Here are some important things you may not know about chronic pain: • According to the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, people who have fibromyalgia are 3.4 times more likely to develop major depression than individuals without fibromyalgia. • Most people with fibromyalgia are women (Female: Male ratio 7:1). However, men and children also can have the disorder. (National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention) • Though arthritis is often thought to be more common among older patients, nearly two-thirds of arthritis patients are younger than 65. (The National Arthritis Action Plan) • Over half of adults…

Have you ever had pain that you couldn’t explain? As I’m getting (slightly) older, I have more random pain that just seems to appear on its own. And while I do expect some unexplained aches and pains, many people have pain that isn’t related to the aging process – yet their doctors are unable to locate the source of the pain or to provide treatment that brings adequate relief. The less diligent doctor will stop at this point and say that the pain is “all in the patient’s head,” while the better doctors will look further for both the causes…

Thyroid disorders were rarely discussed by lay people until Oprah spoke out about the topic in 2007, shedding light on a critically important issue. And why is the thyroid so important? The thyroid produces hormones that regulate many of the body’s metabolic functions. More and more research is surfacing that connects them to various conditions and diseases. For instance, thyroid disorders can disrupt sleep, mood and mental sharpness, and cause weight gain or loss. The problem is that thyroid disorders are often undiagnosed. There are a variety of reasons for that, but one problem is that environmental toxins disguise it’s…

Autism – just the word causes panic in parents everywhere. When I was growing up, polio had a similar effect.  But the vaccine for polio has been found, while work on the prevention and treatment autism is still continuing feverously. To the horror of families with an autistic child, the scientific community can offer little in the way of reassurances. The main reason for this stems from the lack of agreement over the causes of the disorder.  And without knowing the causes, it’s pretty difficult to design treatments. without knowing the causes, it’s pretty difficult to design treatments. We can…

What do you think of when you hear the term “burnt out?” These days, everyone seems to be stressed. The strains of balancing work, relationships, family and recreation can be overwhelming and exhausting. But burnout is different – suffering from long-term fatigue, stress, and disinterest is life altering. In May, a new study was published in the Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine called “Take charge: Patients’ experiences during participation in a rehabilitation programme for burnout.” Eighteen patients with burnout committed to a one-year rehabilitation program. They were separated into two groups. One group used only Qigong as a rehabilitation method, and…

Our lifestyle choices can create direct routes to conditions like inflammation. Even more recently, information linking psychoneuroimmunology and depression with stress and obesity has surfaced.