Fw: January Pain Monitor

[Guest guest]

This is a newsletter that I get that helps keep me abreast of pain relief options and is also a great lobbying agent for those with chronic pain. There are several good articles in this months issue. Sandie Home | About Us | Contact Us | Support Us PAIN MONITOR January 2008 Forward to a Friend The Pain Monitor is a monthly electronic publication of the American Pain Foundation. We want to keep you abreast of recent media attention given to topics that are related to pain care or living with pain. Below are links to news articles, feature stories and timely information that have come to our attention. Please pass them along to others who might benefit. We urge you to send any comments you may have to the authors or publisher directly. Every voice counts when working towards improving pain care in our nation. THE NEWS FDA Warns Of Severe Bone, Muscle Pain With Bone DrugsA class of osteoporosis drugs may cause severe and sometimes debilitating pain, the FDA warned Monday. The drugs, bisphosphonates, already carry warning labels about painful side effects, but some doctors still fail to consider whether the treatments are responsible for extreme pain in patients, the agency said. CNN Health Minute Video: Support Groups Reduce Stress, PainSupport groups offer emotional help following the diagnosis of an illness. Study: Whites More Likely to Get Opioids in EREmergency room doctors are prescribing strong opioids more often to patients who complain of pain, but minorities are less likely to get them than whites, a new study finds. Dual Therapy Improves Endometriosis Pain ControlHormone suppression and diet therapy can relieve pain in women with endometriosis who undergo conservative therapy, according to a report in the medical journal Fertility and Sterility. Faulty Wiring Mystifies Mechanics and Doctors AlikePatients with neuralgia, a type of chronic pain caused by nerve damage are laid low by pain in various locations, but medical exams and tests often show no cause. Brain Response Differences Found in the Way Women with IBS Anticipate and React to PainA University of California Los Angeles study found brain response differences in the way women with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) anticipate and react to pain compared to women without IBS; findings may lead to a new understanding of disorder and novel treatment approaches. Disorder Puts Patients in Cycle of PainCharacterized by chronic pain without apparent cause or specific treatment, reflex sympathetic dystrophy syndrome, or RSD, can strike at any age. Arthritis Knows No AgeMore than 40 million Americans are affected by some form of arthritis, and many have chronic pain that limits daily activity. While many people think of arthritis as a disease common to elders, one of every 100 child under the age of 18 is afflicted with joint pain. Constipation Most Common Cause Of Children's Abdominal PainA new study showed that acute and chronic constipation together accounted for nearly half of all cases of acute abdominal pain in children treated at one hospital. Crohn's Disease Different in Boys than in GirlsCrohn's disease tends to be more severe in girls than in boys, but boys with the disorder are more prone to stunted growth, new research suggests. Pain Relief for Some, With an Odd TradeoffFor people with chronic pain, relief comes with a tradeoff. Bed rest means missing out on life. Drugs take the edge off, but they also dull the senses and the mind. But there’s another potential option: implantable stimulators that blunt pain with electrical impulses, but the tradeoff is living with a low-grade buzzing sensation in place of the pain. Not So Painful Truth About Non-Chronic AddictionUniversity of Wisconsin researchers found that less than 4 percent of people who use opiates to control chronic pain became addicted. Physician Brody applauds the conclusion that “the risk of addiction is not high enough to counter the value of opiate medications prescribed by primary care physicians.” INTERNATIONAL NEWS paineurope Journalpaineurope is a quarterly journal that is distributed to over 15 countries within Europe. The website provides access to information for both patients and healthcare professionals. It aims to offer everyone a better understanding of pain and its management, and help provide support to patients and their families. Research: Video Games Better Than Drugs For Chronic PainGames may be more effective than drugs for treating chronic pain sufferers, says an Australian professor studying the therapeutic benefits of virtual reality technology. APF NEWS Power Over Pain Action Network Leaders Making a DifferenceCarol Rains, a Power Over Pain Action Network Leader from Washington State, was recognized by APF’s Pain Community Advisory Council (PCAC) and received a Patient Advocacy Award. Dan O’Neal, fellow POPAN Leader (Oregon) and PCAC member, presented her award during the Second Annual POP Action Network Training in November, 2007. O’Neal applauds “her persistence in helping people in need - even though she has so much pain, she puts that all aside to push forward.” Maggie Buckley, PCAC Co-Chair and Treasurer of the APF Board of Directors, explained they were “so impressed with Carol's accomplishments that it was deemed necessary to acknowledge her proven track record as an APF volunteer within POPAN.” Carol is pictured here with her husband, caregiver, and fellow state POPAN leader, Rains. POLICY & ADVOCACY Issue of Drugs and Pain Strikes a NerveWashington state became a battlefront in the pain war earlier this year when a group of state agency medical directors issued voluntary guidelines to physicians for prescribing opioids for noncancer pain. Power Over Pain Action Network Leader Dionetta Hudzinski and other pain advocates are mentioned. Click here to read APF's position statement. SPOTLIGHT ON PAIN Cancer Pain Controlling Cancer Pain: What You Need to Know to Get ReliefCancer Care has updated their booklet to provide you with the latest information and practical tips about how best to address cancer pain concerns. Military/Veterans Internet-Based Treatment For Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Shows PotentialAn eight-week program of self-management cognitive behavior therapy delivered over the Internet to U.S. military service members produced greater reductions in posttraumatic stress disorder and depression than did Internet-based supportive counseling. Abstract Pain Treatment in the Field: Good for Soldiers’ Comfort and Better for Rebuilding Troop StrengthNoncombat-related acute and recurrent chronic pain are the leading causes of soldier attrition in modern war, with the return-to-duty rate as low as 2 percent when these soldiers are treated outside the theaters of operation. However, that rate jumps to 95 percent when troops and officers are treated and managed for pain in the field of instead of being sent elsewhere for therapy. Pain at the End of Life End-of-Life Care: The Management of Pain in Palliative MedicineThe end stage of life often is characterized with pain and suffering. As the most experienced and feared symptom at the end of life, pain is often undertreated, even though it can be controlled in the vast majority of cases. Healthcare professionals should have a better understanding of the objectives of palliative care and options available for patients and caregivers when treating patients at the end of life. SCIENCE & MEDICINE Myths About Morphine May Limit Its UseA study in the journal ls of Oncology examined the beliefs cancer patients hold about using opioids for pain relief. The study stated that, "Cancer patients are suffering unnecessarily because they wrongly believe that morphine and other opioids are only used as 'comfort for the dying' and as a 'last resort' rather than seeing them as legitimate pain killers that can improve their quality of life." Abstract Physicians Gain New Tool To Better Manage Acute And Chronic PainThe Federation of State Medical Boards Research and Education Foundation (FSMB) is offering every physician a new handbook to help them better manage patients' acute or chronic pain. Responsible Opioid Prescribing: A Physician's Guide offers real-world explanations and practical strategies that address issues of undertreatment of pain, risk of prescription drug abuse and improved patient care. COMPLEMENTARY/ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE Massage May Help Ease Pain And Anxiety After SurgeryA 20-minute back massage can reduce the pain and anxiety of patients recovering from major surgery, research has shown. The report noted that in the past, massage was routine for post-surgical patients. But because healthcare systems have become more complex and administrative demands on nurses have increased, the massage has fallen by the wayside. Hypnosis Is Getting a New ImageHypnosis continues to be a proactive way to defeat bad habits and chronic pain. Tibetan Meditation to Treat PTSD in Research ProjectResearchers at Miami and Ohio State universities are investigating the impact of Tibetan meditation on victims of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with a test group in Columbus, Ohio. EN ESPANOL Culebrilla: Esperanza en la Investigaciónhttp://espanol.ninds.nih.gov/trastornos/culebrilla.htm La misión de NINDS es reducir la carga de los trastornos neurológicos, una carga que puede afectar a personas de todas las edades, cada segmento de la sociedad y de todo el mundo. La sección sobre culebrilla incluye información general, los riesgos, los síntomas y tratamiento. Shingles: Hope Through Researchhttp://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/shingles/detail_shingles.htm (English)http://espanol.ninds.nih.gov/trastornos/culebrilla.htm (Spanish) The NINDS section about Shingles includes general information and an overview of risks, symptoms and treatment. WEBSITE OF THE MONTH Hospice and Caregiving BlogThe Hospice Foundation of America provides the blog with the goal of gathering and disseminating information useful to professionals and consumers from a single destination. The goals are to inform, offer support, and generate online comments about important end-of life issues, including pain management. RESOURCES & OPPORTUNITIES Lawful Prescribing & Prevention of Diversion: A Balanced Approach to Controlled SubstancesA monograph that discusses the importance for physicians to know when opioids might be useful, knowhow to prescibe them safely and understand the regulatory structure that surrounds the controlled substances that are being prescribed. The Assessment of Pain in Older PeopleThis concise, 17-page guideline was developed in conjunction with the Royal College of Physicians, the British Pain Society, and the British Geriatrics Society. They reviewed current evidence in the literature to produce sound guidance for all practitioners in assessing the presence of pain in the elderly. Numerous pain rating scales and other tools especially applicable to this population of patients are provided. UPCOMING EVENTS January 24, 2008Press Conference Unveiling “The Fibromyalgia Pledge to Care”9:00 am - 10:00 amNational Press ClubWashington, DC The National Fibromyalgia Association will be presenting Ambassador L. Bremer III (former Presidential Envoy to Iraq) and his wife, Frances Winfield Bremer, as the new spokespersons to unveil "The Fibromyalgia Pledge to Care" which aims to help raise awareness of fibromyalgia and its impact on the family and the health care system, and advocate for better access to health care for people with FM. January 28-29, 2008Symposium on Music, the Breath & Health: Advances in Integrative Music TherapyBeth Israel Medical CenterNew York , NY February 12 - 16, 2008American Academy of Pain Medicine24th Annual MeetingOrlando, FL February 20-21, 2008ELNEC Super Core CourseAmerican Association of Nursing & City of HopeNewport Beach, CA February 27-29, 2008Initiative for Pediatric Palliative Care Regional Education RetreatChildren's Hospice and Palliative Care Coalition & Southern California Pediatric Palliative Care NetworkLake Arrowhead, CA March 7-9, 2008Miami Headache SymposiumMiami, FL March 15, 2008Emerging Issues in the Art and Science of Pain & Symptom ManagementDepartment of Pain Medicine and Palliative Care, Beth Israel Medical CenterNew York, NY VOICES OF PEOPLE WITH PAIN APF's First Pain and Creativity Exhibit We thank all the artists for their incredible works of art, their courage, and their hope. APF’s online exhibit highlights the works of art chosen by our volunteer jury. These pieces are beautiful and heartfelt and they represent a small portion of the many, many wonderful works of art submitted. See all the submissions or contribute your own art to the ongoing Pain and Creativity Center. "The beauty of the world has two edges, one of laughter, one of anguish, cutting the heart asunder."~ Virginia Woolf

PainAid Online Support

Join our vibrant community and share discussion and your personal stories with others affected by pain. Here you will find: Conference Rooms (regularly scheduled chats on a range of issues); Discussion Boards (threaded message boards on a broad range of topics); and Ask the Expert feature (pose questions to licensed healthcare professionals). PainAid is staffed by highly qualified volunteers with a range of backgrounds, all of whom either live with chronic pain or care for people who do. Visit PainAid!

Be sure to check out the VOICES section of our website! New personal stories are added weekly!

Thank you to our medical/science editor, J. Vicente Ph.D., ABPP.

Share with us how you’d like to get involved and ways you might be able to contribute your voice and skills to our joint efforts by completing our online Advocacy Survey. We welcome your participation and look forward to working with you!

The American Pain Foundation is an independent, nonprofit organization that relies upon private donations to fund its programs, services, and distribution of educational materials. There are millions of people who live with unrelieved chronic pain. If you can help, please make a donation to the American Pain Foundation. For other ways you can support APF’s work, please visit our website at www.painfoundation.org.

To make sure you continue to receive our newsletters and alerts, please add AmericanPainFounda@... to your address book or approved sender list.

SUBSCRIBE|UNSUBSCRIBE

Privacy Policies & Disclaimers

© 2002 - 2006 American Pain Foundation201 North Street, Suite 710, Baltimore, land 21201-4111A 501©3 nonprofit organization.Please contact the Webmaster with questions or comments about this site.Forward this message to a friend | Change your email preferences