Chronic Pain Today

Want to know more about Lyrica and its uses in fibro treatment? There are a few free things out there that can save you time in looking for information.



The FDA pdf copy of the information book “Living with Fibromyalgia, first drug approved”


For a free informational kit on fibromyalgia and Lyrica via postal mail

Read the FDA
press release on their approval of LYRICA for fibromyalgia



Read the
Pfizer press release about LYRICA and fibromyalgia



Updated
LYRICA Prescribing Information



Updated LYRICA
Patient Product Information

Anyone with IC knows that diet is the most important part of your treatment. Interstitial Cystitis is not curable but it is slightly controllable when you are eating the right foods and avoiding certain “trigger foods”.  Earlier in this blog I did a post on the IC foods list. This was important in showing you the foods that are ok and which ones aren’t ok.   

http://chronicpain.today.com/2008/05/14/interstitial-cystitis-foods-list/ 

There is a very real link to IC and acidic foods, these foods that are more acidic than alkaline in the pH scale. Those links and the full article on that can be found in two parts:

http://chronicpain.today.com/2008/06/02/the-link-between-acidic-foods-and-interstitial-cystitis/
http://chronicpain.today.com/2008/06/03/ic-and-acidic-foods-part-2/ 

And then finally, Sandy over at IC Disease and Fighting Fatigue, has a six part set of articles all about IC and the Elimination Diet. These articles are great to really get a thorough understanding of how diet is crucial to your IC therapy. 

IC Elimination Diet: Part 1

IC Elimination Diet: Part 2

IC Elimination Diet: Part 3

IC Elimination Diet: Vitamins/Supplements to Avoid

IC Elimination Diet(Part 5): What the IC Network Recommends

IC Elimination Diet: Hot Drinks (Part 6)  

Osteoarthritis is common in those that are over 50 yrs of age and may be disabling depending on age and the joint that is affected. This type of arthritis is typically linked to joints giving out but instead may be due to an imbalance of enzymes in the body. The pain of osteoarthritis may come and go but the condition is chronic. People with OA will need to learn coping techniques through journaling, pain medications, and meditation.

Osteoarthritis symptoms include:

• Redness and warmth and aching in joints

• Swelling and/or bony lumps around the joint with loss of flexibility
• Discomfort due to weather changes
• Joint hurts after any usage

IBD, or inflammatory bowel disease, is the term for a pair of intestinal inflammation disorders called Crohn’s disease and Ulcerative colitis. Chronic inflammation of the intestines from various symptoms is the categorization of inflammatory bowel disease. IBD can be seen in people of any age but is more typically seen in those that are 15 yrs of age to 35 yrs of age with females being in a higher percentage than men.

 This is not the first chronic pain disease that tends to treat women differently than men, see Female Differences in Chronic Pain.

There are many complications of IBD. Over one hundred disorders called extraintestinal lesions or EIL, can complicate IBD. Of the many complications, typically nutritional deficiencies are the most seen. When this does happen the elimination diet is seen to bring about a difference in the quality of life.

In Ulcerative Colitis, a part of inflammatory bowel disease, patients will have nonspecific inflammation to the lining of the colon.  Ulcerative colitis is only slightly more common than a diagnosis of Crohn’s disease.

Symptoms of Ulcerative Colitis tend to be bloody cramping diarrhea in the lower abdomen, fever, weight loss, and mild abdominal tenderness to the touch.

Ulcerative colitis can be diagnosed from an X-ray and an examination of the colon with fiber optics called a sigmoidoscopy.

As all inflammatory bowel disease sufferers, patients can be nutritionally deficient with Ulcerative colitis. Being on an elimination diet or a high fiber diet can help.