Neck pain is a very common complaint and with good reason. Our necks contain many pain-sensitive structures which are delicate and constantly exposed to abnormal stress.
FDA Findings Reinforce Need for Drug-Free Pain Management
Recent warnings from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have many patients and practitioners alike rethinking their approach to chronic pain management.
Back Pain: Ending the Viscous Cycle
Back pain is among the most common of chronic conditions, with as many as 1 in 8 Canadians reporting that they have a chronic back problem.1 The condition’s influence reaches beyond simple pain, affecting patient mobility with 31% of Canadians reporting activity limitations due to back pain.2 The economy is also unduly affected; 15% of low back pain sufferers are absent for work for over a month.3 No matter what type of pain causes the discomfort, over time chronic back pain can cause patients to limit their interactions with others to avoid discomfort or embarrassment. This can bring on depressed emotional states, as anxiety, fear, anger, fatigue and stress all combine in the body to work against the body’s natural painkillers, creating a vicious cycle of pain. Today we have no shortage of pharmaceutical options for dealing with chronic pain. However, pain medication can bring a number of unpleasant side … Read More
Laser Therapy for Diabetic Neuropathy
Patents living with diabetes are at risk of developing a number of other serious health problems. Prolonged exposure to high blood glucose levels can lead to a myriad of diseases which can affect the eyes, kidneys, teeth, nerves and circulatory system. As many as 60% of diabetics suffer from some form of diabetic neuropathy, which most commonly presents in older patients with a long history of diabetes, or those with high blood pressure or excess body fat. Peripheral neuropathy, one of many forms for diabetic neuropathy, causes numbness and decreased feeling in the feet and toes, pain when walking, and muscle weakness. Charcot Foot, a progressive degenerative condition that affects the joints in the feet, is a frequent result of peripheral neuropathy. Decreases in pain and sensation, combined with decreasing muscle reflexes and control, subject the feet to repeated trauma and injury causing progressive damage to the ligaments, cartilage, and … Read More