caregivers & people who have been affected by cancer. Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter has said that caregiving is a blessing and a challenging task, a privilege and an often overwhelming obligation. As president of...
by PainPathways Magazine | May 4, 2016 | Articles, Cancer, Physician Spotlight, Physicians, Print
“My dad died within six months of his diagnosis,” says Carrie Johnson, MD, now an anesthesiologist and cancer pain management specialist. “And it shaped what I am doing with my life.” Her dad had surgery, but the cancer spread quickly and chemotherapy proved...
by PainPathways Magazine | Apr 26, 2016 | Articles, Cancer, CRPS, Facebook Chat, Fibromyalgia, Inflammatory, Only Online, Wellness, Women
What You Can Do to Live Better with an Autoimmune Illness Transcript Highlights Dr. Paul Christo April 7, 2016 Welcome! Thank you for joining us today for “What You Can Do to Live Better with an Autoimmune Illness.” This Facebook chat will be hosted by Dr. Paul...
by PainPathways Magazine | Mar 29, 2016 | Articles, Fibromyalgia, Press Releases
Brotherly Love and Devotion Helps NFL Star’s Sister Tackle Fibromyalgia In the spring issue of PainPathways, Dominique Easley, defensive lineman for the New England Patriots, discusses his biggest play yet, Easley’s Awareness, an advocacy organization created to help...
by PainPathways Magazine | Mar 29, 2016 | Articles, Press Releases
ASK AN EXPERT: Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center Cardiology Expert Answers Questions on Chronic Pain & Heart Health, During LIVE Chat, February 25 Show your ❤ some love! Join PainPathways Magazine and Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center...
by PainPathways Magazine | Mar 15, 2016 | Articles, Facebook Chat, Only Online, Wellness, Women
Staying Fit and Heart Healthy with Chronic Pain Transcript Highlights Dr. Katie Twomley February 25, 2016 Welcome! Thank you for joining us today for “Staying Fit and Heart Healthy When Fighting Chronic Pain.” This Facebook chat will be hosted by Dr. Katie Twomley and...
by PainPathways Magazine | Feb 29, 2016 | Wellness Blog
Let it go, let it go, let it go I think John Lennon said it best when he sang that “Life is what happens when you are busy making other plans.” This has certainly been my experience and has taught me a great deal about resiliency. When I was 25 and busy planning my...
by PainPathways Magazine | Feb 29, 2016 | Articles, Cover Stories, Fibromyalgia, Personal Stories, Print, Women
Dominique Easley knows how to use his brawn on the football field to benefit the New England Patriots. A former University of Florida Gridiron star, Easley was listed as the No. 1 defensive tackle in the nation in 2010, later entering the National Football League...
by PainPathways Magazine | Feb 9, 2016 | Articles, Caregiving, Print
When it comes to the challenges of working within the health care system, our family has gotten plenty of experience as we’ve dealt with my wife’s chronic pain: step therapy, delays in the authorization process, medications being moved to the “specialty tier”...
by PainPathways Magazine | Feb 2, 2016 | Articles, Physician Spotlight, Print
Chester “Trip” Buckenmaier III, MD, can see the silver lining in a black cloud. The program director for the Defense and Veterans Center for Integrative Pain Management in Washington, DC, often says that war—that most dreadful and deadly of human inventions—can be a...
by PainPathways Magazine | Jan 21, 2016 | Articles, Cover Stories, Personal Stories, Press Releases
Happy 2016! Do you have your winter copy of PainPathways yet? This issue is packed full of great inspiration, including a story of how our cover celebrity, award-winning cyclist Robbie Ventura, fought his way through pain. After a devastating crash, this fierce...
by PainPathways Magazine | Jan 8, 2016 | Articles, Cover Stories, Personal Stories, Print
International cyclist Robbie Ventura never embraced the words slow down until a devastating crash knocked him off his bike and into the world of chronic pain. A competitive racer on the dirt, road and track since the age of 7, Ventura amassed over 70 victories during...
by PainPathways Magazine | Dec 9, 2015 | Articles, Cancer, Facebook Chat, Medication, Only Online, Pain Resources, Physicians, Therapies
What You Need to Know to Manage Cancer-related Pain Transcript Highlights Dr. Brian M. Bruel October 29, 2015 Welcome! Thank you for joining us today for “What You Need to Know to Manage Cancer-related Pain.” This Facebook chat is hosted by Dr. Brian M. Bruel and will...
by PainPathways Magazine | Dec 9, 2015 | Articles, Facebook Chat, Medication, Only Online, Pain Resources, Physicians, Therapies
Opioids and the Treatment of Chronic Pain Transcript Highlights Dr. Lynn Webster September 24, 2015 Welcome! Thank you for joining us today for “Opioids and the Treatment of Chronic Pain.” This Facebook chat will be hosted by Dr. Lynn Webster and will cover topics...
by PainPathways Magazine | Dec 8, 2015 | Articles, CRPS, Print, Therapies
This second of a three-part series explores the first four meditations in the book You Are Not Your Pain: Using Mindfulness to Relieve Pain, Reduce Stress and Restore Well-Being by Vidyamala Burch and Danny Penman. Described by the president of the British Medical...
by PainPathways Magazine | Dec 1, 2015 | Articles, CRPS, Print, Therapies
As anyone with chronic back pain and leg pain knows, response to pain therapies can be as individual as the pain experience itself. That’s why information about new treatment options is critical. HF10TM therapy is a breakthrough treatment recently approved by the FDA...
by PainPathways Magazine | Dec 1, 2015 | Articles, CRPS, Print, Therapies
Ron’s exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam caused medical issues. To make matters worse, the pain from existing lumbar radiculitis gradually took hold of his foot, leg and lower back. “The pain was excruciating—a 15 on a scale of 1 to 10,” recalls Ron. “It was like fire...
by PainPathways Magazine | Dec 1, 2015 | Articles, CRPS, Print, Therapies
Approximately one in three Americans suffers from chronic pain, leading to escalating health care costs and a growing interest in treating chronic pain sustainably, but managing pain is a complex pursuit. The longer patients experience pain, the more reinforced it is...
by Linda S. Ruehlman, PhD | Nov 23, 2015 | Therapies, Wellness, Wellness Blog
If you have lived with pain for a while, you may have tried many options. Generally, a combination of different treatments is most effective. Have you asked you doctor about physical therapy? People with chronic pain may be afraid that physical therapy...
by PainPathways Magazine | Nov 16, 2015 | Articles, CRPS, Print, Reflections, Therapies
There was a time when Morgan Barfield thought she might never walk again. At the age of 16, she developed CRPS (complex regional pain syndrome) following knee surgery—although it took nearly two years and multiple doctors for her to receive an accurate diagnosis. The...
by PainPathways Magazine | Nov 9, 2015 | Articles, Integrative, Physician Spotlight, Print, Therapies
“In almost all cases, there are one or more treatments that can significantly reduce that pain,” says the Scottsdale, Arizona-based doctor and board-certified pain specialist. “That’s why we use a comprehensive integrated approach, where patients have access to...
by PainPathways Magazine | Nov 1, 2015 | Inspirational Quote
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by Linda S. Ruehlman, PhD | Oct 28, 2015 | Communication, Wellness, Wellness Blog
You may have noticed that pain puts a strain on friendship. Whether you have fibromyalgia, headaches, back pain, arthritis, or other type of chronic pain, chronic pain can take a toll on your relationships, especially with friends. You may see friends...
by PainPathways Magazine | Oct 27, 2015 | Articles, Integrative, Print, Therapies, Wellness
This is the first of a three-part series based on the book You Are Not Your Pain: Using Mindfulness to Relieve Pain, Reduce Stress and Restore Well-Being. This feature explains the pain experience and how the mind and body can work together to bring relief. Future...
by Linda S. Ruehlman, PhD | Oct 16, 2015 | Articles, Communication, Wellness
If you are like many people with chronic pain, you maintain a full-or part-time job, despite your pain. Working with chronic pain can be challenging. Occasionally, your performance may be reduced or you may be late or absent. You may operate on less...
by PainPathways Magazine | Sep 28, 2015 | Articles, Caregiving, Medication, Print
1 tolerance. Long-term use of opioids can lead to tolerance for the drug so that higher doses must be taken to achieve the same effect. Check with the doctor if your loved one seems to need more of the drug to get pain relief; the dose or the type of opioid may need...
by PainPathways Magazine | Sep 15, 2015 | Articles, Print
“The pain went from my mid-back all the way to the toes of both my feet, he recalls. I was in agony. I couldn’t work. I couldn’t do anything. I was basically just inhabiting my bedroom.” Oral and injectable pain medications worked for a while, but eventually the...
by PainPathways Magazine | Sep 15, 2015 | Articles, Medication, Press Releases
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Readers Have Access to Leading Pain Management Expert through LIVE Online Discussion Hosted by PainPathways Magazine, Thursday, September 24th Did you know that September is National Pain Awareness Month? To raise awareness, PainPathways...
by PainPathways Magazine | Sep 14, 2015 | Articles, Cancer, Celebrities, Cover Stories, Print, Women
Joan Lunden, award-winning journalist, bestselling author, health and wellness advocate and mom of seven, doesn’t mince words when she talks about her battle with breast cancer. “Women are stunned to hear I had a clean 3-D mammogram,” Lunden says, referring to the...
by Linda S. Ruehlman, PhD | Sep 9, 2015 | Depression, Wellness, Wellness Blog
If you have chronic pain, you may be at risk for depression. In one study, 35% of the participants who reported chronic pain were also depressed. Risk of depression was not associated with any particular pain type or site. Pain and depression seem to...
by PainPathways Magazine | Sep 9, 2015 | Articles, Celebrities, Cover Stories, Integrative, Physician Spotlight, Physicians, Print, Wellness
A 29-year-old medical resident on a skiing excursion is trapped between rocks and a shelf of ice for more than an hour, her head submerged in freezing water. When rescued, she is blue and lifeless with no breath and no pulse, and another hour passes before she arrives...
by PainPathways Magazine | Sep 1, 2015 | Articles, Medication, Print, Therapies
The number of Americans who suffer from chronic pain is staggering. It’s around 50-100 million, says Jeff Gudin, MD, the director of Pain Management and Palliative Care at Englewood Hospital and Medical Center in New Jersey. That’s the equivalent of all the people in...
by PainPathways Magazine | Sep 1, 2015 | Articles, IBS: Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Medication, Print
To better understand the most common and challenging side effect of opioid therapy, opioid-induced constipation (OIC), PainPathways asked readers to share their experiences. Overall, responses were consistent with previous findings on OIC in chronic non-cancer pain...
by PainPathways Magazine | Aug 19, 2015 | Articles, Cancer, Personal Stories, Print, Women
Diagnosed with Stage IV breast cancer in 2011, Ronda Bumgardner Carter is currently receiving treatment to slow the growth of tumors in her ribs, lungs and spine. Yet despite the pain that accompanies her disease and treatment, Carter has established A Closer Look, a...
by PainPathways Magazine | Aug 17, 2015 | Articles, Caregiving, Print
The day never seems to end. Your elderly father needs you all the time. He is in constant pain and you are at your wit’s end trying to keep him happy and comfortable. He needs help getting out of bed, getting into and out of the bath and getting dressed. He needs help...
by Linda S. Ruehlman, PhD | Aug 3, 2015 | Articles, Wellness
4 WAYS ANGER BRINGS MORE PAIN {1} Research shows that negative emotions such as anger can increase sensitivity to pain, making you feel worse. {2} Anger can increase muscle tension that can increase pain. {3} If you suppress anger and turn it inward, you may...
by Linda S. Ruehlman, PhD | Jul 28, 2015 | Wellness, Wellness Blog
Life is richer when you can pursue the things that matter, such as love, work, feelings of competence, being part of a caring social network of family and friends, growing as a person. Chronic pain makes goal pursuit more difficult. Pain can interfere...
by PainPathways Magazine | Jul 27, 2015 | Articles, Integrative, Print
Think back to your childhood. Imagine the end of the school year is approaching. You are counting down the days until summer, and one of the first things you plan to do is go barefoot—as often as possible. As adults, we may have outgrown the eager anticipation of...
by PainPathways Magazine | Jul 22, 2015 | Articles, Print
Curved Inspirations—How Marcia DelBarone Ran from Back Pain to Become a Marathoner and Author Not every patient chooses to combat pain with intense physical exertion, but that’s just what Marcia DelBarone decided to do after back surgery left her feeling like a puppet...
by PainPathways Magazine | Jul 22, 2015 | Articles, Medication, Print
A century ago, well before there were chain drugstores on every corner and shelves stocked with manufactured pharmaceuticals, town druggists would create prescriptions based on a list of ingredients provided by a doctor. Today, things may be a lot different, but there...
by PainPathways Magazine | Jul 16, 2015 | Articles, Back, Personal Stories, Print, Therapies
A birth defect left his right foot four sizes smaller than his left, but Millett defied medical professionals who predicted that he would never be active enough to become a competitive volleyball player in high school. Nine years ago, however, Millett found himself up...
by Pain Pathways Magazine | Jul 15, 2015 | Arthritis, Celebrities, Chronic, Featured, Only Online, Uncategorized
In 2013, Dorothy Hamill entered Dancing With the Stars. Partway through the series, she quit due to a lumbar cyst causing pain, numbness and weakness in her back and legs, which would have resulted in back surgery had she kept competing. As a pro athlete –...
by PainPathways Magazine | Jul 6, 2015 | Articles, Print
H2O. It makes up most of the Earth’s surface. Our bodies are filled with it and sustained by it. Children, young and old, are drawn to its strength and buoyancy. It’s no surprise that this element, so necessary to our survival, is also a healing aid. Artist Norm “Pete”...
by PainPathways Magazine | Jul 1, 2015 | Articles, Print, Recipe
Most of us have heard the saying, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away,” and many of us grew up with mothers telling us to eat our vegetables. Even though we rolled our eyes, increasing evidence suggests that Mom was right about the virtues of fruits and...
by PainPathways Magazine | Jun 26, 2015 | Articles, CRPS, Medication, Physician Spotlight, Print, Therapies
Imagine being so sensitive to stimuli that your body’s pain response reacts to a simple touch the same way it would to being hit by a hammer. For those who suffer from CRPS (complex regional pain syndrome), such reactions are a daily reality. Worse yet, the pain...
by PainPathways Magazine | Jun 25, 2015 | Articles, Facebook Chat, Only Online
Sleep Insights for those with Fibromyalgia or Chronic Pain Transcript Highlights Dr. Rosenfeld and Rae Marie Gleason April 29, 2015 Welcome! Thank you for joining us today for “Sleep Insights for Those with fibromyalgia or Chronic Pain.” This Facebook chat will be...
by PainPathways Magazine | Jun 25, 2015 | Articles, Print, UTI: Urinary Tract Infection, Women
Sex hurts. That’s the bottom line for millions of women. Although there’s a tremendous stigma associated with sexual pain, it is a devastating component of a debilitating condition called chronic pelvic pain (CPP). According to the International Pelvic Pain Society...
by PainPathways Magazine | Jun 25, 2015 | Articles, Facebook Chat, Only Online
Understanding Chronic Pelvic Pain Transcript Highlights Dr. Lander & Karen Liberi, MS, MPT, WCS November 6, 2014 Welcome! Thank you for joining us today for “Women and Pain: Pelvic Issues Including Chronic Pain Experienced in the Reproductive Region”. This...
by PainPathways Magazine | Jun 25, 2015 | Articles, Facebook Chat, Only Online
Transcript Highlights Richard Rauck, MD March 24, 2015 Welcome! Thank you for joining us today for “Clinical Trials 101”. This Facebook chat will be hosted by Dr. Richard Rauck of the Carolinas Pain Institute and will cover topics such as: – What is a clinical...
by PainPathways Magazine | Jun 17, 2015 | Articles, Neck, Personal Stories, Print
In my mid-20s, I consulted an orthopedist when my wrists started to feel warm after typing. He recommended ice packs and ibuprofen. In a thick Brooklyn accent, he asked,“You wanna take a couple days offa work?” Those couple of days stretched into months, and then...
by PainPathways Magazine | Jun 15, 2015 | Articles, Facebook Chat, Only Online
Transcript Highlights Shanna K. Patterson, MD, and The Foundation for Peripheral Neuropathy May 20, 2015 Welcome! Thank you for joining us today for “How to Live Well with Neuropathy.” This Facebook chat will be hosted by Dr. Shanna Patterson and The Foundation for...
by Linda S. Ruehlman, PhD | Jun 10, 2015 | Only Online, Wellness, Wellness Blog
From birth, we are all faced with two basic questions: “What do I want or need?” and “How do I get it?” Of course, we start out wanting the same kinds of things: to eat, to sleep, to be safe, to sit up, to crawl, to walk… Throughout life, our goals...
by PainPathways Magazine | Jun 9, 2015 | Featured, Only Online, Personal Stories
Gardening guru Trina Studebaker lives with chronic pain and now manages it without the use of opioids and steroids. “I live a life of mindfulness and I’m living my dream. I have never been happier.” It wasn’t always that way. Studebaker is now the owner of the garden...
by PainPathways Magazine | Jun 1, 2015 | Articles, Celebrities, Cover Stories, Foot, Print
Although The Incredible Hulk went off the air in 1982, Ferrigno is still recognized as the man behind the green super-human with bulging biceps. And while he doesn’t routinely don body make-up anymore, Ferrigno continues to focus on physical prowess as a fitness...
by PainPathways Magazine | Jun 1, 2015 | Articles, Medication, Print
If you’re managing chronic pain with medication, you may be wondering why toxicology screens are needed and why you’re asked to participate in them. More than identifying prescription abuse, medical monitoring helps ensure proper medications at correct doses, and...
by PainPathways Magazine | May 21, 2015 | Featured, Integrative, Only Online
If you’re living with peripheral neuropathy (PN), life can be difficult. PN is caused by nerve damage to the peripheral nervous system, the system that connects nerves from the brain and spinal cord to the body. As a PN sufferer, you may have numbness, tingling or...
by Linda S. Ruehlman, PhD | May 14, 2015 | Wellness, Wellness Blog
I have written a great deal about the negative thoughts that are so easy to get caught up in when you live with chronic pain. I have covered topics such as rumination, self-talk, “negative fortune telling“, and anger. People with chronic pain sometimes...
by PainPathways Magazine | May 12, 2015 | Articles, Print
Journalist Michael Weisskopf was on assignment in Baghdad for Time magazine’s 2003 “Person of the Year”—the American soldier—when a tragic accident severed his right hand. He still recalls in surreal detail the moment he saw a grenade on the floor of the Humvee he was...
by PainPathways Magazine | May 5, 2015 | Articles, Caregiving, Pain Organization, Print
Few things can be more stressful to a caregiver than taking care of a loved one with chronic pain. In a society that values work and activity, the sufferer of chronic pain is often the object of disbelief—viewed not as having an illness but as being a complainer or...
by PainPathways Magazine | Apr 21, 2015 | Articles, Integrative, Print
Integrative Approach to pain management. Once thought to be on the fringe and/or ineffective, current medical research confirms that an integrative approach to pain management using the techniques below can be effective. Using multiple modalities for treating pain and...
by Linda S. Ruehlman, PhD | Apr 9, 2015 | Wellness, Wellness Blog
If you have been living with chronic pain, you may have found that you worry about yourself. What if your future is one of loneliness and isolation? What if you can’t get the help you need? What if your relationships suffer? What if your pain gets so bad that you...
by PainPathways Magazine | Mar 20, 2015 | Articles, Cancer, Physician Spotlight, Physicians, Print
“I don’t give up,” says Brian Bruel, MD, assistant professor of pain medicine at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, and president-elect of the Cancer Pain Research Consortium. “And my patients know that.” Many people who live with cancer and...
by PainPathways Magazine | Mar 11, 2015 | Featured, Only Online, Research, Uncategorized
If you’re a pain sufferer, you’ve likely wondered about what else exists that could relieve your pain. You may have tried different pain medications, treatments, surgeries and homeopathic approaches. At some point, participating in a drug or treatment trial may have...
by PainPathways Magazine | Jan 23, 2015 | Articles, Featured
PainPathways Magazine on Cake. PainPathways hopes the movie Cake will spark conversation about chronic pain and caregiving. If you’ve seen the film we welcome your comments on this page or through Facebook or Twitter. Cake is a 2014 American drama film written...
by PainPathways Magazine | Dec 1, 2014 | Articles, Back, Print
WHAT CAUSES SPINAL STENOSIS? Spinal stenosis usually occurs as a person ages. Disks in the back/spine become drier and bones and ligaments of the spine thicken or grow larger and begin to bulge. This can be caused by arthritis or degeneration of the discs. Spinal...
by Pain Pathways Magazine | Oct 13, 2014 | Featured, Integrative, Only Online
Described as the future of health care in our country, integrative medicine is getting a great deal of attention. It combines the best of both conventional medicine and natural, homeopathic medicine. In his article, Restoring the Heart and Art of Medicine, Dr....
by Pain Pathways Magazine | Jul 2, 2014 | Chronic, Featured, Only Online
Peripheral neuropathy…neuropathy…nerve damage – none of these may be terms you are familiar with. Neuropathy refers to diseases of the peripheral nervous system, and it affects over 20 million — or 1 in 15 — adults or children in the US. What is...
by Pain Pathways Magazine | May 28, 2014 | Featured, Only Online, Uncategorized
Carolynn Berry, known by her friends as ‘Lynn’ was an avid cyclist when she found her passion and the hobby she shared with her husband at risk. Chronic pain issues had put Lynn on the sidelines – but the right medical treatment, a recovery plan and...
by Pain Pathways Magazine | Mar 28, 2014 | Featured, Only Online, Uncategorized
Pain sufferers spend a lot of time researching different options for pain relief and pain management – with varying results. What works well for one person does not for another, and there are many options available to achieve the goal of pain relief. Chiropractic...
by Pain Pathways Magazine | Dec 12, 2013 | Featured, Fibromyalgia, Only Online
Fibromyalgia sufferers deal with a multitude of symptoms that impact their daily lives. However, a recent survey reveals that pain is the #1 fibromyalgia symptom that affects patients on a daily basis. Functioning with Fibro surveyed 1,228 adults in the U.S. with...
by Pain Pathways Magazine | Oct 28, 2013 | Chronic, Featured, Only Online
When you are in pain or suffering from illness, your environment can play a huge role in how you heal and your ability to cope on a daily basis. Want proof? Just ask these folks… In an area of architecture that has very demanding functionality requirements and...
by Linda S. Ruehlman, PhD | Aug 12, 2013 | Wellness Blog
I have written a number of blog posts about the relationship issues associated with chronic pain. Today, I want to focus on your relationships with family – they live with your pain too. Not directly of course. They do not feel the hurt that you feel –...
by PainPathways Magazine | Aug 8, 2013 | Articles, Caregiving, Pain Resources, Print, Recommendation, Therapies, Wellness
Seeing a therapist does not mean that your pain is not real or that you are “crazy.” Instead, it is a healthy and positive step towards learning effective methods of chronic pain management. If you have never been in therapy, you may wonder what it will be like....
by Linda S. Ruehlman, PhD | Aug 5, 2013 | Wellness Blog
Chronic pain can make it hard to feel connected to others. Pain puts a strain on friendship – whether you have fibromyalgia, headaches, back pain, arthritis, or any other type of chronic pain. You may have found that you see friends less or that you feel...
by PainPathways Magazine | Aug 5, 2013 | Articles, Caregiving, Pain Resources, Print, Recommendation, Therapies, Wellness
This may sound simple. However, prioritizing your comfort and withholding judgmental thoughts that may stand in the way of focusing on yourself are often difficult to do. It may help to remember that investing in self-care can enhance your comfort, attitude and...
by Linda S. Ruehlman, PhD | Jul 22, 2013 | Wellness Blog
Paul Karoly, Aaron Taylor, and I conducted a study of over 2,000 people with different forms of chronic pain from across the United States and found that 63%reported that pain interfered with sexual functioning. Other researchers have found similar...
by Pain Pathways Magazine | Jul 16, 2013 | Featured, Only Online, Wellness
You know what they say…..”Laughter is the best medicine”? According to an article with that title on http://www.helpguide.org/life/humor_laughter_health.htm, laughter is that and so much more. The article states that “More than just a respite...
by Linda S. Ruehlman, PhD | Jul 15, 2013 | Wellness Blog
Sleep plays a crucial role in the daily experience of people with chronic pain. Of course, research (and probably your own experience) has demonstrated that pain can make it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep. In a study involving people with...
by Linda S. Ruehlman, PhD | Jul 8, 2013 | Wellness Blog
It is not uncommon for chronic pain to be linked to depression. For example, 35% of the participants in one study who reported chronic pain were also depressed. Risk of depression was not associated with any particular pain type or site. Pain and...
by Linda S. Ruehlman, PhD | Jul 1, 2013 | Wellness Blog
One of my first research studies involved examining the significance of the three most important people in one’s life to psychological well being and distress. I asked study participants to identify the most, 2nd most, and 3rd most important people in...
by Linda S. Ruehlman, PhD | Jun 9, 2013 | Wellness Blog
Living with chronic pain can be very frustrating. Not surprisingly, people with chronic pain tend to report greater levels of anger than those without pain. Expressions of anger differ, with some people being more likely to suppress and hide it, turning...
