Whiplash describes a range of injuries as a result of a sudden distortion of the neck from hyperflexion and hyperextension.1 It is one of the most common non-fatal car crash injuries with approximately one million whiplash incidents on our roads each year, and many more which are unreported.2 It is also estimated that 6.2% of… Read more »
Pain Management
Hemorrhoids: a real pain for approximately 10 million Americans! Though approximately 38% of us have hemorrhoids, only 4% will have symptoms which may include bleeding, protrusion, discomfort and pain. Hemorrhoids are actually tissue rich in blood vessels that, when engorged with blood, act as cushions to help protect the anal canal from injury during a… Read more »
Chicken Pox (varicella zoster virus) is a common disease which typically infects children 5 to 10 years of age. The initial infection usually provides a patient with a lifetime of immunity against chickenpox, even with further exposure to the virus. The primary infection persists about 2 weeks and causes eruptions on the face and body… Read more »
Helen Davis has suffered with arthritis for 20 years. She is on two different medications for two types of arthritis, yet has seen the condition progress. This past January, she had an arthritic flare up that left her totally helpless. Her family feared for her life. “I have always been healthy and active,” she proudly… Read more »
The painful and irritating condition we commonly call “sciatica” is also known as sciatic neuritis, sciatic neuralgia, or lumbar radiculopathy. It involves one of five spinal nerve roots of the sciatic nerve which is the longest and widest single nerve in the body. It begins in the lumbar spine (lower back) from the spinal nerves… Read more »
I’d like to share a story about a woman with whom I recently worked who was struggling with severe back pain. We will call her Susan. Susan was diagnosed with herniated discs (disc bulges) as well as spondylolisthesis (vertebrae slipping on each other). She had excellent medical care with anti-inflammatories, pain management and injections. Yet… Read more »
Pain, stress or limited motion keeps you from achieving optimal results and benefits from your sport. Pain and muscular tension interfere with your mobility on the tennis court or the swing of your golf club, reducing your performance, endurance and enjoyment. Do you wake up the day after golfing, biking or playing tennis with stiffness,… Read more »
In my 39 + years of practice, I have worked with hundreds of patients who have suffered from chronic headaches and migraines. Their common solution is to relieve symptoms with pain medication that “makes their headache go away.” But it does not solve the cause of their condition and soon their pain returns. Often it… Read more »
If you have ever suffered with a migraine headache or seen someone who has, you know firsthand how debilitating the pain can be. Migraines can occur anywhere from once or twice a year to several times per month. The cost of treating migraine patients in the United States is estimated at $13 – $17 billion… Read more »
Picture being on the 8th hole with your friends playing one of your favorite desert courses on a warm sunny day, when all of a sudden you feel a sharp pain in your back from trying to sink an 18-foot putt. Holding your back and in obvious pain, you can’t move. You look back in… Read more »
Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS) is a painful condition predominantly involving muscles, and the most common cause of chronic, widespread musculoskeletal pain. A diagnosis includes at least 11 of 18 specific tender points that hurt when pressed (with no reference pain elsewhere). The tender points must be present in all four quadrants of the body for more… Read more »
If your aching back is keeping you off the course, it doesn’t have to. Desert Health® recently spoke with Dr. David Duffner, orthopedic surgeon and medical director of Desert Regional Medical Center’s Institute of Clinical Orthopedics & Neurosciences (ICON) to determine what you should do if back pain is keeping you from the game you… Read more »
Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain disorder that is difficult to treat by traditional methods. There is no test that confirms this diagnosis, which is based upon the following clinical criteria:1 widespread musculoskeletal pain for at least 3 months and2 excess tenderness in at least 11 of 18 predefined anatomic sites, 9 on each side of… Read more »
Fibromylagia is a condition characterized by fatigue, body pain, sleep difficulties, and depression. To date, there are limited, successful treatment options to fully relieve the symptoms. The lack of successful treatment options is thoroughly frustrating to individuals with fibromyalgia. From a naturopathic perspective, the first part of a successful treatment program is to address the… Read more »
An interview with Dr. Gerald B. Weiss, board-certified neurologist and pain management specialist What is the first step if you think you suffer from migraines? When patients come to me, we do a complete neurological evaluation to diagnose the pain as a migraine on a clinical basis. If a patient has not had an MRI… Read more »
An Interview with Albert Lai, M.D. Back pain is the second most common reason for a visit to the doctor’s office.[sup]1[/sup] If you are one who suffers from a lower back condition, you may be interested to learn about the latest options to alleviate pain. Desert Health[sup]®[/sup] sat down with Dr. Albert Lai of Desert… Read more »
Pain is the most common reason people go to see their doctor. More than 75% of American adults experience at least one episode of low back pain during their lifetime. Although it is more common than heart disease, diabetes and cancer combined, it is the least understood disease doctors treat. It is not surprising when… Read more »
The latest in pain management medicine focuses on promoting the body’s natural healing process before turning to surgical repair or pain medications. The treatment is called Prolotherapy. Prolotherapy is a procedure that promotes the proliferation (growth) of new tissue in areas of damage. By stimulating the body’s inflammatory response around the injury, the body’s natural… Read more »
