Using Anthrax for Pain Management

Razi Berry Anthrax has a scary reputation. Widely known to cause serious lung infections in humans and unsightly, albeit painless, skin lesions in livestock and people, the anthrax bacterium has even been used as a weapon of terror. Now the findings of a new study suggest the dreaded microbe also has unexpected beneficial potential — […]

Philosophy Can Change Our Relationship with Pain

Razi Berry Dr. Sabrina Coninx from Ruhr-Universität Bochum and Dr. Peter Stilwell from McGill University, Canada, have investigated how philosophical approaches can be used to think in new ways about pain and its management. The researchers advocate not merely reducing chronic pain management to searching and treating underlying physical changes but instead adopting an approach […]

Volunteering Is Good For Everyone

Razi Berry A new study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, published by Elsevier, takes a closer look at the benefits of volunteering to the health and well-being of volunteers, both validating and refuting findings from previous research. The results verify that adults over 50 who volunteer for at least 100 hours a year […]

Depression in Adults Associated with Nutrition

Razi Berry Your diet can put you at risk of depression, according to a new study. The study also found that the likelihood of depression is higher among middle-aged and older women who were immigrants to Canada when compared to Canadian-born women. Is your diet making you depressed or are you depressed because of your […]

Childhood Trauma, Stress, and Fibromyalgia: Is There a Connection?

David M. Brady, ND, DC, CCN, DACBN, IFMCP, FACN Traumatic experiences and stressors in childhood have historically been overlooked as predisposing factors in the development of various chronic pain disorders and psychiatric conditions, including fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, insomnia, depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and chronic fatigue syndrome. However, the tide is turning as research […]

Hypnosis may Offer Genuine Alternative to Painkillers

Razi Berry A project led by psychologist Dr Trevor Thompson of the University of Greenwich found that hypnosis is more effective with people who are especially amenable to suggestion. But it also found that those who are moderately suggestible – essentially most people – saw a 29% drop in pain. New research shows that hypnosis […]

Strengthening Neural Connections in Under an Hour

Razi Berry A recent study suggests that less than an hour of brain training with neurofeedback leads to a measurable strengthening of neurosynaptic  connections within the brain. The research is interested in optimization and development of new therapeutic options and approaches for conditions such as stroke and Parkinson’s. The research is being conducted at D’Or […]

Do ‘Mindful’ People Feel Less Pain?

Razi Berry A recent study from the Wake Forest School of Medicine may give insight into why some people experience pain more intensely than others. The research study suggests that the degree to which a person is mindful may impact their experience of pain. The study is published in the journal PAIN.1 Mindfulness: being aware […]

New Pain Program Shows Promise in Weaning Patients off Opioids

Razi Berry A unique pain program is helping complex surgical patients wean off opioids safely and effectively, while offering alternative ways to cope with their pain and improve how they function. Study followed 251 surgical patients at risk of developing chronic pain or persistent opioid use A study following 251 surgical patients at risk of […]

Can Sleep Problems Predict Future Chronic Pain Issues?

Node Smith, ND Two studies recently have underlined the role of sleep in chronic pain. One, looked at whether sleep problems can predict future chronic pain issues, and the second looked at chronic pain and anxiety associated with sleep in adolescents. The papers were presented at the Annual European Congress of Rheumatology (EULAR 2018). No […]