Tuesday-Newsday #113

Time for Tuesday-Newsday! There are two Featured Blog Post this week: “Why Comparisons Can Cause Crash and Burn Syndrome” by Sue Ingebretson and “Something to Look Forward To” by Jan Sadler.

Let Me Know: If you’d like me to watch for articles on your pain condition, just drop me a note in the comments section below. 

WARNING:  My goal is to provide the most up-to-date news I can, which you can then take to your personal doctor and debate the merits of before you try it. I do not endorse any of the docs, treatments, info, and meds in anything I post nor can I guarantee they are all effective, especially not for everyone. As is the case with any health info, ALWAYS get your doctor's opinion first!

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*MENINGITIS OUTBREAK UPDATE

Victims in meningitis outbreak win new avenue for lawsuits

Strokes Tied to Tainted Steroid Injections

*CHRONIC PAIN NEWS

Overdosing on Prescription Painkillers: Dying for Pain Relief?

The Psyche’s Way Out of Pain: Dissociation

Study shows smoking and chronic pain may be associated

Chronic Pain Accelerates Disability

Managing chronic pain in older people

New Website, ePainAssist.com, for Patients Suffering from Chronic Pain

*MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS

Patient enrollment this fall for progressive multiple sclerosis MN-166 trial (Video)

Another study seeking patients: Cleveland Clinic to lead $11.3 million MS drug study of Ibudilast

Marijuana Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis Questioned

MS hope from 'off-the-shelf' drugs

Myelin Peptide Skin Patch Safe, Reduces MS Activity

A new therapy for Multiple Sclerosis: Glatiramer Acetate

Multiple sclerosis in children rare - but often worse

Obese Girls Much More Likely to Develop Multiple Sclerosis

Mother diagnosed with MS and facing life in a wheelchair is cured after discovering her symptoms were due to a TICK BITE 

New MS Drugs Show Promise: Plegridy and Tecfidera

Biogen Says Woman's Death Unlikely Due to Multiple Sclerosis Pill: Patient Had Taken Tecfidera, but Wasn't on the Drug When She Died

Two Common MS Drugs Taken Together Do Not Reduce Relapse Risk

Salty Diet Might Help Trigger MS, Rheumatoid Arthritis: Studies found it activated cells in the immune system, resulting in form of MS in rodents

Brain Scans May Explain Thinking, Memory Problems in Some MS Patients: Study found more damaged white matter in brains of those with mental decline

Higher Education May Be Protective Against Multiple Sclerosis-Associated Cognitive Deficits

In Multiple Sclerosis Animal Study, Absence of Gene Leads to Earlier, More Severe Disease

Vitamin D could reduce multiple sclerosis risk

CNN’s Dr. Sanjay Gupta Profiles BalanceWear® to Resolve Multiple Sclerosis Instability Issues

*OSTEOARTHRITIS

Studies show Rosehip powder can reduce arthritis inflammation and pain and help protect the joints of active people

Vitamin K and OA: Researchers are exploring the connection between arthritis and this common nutrient

Superior Lubricant Offers Hope For Osteoarthritis Sufferers

Flexiseq Gel to wipe out arthritic pain: A simple gel rubbed into the skin is just as effective at tackling crippling arthritis pain as potent drugs

New pill to beat agony of arthritis: British scientists behind 'huge breakthrough' leading a step closer to development of a cheap drug to cure crippling arthritis

Cartilage Gives Early Warning of Arthritis, Study Finds: Damage to the tissue that cushions joints occurs even before people feel pain, research shows

Foul-smelling gas shows health benefits in reducing joint swelling

Osteoarthritis can actually be present - even with normal X-rays

New research links body clocks to osteoarthritis

New Guidelines for Treating Knee Osteoarthritis

Can Poor Sleep Increase Knee Pain?

Sugar water injections may help ease knee pain

Turmeric, Glucosamine, or Mud for Knee Pain?

Simple Brace Can Significantly Reduce Pain Of Kneecap Osteoarthritis

'Mobility Shoes' May Help Those With Arthritic Knees, Study Find: The footwear alters gait and reduces load on the joint

Electronic Carpet Helps Knee Surgery Patients

Simple '10 Step' Test Could Detect Knee Osteoarthritis

Therapy as Good as Surgery for Some With Knee Osteoarthritis, Torn Knee Cartilage

Platelet-rich Plasma May Benefit Early Knee OA: A new study suggests the therapy can improve joint pain and function

Estrogen May Relieve Post-Menopausal Joint Pain

Diabetes Doesn't Seem to Raise Risks After Knee Replacement: Rates of infection, blood clots similar in those with and without the condition, study finds

Women at Greater Risk for Hip Implant Failure, Study Finds: More research needed to determine why gender affects success of this joint replacement surgery

*FEATURED BLOG POSTS

Why Comparisons Can Cause Crash and Burn Syndrome

by Sue Ingebretson

Something to Look Forward To 

by Jan Sadler from the PainSupportUK newsletter

Tuesday-Newsday #112

Time for Tuesday-Newsday! There are two Featured Blog Post this week: “Miss Understood: Being Called a Drug Seeker” by Arlene Grau and “My Emergency Room Experience (i.e.- Our Healthcare System Needs Work)” by Tracy Rydzy.

Let Me Know: If you’d like me to watch for articles on your pain condition, just drop me a note in the comments section below. 

WARNING:  My goal is to provide the most up-to-date news I can, which you can then take to your personal doctor and debate the merits of before you try it. I do not endorse any of the docs, treatments, info, and meds in anything I post nor can I guarantee they are all effective, especially not for everyone. As is the case with any health info, ALWAYS get your doctor's opinion first!

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*CHRONIC PAIN NEWS

Integrative medicine interventions found to significantly reduce pain, improve quality of life: New study points to sustainable effects of patient-centered care

Fish Oil Compound May Relieve Pain

Women in Pain

Living with Pain: Failure to diagnose, depression, risk of suicide - and searching for what works to manage your pain

*MEDICATION NEWS

Pressure Grows on FDA to Change Access to Painkillers

Abuse-Deterrent Formulations of Purdue's OxyContin and Endo Pharmaceuticals' Opana ER Have Not Increased PCPs' Comfort When Prescribing These Products for Chronic Pain

More Pain Doctors Require Patients to Take Urine Tests: Behind New Rules Is a Fear of Lawsuits Tied to Overdose Deaths

New Implantable Intrathecal Drug Pump Achieves Over Six Years Longevity: Prometra Pump from Flowonix Medical Reaches Important Clinical Milestone

Study Seeking to Enroll Patients: FDA Grants Fast Track Designation to Compound Which Treats Post Surgical Pain from Knee Arthroplasty

Study Finds Tylenol-Induced Liver Failure Presents Own Set of Problems: Poorer mental, physical health reported by overdose survivors compared to other liver failure patients

Possible Fix Found For Arthritis Cox-2 Drug Side Effects

*LUPUS

New technology brings personalized lupus treatments one step closer

Lupus Hits Hardest Among Poor

Low Vitamin D Linked with Worse Lupus

Women With Lupus Seem at Higher Risk for Hip Fractures: Study followed nearly 15,000 patients for 6 years

*FIBROMYALGIA

A Test for Fibro? Researchers have discovered & patented a new blood test for fibromyalgia that should speed diagnosis

Finding another way to diagnosis Fibromyalgia: An interview with Dr. Bruce Gillis, CEO of EpicGenetics

Rational Biological Source Of Pain Found In The Skin Of Patients With Fibromyalgia

Nerve Stimulation Might Ease Fibromyalgia Pain

Weather Doesn't Trigger Fibromyalgia Symptoms: Study: But some patients still may be more sensitive than others

     ~Researchers respond to fibro patients who disagree with Weather study

Mild Electrical Pulses May Aid People with Fibromyalgia

Calgary doctor helps write guidelines for treatment of Fibromyalgia 

Could Fibromyalgia Be Labeled as a Psychiatric Illness?

Pre-op Ketamine May Lower Pain in Fibromyalgia

Vigorous Exercise Eases Fibromyalgia Symptoms: Study

CAM Exercises Aid Fibromyalgia; Meta-Analysis

Whole-body Vibration Training Improved Balance in Fibromyalgia Patients

Shiatsu Massage Shows Potential to Improve Multiple Fibromyalgia Symptoms

Dr Myhill on Fibromyalgia and Mitochondrial Dysfunction

Mitochondrial Dysfunction – A Biomarker for Fibromyalgia and ME/CFS?

Fibromyalgia Flares and Chronic Pain

*FEATURED BLOG POSTS

Miss Understood: Being Called a Drug Seeker

by Arlene Grau

My Emergency Room Experience (i.e.- Our Healthcare System Needs Work)

by Tracy Rydzy

Tuesday-Newsday #111

Time for Tuesday-Newsday! The two Featured Blog Post this week are: “Anger and Chronic Pain (i.e.- I am PISSED off)" by Tracy Rydzy and “My Story: Forming a Coalition for People in Pain” by Fred Brown.

Let Me Know: If you’d like me to watch for articles on your pain condition, just drop me a note in the comments section below. 

WARNING:  My goal is to provide the most up-to-date news I can, which you can then take to your personal doctor and debate the merits of before you try it. I do not endorse any of the docs, treatments, info, and meds in anything I post nor can I guarantee they are all effective, especially not for everyone. As is the case with any health info, ALWAYS get your doctor's opinion first!

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*WARNING: DEVICE RECALLS*

Medtronic SynchroMed Implantable Infusion Devices Recalled

*CHRONIC PAIN NEWS

Painkiller Wars: Where are Patients Left?

Readers Sound Off on Possible FDA Limits on Painkillers

Extended-Release Hydromorphone May Mitigate Drug Abuse

Non-Invasive Pain Treatment Calmare Now In Illinois

FDA approves SENSUS device additionally to treat sleep for those with chronic painful neuropathy

A New Model Of Understanding Chronic Pain & Depression May Offer Hope To Sufferers: "Chronic Pain Sensitization Syndrome" (CPSS)

HEGU: Can You Relieve Pain With a Squeeze to the Hand?

Tips for Addressing Chronic Pain

Experts Launch Pain Management Competency Program

Introducing FindZebra; A Specialized Search Engine For Rare Diseases

*PATIENT NEWS

Your Internet Medical Search Isn't Private, Study Finds: Companies track and sell the information, researcher says

Many Americans Earn Low Grades for Proper Med Use: On average, adults over 40 with chronic conditions only score a C, one-third get a D or F

Dwelling on stressful events can increase inflammation in the body, study finds 

Lots of Americans Want Health Care Via Their Smartphone: But all too often, the demand outpaces the technology to deliver it

*PHANTOM PAIN

A New Challenge to the Maladaptive Plasticity Theory of Phantom Limb Pain 

Brain Retains Picture Of Missing Limb After Amputation, Often Resulting In Phantom Pain

*PEDIATRIC PAIN

Chronic pain conditions in children leading to increasing hospital visits

Nerve Damage May Underlie Widespread, Unexplained Chronic Pain in Children

Pain Relievers Do Not Cause Asthma in Children, Study Finds

Do Common Painkillers Cause Kidney Failure in Children?

Mayo Clinic: Teens with chronic pain should not use medical marijuana

Ongoing unexplained pain in children is often misdiagnosed and misunderstood, according to an expert

“Growing Pains…..Reality or Brush-off? When do you NOT accept the diagnosis of growing pains?

When the hurting won't stop: How chronic physical pain drove a Calgary teen to take his life

Music decreases perceived pain for kids in pediatric ER: UAlberta medical research

Reducing Pain And Anxiety Among Pediatric Patients Using Robot Therapy

Kinect-enabled games used in pain care for kids

Pediatric pain relief... without the pills: A 3-D technology called the V-pod visuals distract youngsters during painful procedures

New Website Helps Parents Manage Children’s Pain After Surgery

High Tech ‘Crystal Ball’ Could Measure Pain in premature infants – giving a voice to patients too young to speak for themselves

Colic May Be Linked to Childhood Migraine, Study Says: Expert suspects disrupted sleep cycles might play a role in both disorders

Childhood Deprivation Can Lead to Pain, Adult Depression

Double-Jointed Adolescents at Risk for Joint Pain, Study Finds

Advances not helping all kids with bowel ills

Pain control in children with cerebral palsy: New study encourages pediatricians to treat the cause, not the symptoms

*FEATURED BLOG POSTS

Anger and Chronic Pain (i.e.- I am PISSED off)

by Tracy Rydzy

My Story: Forming a Coalition for People in Pain

by Fred Brown

Tuesday-Newsday #110

Time for Tuesday-Newsday! There are two Featured Blog Post this week: “Having RA has made me a cat!” by Deb aka AbcsOfra and “The Sleep Issue” from Jan Sadler’s PainSupportUK newsletter.

Let Me Know: If you’d like me to watch for articles on your pain condition, just drop me a note in the comments section below. 

WARNING:  My goal is to provide the most up-to-date news I can, which you can then take to your personal doctor and debate the merits of before you try it. I do not endorse any of the docs, treatments, info, and meds in anything I post nor can I guarantee they are all effective, especially not for everyone. As is the case with any health info, ALWAYS get your doctor's opinion first!

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*MENINGITIS OUTBREAK

For CDC details on the outbreak such as Case Count and state-by-state infection breakdown, click here

Lawyers seek records of everyone treated with NECC drugs: Subpoenas served on Nashville clinic and other sites across the country

Fungal meningitis outbreak update: Infection traveled surprising route

*PAIN NEWS

Pain Remains Leading Cause of Disability

Myopain: The Most Common Cause of Chronic Pain

Myofascial pain syndrome often leaves doctors baffled and patients untreated

Chronic Pain Can Persist After Major Surgery

Neurostimulation Lowers Need for Opioids in Chronic Pain

Music Therapy Reduces Pain in Palliative Care Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial

How to Satisfy Your Insurer's Interpretation of Total Disability

This piece is from an RA website, but the information could be useful for those with other chronic conditions

Hypnotherapy helps with joint pain 

Rx-Analgesic Overdoses Hitting Women Harder: A full view?

*MILITARY VETERANS

War Spawns New Approaches for Wounded Service Members’ Pain Care

Researchers Find Biological Evidence of Gulf War Illnesses

Gulf War Illness Causes Brain to Process Pain Differently

War veterans and chronic pain: Hearing, breathing problems

Chronic daily pain continues to be burden for limb-injured veterans, says pain management expert

Pain improves during first year but mental-health problems linger, study says

Military: Acupuncture for PTSD: Getting soldiers through the door

De-Stress Vets blog: Stress relief resources for veterans, servicemembers, and military families

*LYME DISEASE

Mother diagnosed with MS and facing life in a wheelchair is cured - after she discovered her symptoms were due to a TICK BITE 

Potential Lyme Disease Vaccine Shows Promise

Lyme disease rates rise in northern U.S.

Refractory Lyme Arthritis May Be Autoimmune

Lyme disease bill pits frustrated patients in Maine against the medical mainstream

When Lyme Disease Lasts and Lasts

New tick-borne illness mimics Lyme disease but often goes undetected

*INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASES

New Pelvic Pain Diary by KevMed Will Help Chronic Pelvic Pain, IC, and IBS Patients Take Charge of Their Condition

Scientists find key to growth of "bad" bacteria in inflammatory bowel disease: Research is the first to shed light on how harmful gut bacteria thrive in the intestine

Exercise And Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Scientists Find New Clues

Ulcerative Colitis: Why I Donated My Stool and saved a friend

How Does Fibrosis Occur in Crohn's Disease?

Endometriosis tied to higher risk of Crohn’s

Study Finds No Tie Between Acne Drug Accutane and Crohn's, Colitis: New data involving 45,000 women may settle the question

Advances not helping all kids with bowel ills

*SICKLE CELL

Sickle Cell Disease patients are being called 'drug seekers'

‘Sickle Cell Disease’ and ‘Sickle Cell Trait’ Are Not the Same

Debate Heats Up Over Screening Athletes for Sickle Cell Trait: NCAA mandates such a test, but medical group urges a different option

New Therapies Break Sickle Cell’s Painful Grip: From improved bone marrow transplantation to stem cell research... sickle cell anemia may soon be on the run

New Sickle Cell Anemia Therapy Advances to Phase II Clinical Trials

Computer models shed new light on sickle cell crisis (w/ video)

*FEATURED BLOG POSTS

Having RA has made me a cat!

by Deb aka AbcsOfra

The Sleep Issue

by Jan Sadler of PainSupport.co.uk

Tuesday-Newsday #109

Time for Tuesday-Newsday! There are two Featured Blog Post this week: “Chronic Pain and Narcotic Use: Doctors, please treat me with compassion and understanding, not judgment” by Tracy Rydzy and “It happened to me: I take opiates for chronic pain,” by Anna Hamilton.

Let Me Know: If you’d like me to watch for articles on your pain condition, just drop me a note in the comments section below. 

WARNING:  My goal is to provide the most up-to-date news I can, which you can then take to your personal doctor and debate the merits of before you try it. I do not endorse any of the docs, treatments, info, and meds in anything I post nor can I guarantee they are all effective, especially not for everyone. As is the case with any health info, ALWAYS get your doctor's opinion first!

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*MENINGITIS OUTBREAK and CONTAMINATION OF MEDICINES

Current Count: 749 Cases, 61 Deaths, Joint Infections 35

Fungus From Tainted Steroid Shots Migrated to Base of Brain, Study Shows: Once there, it could help spur the meningitis that killed 58 in last year's outbreak

Compounding pharmacy legislation: Does HELP Bill Go Far Enough?

*PAIN MEDICATION NEWS

Common NSAID Painkiller, Diclofenac, Linked To Heart Attack And Stroke

Survey Shows Opioid “Addiction” Misunderstood

Review: Study Finds NSAIDs Overused for Chronic Pain

FDA Trounces Illegal Online Pharmacies

Medtronic Pain Pump Blamed for 14 Deaths

Negative Physician Attitudes About Opioid Pain Meds Linked With Lower Prescribing

Opioids Ties to Hormonal Upsets Studied: Looking at both sides

Poverty, Race Play Major Roles in Opioid Prescribing

Large-Scale Trial Assesses Cannabis Safety, Abuse Potential in Chronic Pain Patients

New Drug Could End Chronic Pain Forever: Resiniferatoxin (RTX)

How Pain Relievers Work

This neat TEDEducation video explains how humans experience pain and how medicines such as aspirin or ibuprofen relieve pain

Simple Trick Makes Taking Medication More Memorable: Pat your head or tap your toe

*CHRONIC PAIN IN OLDER ADULTS

New ways to help seniors deal with pain and depression

More Clinical Attention Needed for Assessing Pain in Elderly Adults

Older African-Americans’ Pain is Under-Managed

*MIGRAINE / HEADACHE 

Migraine Doctors in Short Supply Across U.S.: Only 416 specialists available nationwide

F.D.A. Rejects New Drug for Migraines (Levadex)

FDA warns pregnant women of migraine drug risk

Most Pregnant Women Treated for Migraines Able to Deliver Vaginally: Three-fourths of women in small, early study had full-term deliveries

Birth Control Tied to Blood Clots in Migraines

Migraine Drug Topamax May Set Stage for Kidney Stones

Drugs Can Sometimes Prevent Migraines, but at a Cost: Study finds many have side effects so bothersome that sufferers stop taking them

FDA finds fraudulent Botox in the U.S.

Migraine Sufferers Face Significant Stigma: They not only have to deal with disabling pain,but the stigma caused by others who tend to discount the impact of the debilitating headaches

American Headache and Migraine Association - Patient Organization Launches

Acupuncture Treats Headaches - New Study

Acupressure Wristband Relieves Migraine Nausea

Hologram-like 3-D brain helps researchers decode migraine pain

Correctly Identifying Migraine Triggers - Formal Experiments Needed, So Work With Your Doctor

Brain Differences Seen in People With Migraines: MRI study suggests changes occur in areas associated with pain

Migraine-Depression Combo Linked to Smaller Brain: But it's unclear what the finding might mean for patients

Gene Mutation Linked to Migraines, Researchers Say

Migraine With Aura May Be Linked to All Stroke Types

Acute Migraines More Apt to Turn Chronic With Poor Treatment: Study compared patients to see who made the jump to frequent headaches within year

Blood Levels of Fat Cell Hormone May Predict Severity of Migraines

Higher Lipids As a Child Ups Later Migraine Risk

Mutation that Causes Rare Sleep Disorder Linked to Migraines

HeadWay, Issue #105 Electricity and Magnets for Migraine?

*FEATURED BLOG POST

Chronic Pain and Narcotic Use: Doctors, please treat me with compassion and understanding, not judgment

by Tracy Rydzy

It happened to me: I take opiates for chronic pain

by Anna Hamilton