As a medical physician for over 51 years, I strive to give you the best medical information on controversial medical subjects, and help your read betwwen the lines. You must come to your own conclusions. I have no ties to any organization, pharmaceutical, or lobby group. As an practicing medical acupuncturist since 1982, I find western medicine and medical acupuncture are very complimentary. This results in astounding healing in pain management, addictions to cigarettes and food, and a host of other maladies. Visit "drneedles is blogging" at the end of each blog for a complete alphabetical list of all my blogs
Visit http://www.americanacupuncture.com/ for more detailed information on mind, body, and spirit healing.
HANDLING PAIN
Pain can make your life unbearable. It’s hard to accept pain when it prevents you from playing the piano or playing tennis. Pain however is essential, and it is a signal that should not be ignored. Pain tells you something is going wrong in your body or your mind.
Many people today depend on over-the-counter painkillers from the neighborhood drugstores. Where would you be without a painkiller fix? Many of my senior golfers pass around pain pills to each other by the fourth hole so they can finish the round.
Not every pain can be eliminated by surgery. Meditation, breathing techniques, yoga and even prayer do relieve pain. Your mind has the ability to help control your body’s pain.
PAIN GUIDELINES NOT FOLLOWED
Researchers in Australia found that general practitioners failed to adhere to international evidence-based guidelines, and may not be providing the best outcomes for their patients.
They found that more than 25% of patients received imaging despite the fact guidelines discourage the use of imaging.
Simple analgesics, such as acetaminophen, were initially only recommended 17% of the time. Over a third of patients received non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and 20% received opioids for their pain.
SOLVING PAIN GUIDELINE NON-COMPLIANCE
Why don’t doctors follow the key treatment recommendation guidelines? It shows that simply publishing treatment guidelines and providing brief workshops do not change clinical practice. This may make Obama Care harder to implement.
There is a false assumption that if you publish guidelines, they will be followed. There are many different guidelines. The doctors must agree on the contents of the guidelines, and feel confident in implementing the guidelines and believing that they will make a positive difference in their patient’s outcomes.
In the last 20 years, the focus has been on evaluating new and existing therapies with clinical trials and systematic reviews. There has been no attempt to encourage doctors to provide evidence-based treatments.
THE PAIN GENE
Recently, a pain gene was discovered in people who reported higher levels of pain were more likely to carry a particular DNA base, an A instead of a G. The G. version of the gene shuts the protein off faster, stopping the pain signal sooner.
The A version was found in an estimated 10 to 30 percent of people. This gene makes you more sensitive to pain. The A version makes you more sensitive to pain. The gene affects the protein outside of nerve cells letting sodium enter under painful stimuli. It would be nice if we could turn this gene off, by making the protein inactive, make you impervious to pain and still keep you healthy.
BE HAPPY
If you are optimistic, you can get better relief of your pain without medicine. Positive attitudes and thoughts distract your brain from feeling pain. Laughing can also bring you relief. You must think positive and be happy. Those who joke a lot, release a definite chemical that helps reduce pain.
Laughter also boosts your immune system and increases your ability to handle pain. It’s often hard to take responsibility for your own illness, and overcome a supposedly irreversible disease. It takes a lot of guts to take control of your own pain and work to relieve it. It’s much easier to take a pill than sit down to meditate. The pill works faster, and comes with more guaranteed results than watching an old Lucille Ball movie.
COMMENTARY
We often overcomplicate our medical care. It’s best to start with simple treatments that are delivered well. Adding more treatments and tests will not speed your recovery. They only increase your costs and the risk of side effects.
Yet, pills are not perfect. Alternative therapies such as acupuncture can help you control long-term pain better than pills.
Cortisone helps in the short term for inflammation, but long-term taking of this drug leads to osteoporosis, diabetes, and mental rage. Visit www. cortisone
Remember that all drugs have serious side effects. That’s why your cure may be worse than your disease.
Your comments are always appreciated.
Arch Intern Med. 2010; 170(3): 271-277, 277-278
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Mar.8, 2010
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