Obesity commonly correlates with increased pain. One of the mechanisms for this is relatively straightforward; having central adiposity (fat around the stomach region) or being obese is associated with low-grade chronic inflammation, and this, in turn, is associated with a greater incidence and severity of chronic pain conditions. In the recent study authors (Song. et… Continue reading A high fat diet worsens post-operative pain and inflammation
Category: Chronic pain management
Relief with opioid discontinuation
Managing persistent or chronic pain is complex. Frequently there is a lack of objective reason for persistent pain yet it is real, personal and subjective and people with persistent pain are of then desperately seeking effective pain relief. I recently attended an “Explain Pain” course in Cairns (which was lovely and warm), which looks at… Continue reading Relief with opioid discontinuation
A new culprit in Type 2 Diabetes
Fat rather than sugar may be the most significant culprit in the development of diabetic neuropathy in Type 2 diabetics. Diabetic neuropathy is the most common complication of diabetes. It can occur anywhere but commonly in legs and feet leading to symptoms such as numbness, loss of sensation and pain. The accepted understanding of peripheral… Continue reading A new culprit in Type 2 Diabetes
You are what you eat in chronic pain
Over the last decade we have seen a flood of evidence linking a poor diet with chronic health conditions. But what about chronic pain? Until recently the role of diet in relation to chronic pain in most areas has been marginalised particularly when it comes to treatment strategy. However, we are now seeing some directly… Continue reading You are what you eat in chronic pain
Holistic Pain Management Podcast 2
This podcast is a follow up to Holistic Pain Management Part 1 and in it Andrew Whitfield-Cook and I discuss some of the treatment strategies that are employed as part of a holistic approach to chronic pain. Holistic Pain Management Part 2 From FxMedicine: "Chronic Pain affects around 15-20% of the population, with huge monetary… Continue reading Holistic Pain Management Podcast 2
Holistic Pain Management – Part 1
In this podcast I discuss the origins and assessment of chronic pain with Andrew Whitfield-Cook. It was important for me to get across that chronic pain persists for reasons beyond peripheral input. While that may be part of the issue, or even the origin, the reason chronic pain persists is about a myriad of factors… Continue reading Holistic Pain Management – Part 1
Negative expectations of pain
It might surprise you (or not!) to know that I was the only nutritionist/naturopath at the recent Australian Pain Society conference. The attendees were largely made up of pain researchers, physiotherapists and psychologists with some GPs thrown in to the mix. The attendees were representative of the biopsychosocial approach to chronic pain and accordingly within… Continue reading Negative expectations of pain
Imaging Tests don’t help low back pain
I recently attended the annual Australian Pain Society (APS) conference in Adelaide. A commonly agreed message from presenters is that once you have chronic pain, imaging does not help. Not only are X-rays, CT scans and MRIs not helpful in identifying the causes of chronic pain, but excessive use may also put patients at risk… Continue reading Imaging Tests don’t help low back pain
Sleep Deprivation & Chronic Pain
In this podcast with Audra Starkey aka The Healthy Shift Worker I talk about how chronic pain is essentially an oversensitive nervous system response. I also discuss how sleep and pain are bio-directional, meaning pain can disturb our sleep and vice versa, along with the correlation between lower back and low vitamin D levels. Thanks… Continue reading Sleep Deprivation & Chronic Pain
Vitamin D and chronic pain
When it comes to the management of chronic pain one of the nutrients I consider in many cases is vitamin D. The idea that there was a link between chronic pain and vitamin D levels came from a paper I read a decade ago (Faraj, 2003) outlining the relationship between non-specific low back pain and… Continue reading Vitamin D and chronic pain
