Tuesday-Newsday #139

Time for Tuesday-Newsday! The Featured Blog Posts this week are all about the struggle of pain patients to be believed by others, that our pain is real and not exaggerated. The first piece is by Jan Sadler and the other two are both written by Carol Levy.

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

Elaborate medical code overhaul set to launch, frustrates doctors

Use of Acetaminophen (Tylenol) in Pregnancy May Be Tied to Higher ADHD Risk in Child: Experts caution the finding needs verification

Endo to Pay $193 Million for Illegal Marketing of Pain Patch

FDA Marketing Clearance Granted for Wearable Ultrasound Therapy Device

Fibromyalgia: Are Lyrica Commercials Realistic?

FDA To Consider Shortening TV Commercials' Long Lists Of Drug Side Effects: Is All That Rambling Too Confusing?

Chronic Pain and Art Therapy

A Sweet Solution to Chronic Pain

video: A Nurse Uses His Special Gift To Help Patients Cope With Pain

Chronic Pain Sufferers in India Will Now Have Access to Pain Medication

*MEDICATION NEWS

Groups Push FDA to Revoke Approval of Highly Potent Painkiller

DEA Publishes Proposal to Reschedule Hydrocodone Products

Two physicians’ opinions on opioids, particularly on Zohydro’s release this week: 

#1 Zohydro, So Hydro, No Hydro; What do you think?

#2 Stop the attack on pain pills
#3 Patient opinion piece: "I Am Pro Zohydro"

FDA To Change How It Regulates OTC Products, Is Seeking Public Input

Cannabis can kill without the influence of other drugs

Patrick Kennedy Wages Fierce Anti-Pot Crusade: Calling it a public health nightmare, he broke ranks with Democrats and says modern marijuana is stronger and more dangerous

New Anesthetic Can Hold Off Pain For Days After Surgery

*PATIENT NEWS

More Patients Are Checking Doctor-Rating Websites, Study Finds: But just how trustworthy these reviews are isn't clear

Patients May Have to Compete With Computers for Doctors' Attention: Study finds a third of physicians' office visit spent with their eyes on the screen

Need to see a doctor? Be prepared to wait: A survey in 15 metropolitan areas ranked how long it may take

Transient electronics: New medical devices can safely disappear inside the body

Crowdfunding is all the rage, but can it work for medical research?

*BACK PAIN

Drug may reduce chronic pain for spinal cord injuries (Hydralazine)

Pain In The Back? Exercise May Help You Learn Not To Feel It

Medicare will not cover PILD for lumbar spinal stenosis; The treatment will only be covered for patients in clinical trials

Overtreated: Surgery too often fails for back pain

Quality of life improves with minimally invasive surgery for low back pain (Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion)

Timely Referrals to Pain Management Specialists Could Reduce Unnecessary Back Fusion Surgeries Says One Pain Management Specialist

Pain measures predict persistent chronic pain

Catastrophizing Can Predict Low Back Pain, Disability

Surgery vs. Non-invasive Treatment—Which is Better for Herniated Discs?

Stem Cell Injections Reduce Low Back Pain

Spinal Manipulative Therapy Lessens Central Pain Sensitization

Back Pain Worse When Accompanied by Anterior Trunk Pain

Link between back pain and obesity explored

Biacuplasty: A New Therapy for Low Back Pain

This is a radio interview with Dr. Leo Kapural of Wake Forest University Health Sciences and pain specialist Dr. Paul Christo at Johns Hopkins about this recently developed minimally invasive therapy

Innovative motion evaluation tool saves patients with back pain X-ray radiation exposure

*LYME DISEASE

New mathematical model shows that appearance of rash may determine how Lyme disease spreads through body

Tick test for persistent Lyme disease tried in humans

Recent study suggests Lyme disease can be sexually transmitted 

Canadian Parliament to debate National Lyme Disease Strategy Act

*FEATURED BLOG POSTS

Being Believed 

by Jan Sadler of Pain Support UK

A Pained Life: Disbelief

by Carol Levy

A Pained Life: Don’t Let My Smile Fool You
by Carol Levy