Author Archives: admin

Anger Issues in Chronic Pain

There can be a significant depression issue in chronic pain in which, if you scratch the surface, you find significant underlying anger is actually the issue. Inability to deal with the anger leads to significant depression and self-flagellation and increase … Continue reading

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Making Methotrexate Work in Ankylosing Spondylitis/ Inflammatory Back Pain

Methotrexate is a fairly safe medication but studies of it solo have failed to help Ankylosing spondylitis. Chinese study found when used with methylprednisolone had a therapeutic effect and improved inflammatory markers.

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Gut Hazard – Commercial Dishwasher Soap

Alcohol ethoxylates, which stick to dishes and prevent water adhering after drying, are shown to damage gut cells or render them permeable.  This is considered toxic to gastrointestinal tract and could flare gut symptoms at levels used by such cleaners. … Continue reading

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Spinal Stimulation Not Working For Pain – Option of Adding Dorsal Root Stimulation to Save the Day

Spinal cord stimulation is often used as a last resort. To start with, that is a mistake. Dr. K Kumar pioneered efforts to use spinal stimulation: Here is a list of some of his articles: https://scholar.google.ca/scholar?q=Kris+Kumar+spinal+cord+stimulation&hl=en&as_sdt=0&as_vis=1&oi=scholart I have been practicing … Continue reading

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Cytokine Pain Diseases

Chronic diseases with negative “blood work” might in fact be  a cytokine inflammation disease. Moderate fibromyalgia has now be found to be a cytokine inspired disease. I wrote about importance of cytokines 12 years ago: Cytokine Inflammation Diseases Will Be … Continue reading

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Mouse Explains Why Some Marijuana Products Not Work Well

I have found for years that pure cannabinoid (CBD) seemed to have little impact in significant = more likely neuropathic pain.  I tired to get subjects to at least have 1/4 portion of THC but elderly subjects would have nothing … Continue reading

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Chronic Back Pain – Antibiotics and Pamidronate +/- Steroids

Now that it looks like Rheumatoid Arthritis could be infection driven, the benefits in a study of Clavulin (amoxicilin + clavulanic acid) needs revisiting. It has been know for a long time that certain antibiotics have “anti-inflammatory properties”. Now it … Continue reading

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Bacteria at Heart of Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Recent Study found a strain of previously unrecognized strain of Subdoligranulum in gut was associated with Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) autoantibodies. This bacterium, if introduced into guts of mice, replicated the arthritis seen in humans. This strain is only seen in RA victims. … Continue reading

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My College is a Pain in the Ass – My Reply to Them and Why They No Longer Call Themselves “Educational”

Our medical college has taken upon themselves the task of antagonizing doctors to point many clinic will no longer even prescribe opioids. They called their program “educational” but demanded doctors respond to them is 2 weeks or else face discipline. … Continue reading

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Buprenophine and Pregabalin Combo For Chronic Back Pain

Most drugs have little effect on back pain or back pain with sciatica. Surprisingly, a combination of Buprenophine and Pregabalin did seem to make a difference in milder back pain cases.

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Testosterone Effective in Widespread Pains/ Fibromylagia

I have tested testosterone levels in my chronic pain female patients and found none of them had any detectable levels; they should have some. Supplementation helps.

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Pamidronate Works Again in the Back – This Time For the Worst – Spinal Stenosis

Spinal stensois is a horrible disease often thought that surgery is the only outlet (though steroid blocks might have some “limited” effect).  Now again pamidronate has been shown to stem tide of pain with a mean improvement of 40%. Not … Continue reading

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Chronic Diarrhea – Stool Testing For Ova and Parasite Gone Bad and “Plan B”

People who come in with recently developed chronic diarrhea are a challenge. Reliance on stool tests might be suspect if just relying on Ova and Parasite micro exam. Given excretion is episodic, O&P testing by microscopy  would miss 39% of amebiasis … Continue reading

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Moron Studies in Pain

Studies of too little, too short or too narrow a scope are associated with poor outcome and I am accumulating a list of poorly done studies as I am just fed up. I hope authors take note. I will take … Continue reading

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Malassezia Fungus Makes News Again With Peptic Ulcers

Malassezia seen in brains of Alzheimer’s: Front Aging Neurosci. 2018 May 24;10:159. doi: 10.3389/fnagi.2018.00159 Infection of Fungi and Bacteria in Brain Tissue From Elderly Persons and Patients With Alzheimer’s Disease. Alonso R et al. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5976758/ “the fungal genera more prevalent … Continue reading

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Why is Metformin’s Magical Effects on Chronic Pain a Secret?

Selecting people with mildly abnormal hemoglobin A1C (prediabetic), authors found the introduction of Metformin 500 mg twice daily could dramatically relieve widespread pains. Article had to be pulled because consents were iffy and they didn’t have enough in “control group” … Continue reading

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What is Time Course of Vertebral Fracture Pain?

At least in low back, it looks like after 3 months, it gets as good as it gets.. Almost 1/3 might end up poorly so thoughts of IV pamidronate or vertebro/kypho plasty might need consideration.

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Failed Post-Cervical Laminectomy Fusion Pains -What can you do?

Failed cervical laminectomy/fusions are considered a difficult situation. Epidurals are difficult. and rhizotomies might fail. Usually a cervical spinal cord stimulator is considered impossible due to scarring. However, in this case. a cervical spinal cord stimulator was much easier placed … Continue reading

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New Genetic Determinant of Neuropathic Pain – Chromosome 12q23.1

We are all faced with patients that have pain are above what they should have and have pondered genetic causes.  Genetic Variant at Chromosome 12q23.1 increases chances by odds ratio 1.68 of neuropathic pain. Is a mitochondrial phosphate carrier and … Continue reading

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What Mattress Works Best to Prevent Back Pain?

Review of multiple studies found no surprises: “a medium-firm mattress promotes comfort, sleep quality and rachis alignment.”

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Methadone – Is It Better Than Morphine?

Brazilian study compared morphine 47.4 +/-  57.6 to methadone 62.1 */- 15.5 and suggested methadone was 20% better. However, there are some problems with study.

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Treating Tooth Infection Early

I have had my share of tooth infections and this is what I have learned so far: 1) Once it’s abscessed nothing works but a root canal or extraction 2) early on, regular dosed antibiotics do nothing. There are options … Continue reading

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Evista / Raloxifen For Fibromyalgia Pain and Fatigue – Why Has No One Confirmed It?

Raloxifen is a estrogen look alike used for osteoporosis. Is is similar to tamoxifen so helps to prevent breast cancer. Like birth control pills, has a slight stroke risk. I have a relative who had been on raloxifen for Osteoporosis. … Continue reading

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Quadratus Lumborum Post IsometricTreatment

Techniques involving post isometric relation stretching of Quadratus Lumborum clinic use.                                                            (Travell & Simon)

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Gabapentin Fails Again – Does Not Work in Chronic Pelvic Pains

While gabapentin might work in post herpetic neuralgia and diabetic neuropathy, it does not work well in spinal pains/sciaticas and so forth. Now it has been shown not to work in chronic pelvic pains as well.

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