How to Understand Someone With Chronic Pain. User Reviewed Three Parts:Learning about Chronic PainBeing SupportiveKnowing What To SayCommunity Q&A Chronic pain is pain that continues for weeks, months and even years.
The experience of acute pain is the nervous system’s natural response to possible injury. With chronic pain, however, pain signals continue abnormally. This can be both distressing and exhausting for chronic pain sufferers. Part 1 Learning about Chronic Pain <img alt="Image titled 347439 1" src=" width="728" height="546" class="whcdn" onload="WH.performance.clearMarks('image1_rendered'); WH.performance.mark('image1_rendered');">1Find out more about the sufferer’s pain. Pain-Wise: A Patient's Guide to Pain Management - David Kloth, M.D., Andrea Trescot, M.D., Francis Riegler, M.D. Arachnoiditis. Arachnoiditis is an inflammatory condition of the arachnoid mater or 'arachnoid', one of the membranes known as meninges that surround and protect the nerves of the central nervous system, including the brain and spinal cord.
The arachnoid can become inflamed because of adverse reactions to chemicals, infection from bacteria or viruses, as the result of direct injury to the spine, chronic compression of spinal nerves, complications from spinal surgery or other invasive spinal procedures, or the accidental intrathecal injection of steroids intended for the epidural space.[1][2] Inflammation can sometimes lead to the formation of scar tissue and adhesion that can make the spinal nerves "stick" together,[3] a condition where such tissue develops in and between the leptomeninges.[4] The condition can be extremely painful, especially when progressing to adhesive arachnoiditis. Causes[edit] Symptoms[edit] Illustration of Arachnoiditis Diagnosis[edit] Treatment[edit] Prognosis[edit] Further reading. Arachnoiditis. Arachnoiditis is a debilitating condition characterized by severe stinging and burning pain and neurologic problems.
It is caused by an inflammation of the arachnoid lining—one of the 3 linings that surround the brain and spinal cord. This inflammation causes constant irritation, scarring, and binding of nerve roots and blood vessels. The predominant symptom of arachnoiditis is chronic and persistent pain in the lower back, lower limbs or, in severe cases, throughout the entire body. Other symptoms may include: Tingling, numbness, or weakness in the legs Bizarre sensations such as insects crawling on the skin or water trickling down the leg Severe shooting pain (which some liken to an electric shock sensation) Muscle cramps, spasms, and uncontrollable twitching Bladder, bowel, and/or sexual dysfunction If the disease progresses, symptoms may become more severe or even permanent.
Causes of Arachnoiditis There are 3 main causes of arachnoiditis: Treatment There is no cure for arachnoiditis. Our Ethical Duty Is to Relieve Pain and Suffering // ACEP. ACEP News September 2007 By Andrew Luke Aswegan, MD A 33-year-old female presents to your busy emergency department at 1 a.m.
She is well known to you and the staff, as she has been to your facility at least weekly for the past several months. As always, she is moaning, occasionally yelling, while in the waiting area. She once again complains of pelvic pain that started today and is now "unbearable. " Her nurse pulls you aside to offer advice: "Do you know this lady, doc? Yes, you know. Her physical exam is the usual, with her flinching, moaning, and making faces if you lightly touch any part of her lower abdomen and pelvic area. After two 1-mg doses IV of "that 'D' medicine," the nurse comes to tell you the patient is complaining of pain again after waking up from a brief nap. Do you give her another shot? Natural News Blogs Cannabidiol-rich Hemp Oil to help with chronic inflammation and pain.
Recent statements by Dr.
Sanjay Gupta have been quoted and requoted all over the media, and for a good reason. It is an important issue, and his is an important voice. Here is a quote from a blog on MSN: Those who doubt medical marijuana’s usefulness, put this in your pipe and smoke it: Dr. Sanjay Gupta, neurosurgeon and CNN’s chief medical correspondent, formerly on your side, has reversed his position and come out strongly in favor of the use of cannabis to treat various medical conditions.
Sometimes when you think that there must be a conspiracy between some parties controlling an aspect of your life, it may turn out that you were right! One excellent example of the conspiracies is the story of hemp. In the 90’s, coconut oil was used to top that yummy popcorn we all ate as we watched our movies. True enough, not all coconut oil is cold pressed and trouble-free, but coconut oil’s benefits are now shouted from the rooftops, or at least in many health food store aisles. But I digress. 1.