Chronic back pain is on the increase. It is estimated that 80% of adults will at some time have chronic low back pain. Additionally, other estimates indicate that any one time, 10% of the adult population has back pain, up from 4% about 15 years ago. Recently studies have suggested that treatments such as extended opioid use or treatment with antidepressants do not have any long term benefit.
The increase in the incidence of low back pain is probably due to our sedentary lifestyles, terrible posture and generally being out of shape. Since treatment options are so limited for most people be kind to your back. Don’t be like one of my brothers who cannot stand for very long before he is in severe pain, finds driving painful and is generally in pain most of the time. It has really affected his quality of life.
Fibromyalgia is a common disease. It is characterized by pain throughout the body. There is a heightened sensitivity to touch. For many sufferers even a gentle touch can be quite painful. There is often a range of other symptoms, including fatigue, pins and needles, muscle spasms, bowel problems, sleep problems and brain fog. Recently there has been evidence that fibromyalgia is a central nervous system disorder.
Now one finding suggests that for some an area of the brain called the hippocampus may be involved in fibromyalgia. Researchers suggest that stress can lead to an increased excitability in the hippocampus. This increased excitability leads to a heightened perception of pain. Perhaps if there is some way to quiet the hippocampus the symptoms of fibromyalgia may recede.
Another finding suggests there may increased blood flow in some areas of the brain, and decreased blood flow in other areas. This may result in hypersensitivity.
Perhaps one or both of these may be the reason for the pain of those with fibromyalgia.
Besides giving hope to fibromyalgia suffers, to know that there are biological reasons for the symptoms is helpful. Recent data suggests that fibromyalgia is disease.
photo credit: Paula G. Furió
[tags]pain, chronic low back pain, fibromyalgia, hippocampus, blood flow[/tags]
One Comment
The studies on narcotics suggest it is not an affective long-term treatment for Fibromyalgia because it does not reduce pain levels, but provides symptom only relief.
Many writers are misinformed about these studies. In other studies, done by research Universities in Canada as well as in the United States, Fibromyalgia patients have benefited from the use of narcotic pain medication. It has been shown to reduce cognitive impairment and help to supplement other medication regimens for patients with chronic pain.
There is definitely a use and need for prescription, doctor evaluated narcotic pain medication for long-term chronic pain patients. These articles that suggest otherwise based on one or two VERY small studies put patients at risk for being denied medications for necessary pain control.
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