Yes to Pain Relief

Discover Your Most Effective Fibromyalgia Treatment

Discover Your Most Effective Fibromyalgia Treatment

By:  Dana Walters, RN, MBA

 For over a decade I have lived with fibromyalgia, so I encourage alternative pain treatments as most fibromyalgia research is based on treating symptoms with medications that have long term side effects.  It is important to take charge of your own pain and find healthy alternatives to deal with it.  Many people have cured themselves and though not all treatments are effective for each person, it is worth a try.  Most physicians focus on the approved list of medications to treat symptoms whether they are effective or not. If they are treating symptoms, then why can’t you do it too?  There are more healthy alternatives like far infrared heat in addition to cold gel wraps. 

Sadly, physicians who specialize in any research may have the very best intentions for finding a cure, but they have to primarily focus on medication studies for pharmaceutical companies as a necessity to pay their staffs.  This means they can only devote a small amount of research to find the source of the problem.

Medications to be approved have to be better than the placebo, but how much better? You could potentially spend most of your income on products that barely make any difference, which may result in permanent health damage.  It is important to remember that most medications must clear through the kidneys or liver primarily.

I recall meeting one lady at COSTCO who spoke highly of her pain doctor.  The only problem now she said was that her kidneys and liver are having significant problems after all those years of fighting pain with medications.  One has to consider the tradeoff.  I also met a man who had such severe pain from childhood from a genetic bone deformity that he had spent his whole childhood taking the strongest pain medications available.  One day, he just decided he would let the natural chemicals his own body produces like endorphins, be his pain treatment.  He never took another medication for pain.

In hospitals, nurses get concerned about patients in acute pain because their blood pressure rises and they could go into shock, but for those of us in chronic pain our bodies have adapted and are unlikely to die from the pain.  However, we could from medication side effects.  Medication side effects are a leading cause of death.  Listen to the things they say as quickly as possible after the ads for medications on TV and you will know why. 

What company would want to cure fibromyalgia when it is more profitable to treat its symptoms?  I have met numerous people who have overcome major medical diseases by improving their health habits.  If you want, you can go to www.rawfamily.org and you will find a mother who had a 9 year old son with Type 1 Diabetes, a daughter who had severe asthma, a husband slated for death, and who herself was severely ill.  She changed the family diet and they all recovered their health.  Another great resource for health is a book called “Water: For Health, for Healing, for Life: You’re Not Sick, You’re Thirsty!” by F. Batmanghelidj who is a physician that was locked in a prisoner of war camp who successfully treated people with only water and salt to assist him.  Maybe we won’t have a cure in our lifetimes, but the more we take care of what our body needs the more success we will have living with fibromyalgia or any other disease or syndrome.   

Pain is like the oil light on your car.  If you cover it up with black electrical tape the light will stop bothering you, but one day you will hear a loud knocking noise and your engine will be destroyed.  Therefore, I have a suggestion for you, which is stop covering up the pain signal and try to find out why it keeps going on.   I recommend that you use a far infrared sauna that you can lay down in.  You can find one at www.yestopainrelief.com. I prefer the dome sauna for fibromyalgia as it allows you to completely rest the muscles. I also use the Mueller cold packs that you can wrap around parts of your body in pain.  Just keep a few packs in your freezer and you will always have one ready.  I purchased mine at Wal-Mart.  It is helpful to alternate heat and cold as needed. 

Fibromyalgia is a diagnosis of elimination, but it is rare that anyone goes through the whole elimination process.  I personally recommend considering getting a sleep study to be sure you do not have restless leg syndrome or sleep apnea.  Either problem can guarantee that you will be achy all day long due to poor quality sleep.  Make sure your vitamin D levels have been checked as such a deficiency can mimic fibromyalgia pain.  Read articles and books on the leading edge of health science.  Do not depend on the normal ranges given on the test results as pure science is far ahead of standard medical practice.  Be a detective and study the methods others have used to overcome pain and try whatever you can, but never ever give up.  Do not be afraid of pain, because there are more ways to deal with it than we have ever had in the history of the world. Lay down in an activated far infrared dome sauna and you will understand there is hope for pain relief.

Successful Use of Infrared in Wound Healing

By Dana Walters, RN, MBA

Susan Hunter, MSN, RN et al., The Use of Monochromatic Infrared Energy in Wound Management, Advances in Skin and Wound Care, May 2007: 265-266.

Approximately 4 million US citizens have chronic non-healing wounds.  There is a 7.3% annual incident of new diabetic foot wounds among the Medicare-aged population reported in the Adv Skin Wound Care 2004;17:295-300.  

One poster at the 2005 Clinical Symposium on Advances in Skin and Wound Care presented four patients who had non-healing wounds from 6 months to 12 years.  In every case the patients received infrared treatments that were over 30 minutes in duration two to five times per week, coupled with a topical treatment of the clinician’s choice.  In each case the results were decreased pain, edema, and infection with decreased hospitalization.  The wounds increased in wound contraction and granulation consistently.

The light emitted from infrared goes below the surface of the skin to be absorbed by the target tissue.  This stimulates the tissues to increase blood flow, releasing nitric oxide which augments collagen formation to assist in wound healing.  As new blood vessels progressively develop, the wounds do not recur. The only known contradiction is for those who have active cancer or who are pregnant.  This treatment is cost-effective, safe and non-invasive.   

Low Level Heat More Effective Than Acetaminophen or Ibuprofen for Lower Back Pain

Low Level Heat More Effective Than Acetaminophen or Ibuprofen for Lower Back Pain

By Dana Walters, RN, MBA

Continuous low level heat-wrap therapy similar to that seen in Thermotex plug-in and Venture rechargeable products have been found to provide significantly greater pain relief than what is provided by a placebo (1,4).  In fact, they provide better pain relief than provided by either acetaminophen at 1 gram four times a day (common brand name Tylenol) or ibuprofen 400 mg three times per day (common brand name Advil) (2,3).  While acetaminophen at high doses is dangerous to the liver and a leading cause of liver failure, and ibuprofen is known to lead to ulcers, no dangerous side effects are yet known with low level heatwraps.  In one study, it was demonstrated that the pain relief from low level heat continued for several days after the treatment period (5) suggesting that the low-level heatwraps have an accumulative therapeutic effect.

Both Thermotex and Venture are products that produce low level far infrared heat.  This type of heat penetrates much deeper to the source of pain to stimulate circulation for the purpose of healing.  You can find out more about these healthy pain relieving heat-wraps at www.yestopainrelief.com.

1. Weingand KW et al, Continuous low-level heat therapy is effective for treating low back pain.  Proceedings, The Paper presented at the meeting of Back Pain and Disability:  Unraveling the Puzzle; New York, December 2000. Poster No. 6.
2. Nadler SF, et al, Continuous low level heat wrap therapy provides more efficacy than Ibuprofen and acetaminophen for acute low back pain.  Spine, 2002;27:1012-1017.
3. Nadler SF et al, Overnight use of continuous low-level heatwrap therapy for relief of low back pain.  Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2003;84:335-342.
4. Nadler SF et al, Continuous low-level heatwrap therapy for treating acute nonspecific low back pain.  Arch Phys Med Rehabil.  2003;84:329-334.
5. Lurie-Luke E et al, An exploratory workplace study to investigate the perceived value of continuous low-level heatwrap therapy in manual workers.  Occp Med (Lond). 2003;53:173-178

Vitamin D Deficiency Reasons for Pain

Ruling Out Possible Vitamin D Deficiency Reasons for Pain
By Dana Walters, RN, MBA

Studies Regarding Vitamin D for Chronic Pain Resolution

My brother and his wife take high levels of Vitamin D under medical supervision. My brother’s wife stated that pain so common in fibromyalgia (where you hit the floor with your feet hurting) no longer happens to her. In fact, she said her pain level has significantly improved and she can move more freely. My mother also was prescribed it, and recently my niece stated that she was found low in Vitamin D, which her doctor thought was contributing to her pain. What they all have in common is chronic pain.

A 2008 review of 22 clinical studies in “Practical Pain Management,” (July/August 2008 in an article entitled “Vitamin D for Chronic Pain”) found that “the percentage of patients with pain, having inadequate vitamin D concentrations ranged from 48% to 100%, depending on the patient selection and the definition of 25(OH) D ‘deficiency’. In most cases, <20ng/mL, was used as the threshold of deficiency.” What this means is that “vitamin D deficiency and its potential association with osteomalacia (softening of the bones) should be considered in the differential diagnosis of all patients with chronic neuromuscular pain, muscle weakness or fatigue, fibromyalgia, or chronic pain syndrome.”

What Does Vitamin D Have to Do With Pain?

Some claim vitamin D is mislabeled a vitamin as it acts more like a pro-hormone with its own receptors found in practically every human tissue. Besides the tissues and bones, vitamin D receptors have been found in the heart, pancreas, breast, prostrate, lymphocytes and other tissues suggesting it has application in the treatment of many disorders. Vitamin D is essential in the absorption of calcium from the intestines and it sustains a wide range of functions throughout the body. Research indicates that vitamin D may affect the function of up to 1,000 different genes controlling cell growth or differentiation.

While in children a vitamin D deficiency is associated with Rickets. In adults, a vitamin D deficiency may cause a dysfunction in bone metabolism, which can lead to osteomalacia (softening of the bones). This is the explanation for why patients with low vitamin D have dull persistent, generalized aches, pains and weakness. Radiographic changes associated with osteomalacia are only seen in advanced stages so it is best to diagnosis and treat it before too much damage occurs. The elderly are less able to convert sunlight into the metabolites of vitamin D through their skin so they are more prone to fractures. If you have loved ones in institutional settings, where exposure to sunlight in adequate doses is a common issue, get them tested for vitamin D deficiency.

Blood Tests You or Your Doctor Can Order

The most important test for vitamin D deficiency is circulating 25(OH) D concentrations in the serum as it reflects both D2 plus D3 intake. Measuring 1,25(OH) D is not recommended, as it is a poor and misleading indicator. You may also ask for your parathyroid levels. If you do not have a doctor, there are several labs that can do the tests on your order. In Texas, some labs will take lab orders directly from patients but you have to pay for the tests yourself. One such lab is HEALTHCHECKUSA at (210) 829-1159. Nationwide there are many labs that can do testing at patient request such at the Life Extension Foundation which you can reach via the Internet at www.lef.org or by calling (800) 226-2370 for a health advisor. It is normally less expensive to get the test done through a pay as you go lab than if you have to pay in a doctor’s office.

Do not expect your physician to be an expert regarding vitamin D. I recommend that you bring the following articles from the Internet with you to help the doctor. From the Linus Pauling Institute you can get a well-referenced article on vitamin D at http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/vitamins/vitaminD. Several important pain related research articles concerning pain and vitamin D could be found at

http://pain-topics.org/clinical_concepts/vitamind.php.

Keep in mind three things regarding lab testing:
1. Not all labs use the same criteria for vitamin D deficiency
2. Blood for vitamin D has to be frozen to send out and how it is thawed can affect results
3. Most medical professionals depend on the vitamin D lab results just as they are -without additional critical evaluation. Therefore, you need to see the results and do your own research to be certain both adequate doses are taken and appropriate follow-up is done so you do not overdue the dosing. Too much vitamin D over time can result in excess deposits of calcium, which is one of the main ingredients of the plaque in your blood vessels as well as kidney stones. Your body controls calcium within narrow limits so you can get too much vitamin D.

How Long Would Treatment Take Before Pain is Relieved?

Muscle pain may take 6 months to improve but muscle weakness and fatigue may take longer. Vasquez and colleagues recommended 5 to 7 months are needed to fully access the effectiveness of Vitamin D therapy.

Mechanism of Vitamin D Production in Our Bodies

The suns UVB rays make (suggest the word – create instead of “make”) vitamin D from a chemical located in our skin. This vitamin D travels to the liver where it is again converted by an enzyme to a storage form of vitamin D stored mostly in the liver, but (also)some in fat tissues (as well). [The next step is the most crucial] as the vitamin D metabolite is converted within the kidneys into 1,25 D metabolite that does most of the work for the body. The parathyroid gland controls vitamin D production.

After 20 to 30 minutes in strong sunlight with UVB exposure, a healthy white complexion person manufactures vitamin D needed and then stops the production based on the bodies needs. Once the active 1,25 D metabolite is formed it only lasts six to eight hours, while storage vitamin D survives for twenty days or more.

For those of darker skin and the elderly, the amount of time needed in the sun is greater. It is more difficult for those of darker skin and the elderly to acquire adequate vitamin D from sun exposure so they tend to be more deficient. UVB rays do not pass through glass so it is important to actually go outside. In one US study 42% of African American women between 15 to 49 years of age were vitamin D deficient compared to 4% of white women. So it is very important for African American women to be tested for vitamin D deficiency.

The Question of the Dangers of UV Rays

While some schools of thought promote using the sun to create vitamin D as the best method (as then your body can better regulate how much is stored or used), others advise avoiding the UV rays of the sun. The truth is that the amount of UV rays reaching the earth is now increasing as the protective layer of ozone is decreasing.

Overexposure to UV rays can cause irreparable skin damage in the form of winkled leathery skin or skin cancer. UVB rays are needed for the creation on vitamin D for the body. Because pollution has damaged the ozone layer, it is difficult to know how much time anyone really needs in the sun. Both, your location on the earth and the amount of pigment you have in your skin, determine how long you can safely stay in the sun. Just find the safest combination of sun and food or supplements best for you.

How Much Vitamin D Is Recommended to Correct Its Deficiency?

According to the “The China Study” by T. Colin Campbell, “under optimal conditions, sunshine exposure alone can supply all the vitamin D that we need to produce the all-important 1,25 D at the right time.” “If you know how much sunshine causes a slight redness of your skin one-fourth of this amount provided two to three times a week, is more than adequate to meet our vitamin D needs and to store some in our liver and body fat.”

Stewart Leavitt, PhD recommends (in “Vitamin D for Chronic Pain”) a conservative dosing protocol of adding a daily supplement of 2,000 IU to a daily multi-vitamin regime bringing the total to 2,400 IU to 2,800 IU. The Linus Pauling Institute recommends generally healthy people take 2,000 IU of vitamin D daily. Numerous sources cite recommendations in this range but the RDA is significantly lower. The RDA is based on the minimal level, not the optimal level and people are unique in their vitamin and mineral requirements. For those in chronic pain there is speculation that the dose most effective could be higher.

Form of Vitamin D Recommended

If taken in a supplement, Stewart Leavitt, PhD recommends taking only vitamin D3 (also called cholecalciferol).

Counterproductive Conditions to Vitamin D Creation

According to T. Collin Campbell, PhD, in his book “The China Study,” “Animal protein containing foods creates an over acidic environment in the blood that blocks the kidney enzyme from producing the vitamin D metabolite 1,25 D.” Another challenge is that as blood calcium goes up, 1,25 D goes down and as blood calcium goes down, 1,25 D goes up. Therefore, too much animal protein and too much calcium reduce the blood levels of vitamin D. He points out that cow’s milk is high in both protein and calcium so he recommends avoiding it.

Caution About Taking Too Much Vitamin D

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin so that it does accumulate in the fat tissues and can build up to toxic levels. The US Office of Dietary Supplements notes that hypercalcemia can result from taking 50,000 IU/day or more taken for an extended period of time.

What Medications Can Cause Vitamin D Deficiency?

In “The 24-Hour Pharmacist” by Suzy Cohen, R.Ph. the medications that can contribute to Vitamin D deficiency are:

· Acid-reducing drugs (ranitidine, cimetidine, famotidine)
· Antacids
· Colestipol
· Laxatives containing aluminum hydroxide or magnesium
hydroxide
· Mineral oil
· Orlistat
· Seizure medications (phenytoin, primidine, ethosuximide, carbamazepine)
· Steriods (dexamthosone, hydrocortisone, flutiasone, methylprednisolne, prednisone)

Summary

Several studies have linked chronic pain to vitamin D deficiency. The most important test for Vitamin D deficiency is circulating 25(OH) D concentrations in the serum as it reflects both D2 plus D3 intake. The best form of vitamin D to take is D3 and the dose recommended for healthy people by the Linus Pauling Institute is 2,000 IU per day.

The sun can provide vitamin D through converting sunlight into vitamin D but many factors can interfere with someone getting enough vitamin D safely. The best measure to use is to retest until you know you have a regime that gives you enough to stay healthy without having too much. It is always best to consult your health care provider as some medical conditions and medications prohibit taking vitamin D supplements.

Key References:

Leavitt, MA, PhD., Stewart, “Vitamin D for Chronic Pain” July/August 2008, Practical Pain Management,

Campbell, PhD. T. Collin, Campbell II, Thomas M, The China Study, First BenBella Books, Dallas, TX, January 2005.

Higdon PhD., Jane, Drake PhD, Victoria J., “Vitamin D”, Linus Pauling Institute, lpi.oregonstate.edu/inforcenter/vitamins/vitaminD

Cohen, R.Ph., Suzy. The 24-Hour Pharmacist, Harper Collins, New York, NY 2007.

Tags: 25(OH) D Deficiency, chronic pain, Neuromuscular Pain, Osteomalacia, The Role of Vitamin D Deficiency in Chronic Pain, Vitamin D, Vitamin D blood level testing, Vitamin D Underlying Some Pain Issues

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Wound Healing

PubMed
Exp Biol Med (Maywood). 2003 Jun;228(6):724-9

Promotive effects of far-infrared ray on full-thickness skin wound healing in rats.

Toyokawa H, Matsui Y, Uhara J, Tsuchiya H, Teshima S, Nakanishi H, Kwon AH, Azuma Y, Nagaoka T, Ogawa T, Kamiyama Y.

First Department of Surgery and Regeneration Research Center for Intractable Diseases, Kansai Medical University, Moriguchi City, Osaka, 570-8507, Japan.

The biological effects of far-infrared ray (FIR) on whole organisms remain poorly understood. The aim of our study was to investigate not only the hyperthermic effect of the FIR irradiation, but also the biological effects of FIR on wound healing. To evaluate the effect of FIR on a skin wound site, the speed of full-thickness skin wound healing was compared among groups with and without FIR using a rat model. We measured the skin wound area, skin blood flow, and skin temperature before and during FIR irradiation, and we performed histological inspection.

Wound healing was significantly more rapid with than without FIR. Skin blood flow and skin temperature did not change significantly before or during FIR irradiation. Histological findings revealed greater collagen regeneration and infiltration of fibroblasts that expressed transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) in wounds in the FIR group than in the group without FIR. Stimulation of the secretion of TGF-beta1 or the activation of fibroblasts may be considered as a possible mechanisms for the promotive effect of FIR on wound healing independent of skin blood flow and skin temperature.

Tags: far-infrared, healing, promotive effects, wound healing

Thermal Therapy for patients with chronic fatigue…

PubMed
J Psychosom Res. 2005 Apr;58(4):383-7

The effects of repeated thermal therapy for two patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Masuda A, Kihara T, Fukudome T, Shinsato T, Minagoe S, Tei C.

Respiratory and Stress Care Center, Kagoshima University Hospital, 8-35-1 Sakuragaoka, Kagoshima 890-8520, Japan. masudaak@m.kufm.kagoshima-u.ac.jp

OBJECTIVE: This paper describes the successful treatment of two patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) using repeated thermal therapy.

METHODS: Two patients with CFS underwent treatment with prednisolone (PSL), with no satisfactory effect. They were subjected to thermal therapy that consisted of a far-infrared ray dry sauna at 60 degrees C and postsauna warming. The therapy was performed once a day, for a total of 35 sessions. After discharge, these subjects continued the therapy once or twice a week on an outpatient basis for 1 year.

RESULTS: Symptoms such as fatigue, pain, sleep disturbance, and low-grade fever were dramatically improved after 15 to 25 sessions of thermal therapy. Although PSL administration was discontinued, the subjects showed no relapse or exacerbation of symptoms during the first year after discharge. The patients became socially rehabilitated 6 months after discharge.

CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that repeated thermal therapy might be a promising method for the treatment of CFS.

Tags: chronic fatique, syndrome, thermal therapy, two people

The effects of repeated thermal therapy for chronic pain

PubMed
Psychother Psychosom. 2005;74(5):288-94

The effects of repeated thermal therapy for patients with chronic pain.

Masuda A, Koga Y, Hattanmaru M, Minagoe S, Tei C. Nishi Kyusyu University, Saga, Japan. masudaak@m.kufm.kagoshima-u.ac.jp

BACKGROUND: It has been reported that local thermal therapy with a hot pack or paraffin relieves pain. We hypothesized that systemic warming may decrease pain and improve the outcomes in patients with chronic pain. The purpose of this study was to clarify the effects of systemic thermal therapy in patients with chronic pain.

METHODS: Group A (n = 24) patients with chronic pain were treated by a multidisciplinary treatment including cognitive behavioral therapy, rehabilitation, and exercise therapy, whereas group B (n = 22) patients were treated by a combination of multidisciplinary treatment and repeated thermal therapy. A far-infrared ray dry sauna therapy and post-sauna warming were performed once a day for 4 weeks during hospitalization. We investigated the improvements in subjective symptoms, the number of pain behavior after treatment and outcomes 2 years after discharge.

RESULTS: The visual analog pain score, number of pain behavior, self-rating depression scale, and anger score significantly decreased after treatment in both groups. After treatment, the number of pain behavior was slightly smaller (p = 0.07) and anger score was significantly lower in group B than those in group A (p = 0.05). Two years after treatment, 17 patients (77%) in group B returned to work compared with 12 patients (50%) in group A (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION: These results suggest that a combination of multidisciplinary treatment and repeated thermal therapy may be a promising method for treatment of chronic pain. Copyright 2005 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Tags: chronic pain, thermal therapy

Repeated thermal therapy dimishes appetite loss…

PubMed
Psychosom Med. 2005 Jul-Aug;67(4):643-7

Repeated thermal therapy diminishes appetite loss and subjective complaints in mildly depressed patients.

Masuda A, Nakazato M, Kihara T, Minagoe S, Tei C.

Psychosomatic Medicine, Respiratory and Stress Care center, Kagoshima University Hospital, Kagoshima City, Japan. masudaak@m.kufm.kagoshima-u.ac.jp

OBJECTIVE: We observed that repeated thermal therapy improved appetite loss and general well-being in patients with chronic heart failure. The purpose of this study is to clarify the effects of repeated thermal therapy in mildly depressed patients with appetite loss and subjective complaints.

METHODS: Twenty-eight mildly depressed inpatients with general fatigue, appetite loss, and somatic and mental complaints were randomly assigned to thermal therapy group (n = 14) or nonthermal therapy group (n = 14). Patients in the thermal therapy group were treated with 60 degrees C far-infrared ray dry sauna for 15 minutes and were then kept at bed rest with a blanket for 30 minutes once a day, 5 days a week for a total of 20 sessions in 4 weeks.

RESULTS: Four weeks after admission, somatic complaints, hunger, and relaxation scores significantly improved (p < .001, p < .0001, p < .0001, respectively) and mental complaints slightly improved (p = .054) in the thermal therapy group compared with the nonthermal therapy group. Furthermore, the plasma ghrelin concentrations and daily caloric intake in the thermal therapy group significantly increased compared with the nonthermal therapy group (p < .05).

CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that repeated thermal therapy may be useful for mildly depressed patients with appetite loss and subjective complaints.

Tags: improved eating, thermal therapy

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