It’s common knowledge that smoking is detrimental to our health. From cardiovascular diseases to respiratory disorders, the list of smoking-related illnesses is extensive. However, there is another compelling reason to kick the habit: smoking has been found to worsen and intensify chronic pain. Unfortunately, many smokers with chronic pain continue to identify pain as a motivator of More Info » The post Another Reason to Stop: Smoking and Its Links to Chronic Pain appeared first on The Pain Community ..read more

Scientist have long known that bacteria in the intestines, also known as the microbiome or microbiota, perform a variety of useful functions for their hosts, such as breaking down dietary fiber in the digestive process and making vitamins K and B7.1 The gut microbiota also, influences many aspects of human make-up, from metabolism, to the More Info » The post Is There a Pain Management Diet? appeared first on The Pain Community ..read more

Good grief.  I just want a good night’s sleep.  So yesterday, I got these foot pads from Amazon that are supposed to help you sleep.  Now, imagine this picture: I have these pads stuck on my feet. I have my appliance stuck in my mouth to protect my teeth when I grind them. I have More Info » The post I just want a good night’s sleep appeared first on The Pain Community ..read more

By Karla Donovan As I sat in the waiting room of my doctor’s office, I tensed and worried if I would I be heard, understood and believed that I needed help managing my pain.  Would I be labeled as a drug seeker? Would the doctor understand that I tried many different things to decrease my More Info » The post Perspective of a Person Living With Chronic Pain appeared first on The Pain Community ..read more

By Shalinie Dowlatram An estimated 85,000 people suffer from non-fatal gunshot wounds annually (Kaufman et al, 2020). It is difficult to grasp the burden of non-fatal firearm injuries due to the lack of availability of follow-up information on patient recovery. Unfortunately, population-based research on chronic pain caused by gunshot wounds is limited; however, numerous case More Info » The post The Pain of Gun Violence appeared first on The Pain Community ..read more

by Shalinie Dowlatram According to the CDC, over 40,000 people die from gunshot wounds annually (2022). A study from JAMA estimated an average 85,000 people suffer from gunshot wounds annually, based on data from 2009 to 2017 (Kaufman EJ et al, 2020). Gunshot wounds can leave people with lifelong disabilities, chronic pain, trauma, and other More Info » The post The Dickey Amendment and the Ongoing Gun Violence Crisis in the United States appeared first on The Pain Community ..read more

By Sherry Thorne Our spouses/significant others do not live with the actual, physical pain we do, but they do live with the pain. Our pain affects them in ways we don’t fully understand, just as they do not fully understand the actual pain we feel. They get frustrated and angry just like we do for More Info » The post Partners In Pain appeared first on The Pain Community ..read more

by: Yvette Colón, PhD, BCD, LMSW-C Q: How does mental health treatment improve the overall pain patient experience and their pain management plan? A: Pain is a subjective, multidimensional experience. It integrates knowledge of symptoms and treatments and individualizes illness experience, mediated by the individual’s emotional, cognitive, behavioral, cultural, spiritual,  and social interpretations. All of More Info » The post Chronic Pain and Mental Health appeared first on The Pain Community ..read more

Occupational therapy's role in pain management. The post Occupational Therapy’s Role in Pain Management – A Therapist’s Perspective appeared first on The Pain Community ..read more

As a twenty-something university student, I told my doctor I was having difficulty writing with pens and pencils. The pain had become so bad that I had difficulty holding forks and spoons, so I was always choosing foods in the cafeteria that were socially acceptable to be eaten with my hands. Yay for pizza and More Info » The post Occupational Therapy’s Role In Pain Management – A Patient’s Perspective appeared first on The Pain Community ..read more