March 2012
Ask The Doctors: March 2012
Subscribers Only Costochondritis is an irritation of the joints that connect the ribs to the breastbone. It is a form of arthritis, but it is not caused by wear and tear, as is osteoarthritis, or an underlying disease process, as is rheumatoid arthritis. Costochondritis usually results from some unaccustomed activity, such as lifting a heavy object, and results in chest pain that typically worsens with straining of the rib cage. The condition usually requires no specific treatment. Nonprescription medication (aspirin, acetaminophen, ibuprofen) and applying heat to the area may ease the pain. If possible, avoid any movements that aggravate the pain. Symptoms should subside within a few weeks.
Ovary Removal Linked to Bone-Thinning, Arthritis
Subscribers Only Having ovaries removed before age 45 is strongly associated with low bone density and arthritis in women in later years. Oncologists and epidemiologists at Johns Hopkins University examined the long-term effects of ovary removal on bone health in several thousand women since the procedure is recommended to reduce ovarian and breast cancer risk in those at high risk for these diseases. But the surgery has adverse effects, say Hopkins investigators.
How What You Eat Affects Your Pain
Subscribers Only The pathway to reducing or eliminating chronic pain through diet is indirect. Cutting back on certain foods related to pain-causing conditions can help, as can increasing your intake of other foods. Here are nine ways to do it. “Follow the Mediterranean style of eating or the DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, www.dashdiet.org),” suggests Andrea Dunn, RD, LD, CDE, a registered dietitian at Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Human Nutrition. “Both emphasize plant-based foods—such as vegetables, beans, lentils, whole grains—and low-fat dairy and fruit.”
Good Posture Is Essential for Joint Pain Relief
Subscribers Only The need for good posture never goes away. In fact, it becomes even more important as you age and develop age-related diseases, particularly arthritis. “When you maintain good posture, it puts the least amount of pressure on your joint surfaces and it allows them to work at their optimal level,” says Brenda Robbins, a McKenzie-credentialed spine physical therapist at Cleveland Clinic. “Proper posture puts the least amount of pressure on your body, allowing every part to take equal force as you move, and it protects your joints and muscles so you don’t have repetitive strain from the tasks that you do.
How Old Is Too Old for Joint Replacement?
Subscribers Only Trevor Murray, MD, has replaced joints in people in their late 80s. And, his colleagues in Cleveland Clinic’s Department of Orthopaedic Surgery have performed the operations on centenarians. These patients exemplify a growing philosophy in orthopaedic surgery: Age is no barrier to joint replacement. With advances in surgery, anesthesia, and pain management, nearly anyone who’s healthy enough is a candidate for a new knee, hip, or other joint—regardless of age.
Train Your Brain to Battle Your Pain
Subscribers Only Yogis, practitioners of yoga, have learned to quiet their minds, focus on their bodies, and control physiological functions that others cannot. They can slow their heart rate, reduce their blood pressure, and pinpoint problems in muscles and other areas and correct them. But not everyone can spend years developing these skills, so medical experts have taken a high-tech approach to help people learn them less onerously. It’s called biofeedback, and it may complement other treatments for chronic pain.
In The News: March 2012
Subscribers Only If you suffer from acute low back pain, your best remedy may be to stay active. Researchers at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, examined 109 patients with acute severe low back pain and advised them to 1) stay active even though it hurts, or 2) adjust their activity to the pain. They also were asked to keep a diary for seven days to note to what extent they could carry out daily activities and how they felt physically. In spite of experiencing more pain, the group that was asked to be as active as possible recovered more quickly. The other subjects, who had been advised to adjust their activity to their pain, were less mobile and felt slightly depressed.
Know Your Meds—the Good and Bad
Subscribers Only You depend on your medications to manage your pain and help get you through the day. But, the benefits you gain can come at a cost beyond your typical co-pay or deductible. With any drug comes the potential for side effects, some more severe than others. In some cases, patients are prescribed a second drug to manage the side effects from the first, a practice known as “drug cascading.” To avoid cascading and understand and minimize side effects, learn all you can about your medications, and know why you’re taking them.