Chronic Pain Archives - Amazing Health Advances

As Cannabis Users Age, Health Risks Appear to Grow

The AHA! Team — Wed, 13 Aug 2025 05:57:54 +0000

KFF Health News via News-Medical – “If you view cannabis as a medicine, you should be open to the idea that there are groups who probably shouldn’t use it and that there are potential adverse effects from it,” – “Because that is true of all medicines.” A cautionary tale Benjamin Han, a geriatrician and addiction medicine specialist at the University of California-San Diego, tells his students a cautionary tale about a 76-year-old patient who, like many older people, struggled with insomnia. “She had problems falling asleep, and she’d wake up in the middle of the night,” he said. “So her daughter brought her some sleep gummies” — edible cannabis candies. “She tried a gummy after dinner and waited half an hour,” Han said. Feeling no effects, she took another gummy, then one more — a total of four over several hours. Han advises patients who are trying cannabis to “start low; go slow,” beginning with products that contain just 1 or 2.5 milligrams of tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, the psychoactive ingredient that many cannabis products contain. Each of the four gummies this patient took, however, contained 10 milligrams. The woman started experiencing intense anxiety and heart palpitations. A young person might have shrugged off such symptoms, but this patient had high blood pressure and atrial fibrillation, a heart arrhythmia. Frightened, she went to an emergency room. Lab tests and a cardiac work-up determined the woman wasn’t having a heart attack, and the staff sent her home. Her only lingering symptom was embarrassment, Han said. But what if she’d grown dizzy or lightheaded and was hurt in a fall? He said he has had patients injured in falls or while driving after using cannabis. What if the cannabis had interacted with the prescription drugs she took? “As a geriatrician, it gives me pause,” Han said. “Our brains are more sensitive to psychoactive substances as we age.” Thirty-nine states and the District of Columbia now allow cannabis use for medical reasons, and in 24 of those states, as well as the district, recreational use is also legal. As older adults’ use climbs, “the benefits are still unclear,” Han said. “But we’re seeing more evidence of potential harms.” A wave of recent research points to reasons for concern for older users, with cannabis-related emergency room visits and hospitalizations rising, and a Canadian study finding an association between such acute care and subsequent dementia. Older people are more apt than younger ones to try cannabis for therapeutic reasons: to relieve chronic pain, insomnia, or mental health issues, though evidence of its effectiveness in addressing those conditions remains thin, experts said. In an analysis of national survey data published June 2 in the medical journal JAMA, Han and his colleagues reported that “current” cannabis use (defined as use within the previous month) had jumped among adults age 65 or older to 7% of respondents in 2023, from 4.8% in 2021. In 2005, he pointed out, fewer than 1% of older adults reported using cannabis in the previous year. What’s driving the increase? Experts cite the steady march of state legalization — use by older people is highest in those states — while surveys show that the perceived risk of cannabis use has declined. One national survey found that a growing proportion of American adults — 44% in 2021 — erroneously thought it safer to smoke cannabis daily than cigarettes. The authors of the study, in JAMA Network Open, noted that “these views do not reflect the existing science on cannabis and tobacco smoke.” The cannabis industry also markets its products to older adults. The Trulieve chain gives a 10% discount, both in stores and online, to those it calls “wisdom” customers, 55 or older. Rise Dispensaries ran a yearlong cannabis education and empowerment program for two senior centers in Paterson, New Jersey, including field trips to its dispensary. The industry has many satisfied older customers. Liz Logan, 67, a freelance writer in Bronxville, New York, had grappled with sleep problems and anxiety for years, but the conditions grew particularly debilitating two years ago, as her husband was dying of Parkinson’s disease. “I’d frequently be awake until 5 or 6 in the morning,” she said. “It makes you crazy.” Looking online for edible cannabis products, Logan found that gummies containing cannabidiol, known as CBD, alone didn’t help, but those with 10 milligrams of THC did the trick without noticeable side effects. “I don’t worry about sleep anymore,” she said. “I’ve solved a lifelong problem.” But studies in the United States and Canada, which legalized nonmedical cannabis use for adults nationally in 2018, show climbing rates of cannabis-related health care use among older people, both in outpatient settings and in hospitals. California In California, for instance, cannabis-related emergency room visits by those 65 or older rose, to 395 per 100,000 visits in 2019 from about 21 in 2005. In Ontario, acute care (meaning emergency visits or hospital admissions) resulting from cannabis use increased fivefold in middle-aged adults from 2008 to 2021, and more than 26 times among those 65 and up. “It’s not reflective of everyone who’s using cannabis,” cautioned Daniel Myran, an investigator at the Bruyère Health Research Institute in Ottawa and lead author of the Ontario study. “It’s capturing people with more severe patterns.” But since other studies have shown increased cardiac risk among some cannabis users with heart disease or diabetes, “there’s a number of warning signals,” he said. Cannabis use disorder For example, a disturbing proportion of older veterans who currently use cannabis screen positive for cannabis use disorder, a recent JAMA Network Open study found. As with other substance use disorders, such patients “can tolerate high amounts,” said the lead author, Vira Pravosud, a cannabis researcher at the Northern California Institute for Research and Education. “They continue using even if it interferes with their social or work or family obligations” and may experience withdrawal if they stop. Among 4,500 older veterans (with an average age of 73) seeking care at Department of Veterans Affairs health facilities, researchers found that more than 10% had reported cannabis use within the previous 30 days. Of those, 36% fit the criteria for mild, moderate, or severe cannabis use disorder, as established in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. VA patients differ from the general population, Pravosud noted. They are much more likely to report substance misuse and have “higher rates of chronic diseases and disabilities, and mental health conditions like PTSD” that could lead to self-medication, she said. Current VA policies don’t require clinicians to ask patients about cannabis use. Pravosud thinks that they should. Moreover, “there’s increasing evidence of a potential effect on memory and cognition,” said Myran, citing his team’s study of Ontario patients with cannabis-related conditions going to emergency departments or being admitted to hospitals. Comparisons Compared with others of the same age and sex who were seeking care for other reasons, research shows these patients (ages 45 to 105) had 1.5 times the risk of a dementia diagnosis within five years, and 3.9 times the risk of that for the general population. Even after adjusting for chronic health conditions and sociodemographic factors, those seeking acute care resulting from cannabis use had a 23% higher dementia risk than patients with noncannabis-related ailments, and a 72% higher risk than the general population. None of these studies were randomized clinical trials, the researchers pointed out; they were observational and could not ascertain causality. Some cannabis research doesn’t specify whether users are smoking, vaping, ingesting or rubbing topical cannabis on aching joints; other studies lack relevant demographic information. Safer modes of consumption “It’s very frustrating that we’re not able to provide more individual guidance on safer modes of consumption, and on amounts of use that seem lower-risk,” Myran said. “It just highlights that the rapid expansion of regular cannabis use in North America is outpacing our knowledge.” Still, given the health vulnerabilities of older people, and the far greater potency of current cannabis products compared with the weed of their youth, he and other researchers urge caution. “If you view cannabis as a medicine, you should be open to the idea that there are groups who probably shouldn’t use it and that there are potential adverse effects from it,” he said. “Because that is true of all medicines.” Source: KFF Health News To read the original article click here.

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Inflammation May Be the Link Between Chronic Pain and Depression

The AHA! Team — Mon, 02 Jun 2025 05:18:17 +0000

Yale School of Medicine via Newswise – A new study published in Science Advances shows that a person’s risk of depression increases alongside the number of places in the body in which they experience pain. Chronic pain—or pain that lasts at least three months—is closely intertwined with depression. Individuals living with pain’s persistent symptoms may be up to four times more likely to experience depression, research shows. Almost 30% of people worldwide suffer from a chronic pain condition such as low back pain and migraines, and one in three of these patients also report co-existing pain conditions. A new study published in Science Advances Now, a new study published in Science Advances shows that a person’s risk of depression increases alongside the number of places in the body in which they experience pain. Furthermore, inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein (a protein produced by the liver in response to inflammation) help explain the association between pain and depression. This finding suggests that the mechanisms underlying chronic pain and depression may be driven by systemic inflammation, the researchers say. “Pain isn’t only physical,” says Dustin Scheinost, PhD, associate professor of radiology and biomedical imaging at Yale School of Medicine (YSM), and the study’s principal investigator. “Our study adds to the evidence that physical conditions can have mental health consequences.” Inflammatory markers may explain depression risk The Yale team analyzed data from the UK Biobank—a long-term study in the United Kingdom that has collected extensive health information from more than 400,000 individuals over 14 years. UK Biobank participants reported whether they were experiencing pain that interfered with daily life and identified the sites and duration of their pain. The categories for pain sites included head, face, neck, back, stomach, hip, knee, and general pain. The dataset also included if and when the participants were diagnosed with depression. The researchers analyzed data from participants with both chronic and acute (lasting less than three months) pain. They found that both types of pain from all body sites were associated with depression, and that chronic pain was more strongly associated than acute pain. Furthermore, having chronic pain in multiple parts of the body was linked to a greater risk of depression than having pain at a single site. The UK Biobank also included assessments of participants’ blood. The Yale researchers used these data to look for inflammatory markers, such as C-reactive proteins, platelets, and white blood cells. They found that several of these inflammatory markers helped explain the relationship between pain and depression—and C-reactive proteins in particular were the strongest variable. “This gives us some preliminary evidence about the inflammatory mechanisms underlying the association between pain and depression,” says Rongtao Jiang, PhD, postdoctoral associate at YSM and the study’s first author. Illuminating the brain-body connection The study adds to growing evidence highlighting the significance of the brain-body connection, the authors say. “We often think of brain health or mental health as separate from cardiac health or liver health, for instance,” says Scheinost. “But all of these body systems influence each other.” Further research into the underlying drivers of pain and depression could help scientists develop new intervention strategies, he adds. Most of the participants studied were of European ancestry. In future studies, Jiang says he is interested in studying whether these findings also apply to individuals of other ethnicities. Scheinost’s team is also studying the association between chronic pain and opioid use disorder. “This is another disorder that goes hand-in-hand with the experience of chronic pain,” Scheinost says. To read the original article click here.

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Brain Imaging + Virtual Reality Shows Promise for Effectively Managing Cancer Pain

The AHA! Team — Wed, 14 May 2025 05:38:10 +0000

Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center via Newswise – Roswell Park-led study takes a significant step toward relief without opioids Highlights Advanced brain imaging gauges pain objectively Virtual-reality relaxation program found clinically effective for pain relief More than 75% of patients who used VR reported a decrease in pain A clinical research study Newswise — BUFFALO, N.Y. — A clinical research study led by Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center has identified a way to objectively measure pain in cancer patients and treat it effectively without opioids. Published in Scientific Reports, the study advances the goal of better managing cancer pain using a non-invasive brain imaging technology and a non-drug treatment that incorporates virtual reality (VR). The project was led by principal investigator Somayeh Besharat Shafiei, PhD, Assistant Professor of Oncology in Roswell Park’s Department of Urology, and co-investigator Oscar de Leon-Casasola, MD, Chief of Pain Medicine at Roswell Park, and included team members from Roswell Park and the University of Guelph in Ontario. A new strategy They propose and assess a new strategy combining brain imaging with the use of functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) — a way to gauge the severity of pain using a head cap fitted with optical sensors — and the use of virtual reality to provide pain relief. All participants wore fNIRS head caps to record brain activity by measuring changes in blood oxygenation and deoxygenation. This made it possible for the researchers to identify brain-based biomarkers that distinguish between three levels of pain: no/mild, moderate and severe. Some participants also used VR headsets equipped with software that allowed them to explore realistic underwater scenes. The researchers believe VR may influence a person’s perception of pain by modulating pain-related neural circuits in the regions of the brain. The study enrolled 147 participants, including: 13 healthy patients, who wore fNIRS head caps for 10 minutes 93 cancer patients experiencing pain, who wore fNIRS head caps for 10 minutes 41 cancer patients experiencing pain, who wore fNIRS head caps and VR headsets for a total of 29 minutes —10 minutes before VR, nine minutes during VR and 10 minutes after VR Of the pain-afflicted cancer patients who used the VR program, more than 75% self-reported a decrease in pain — indicating a noticeable improvement well beyond the clinically relevant threshold of 30%. Results of the brain imaging suggest that VR has an effect on both the cognitive and emotional aspects of pain. “This study signals a new era in precision medicine where neuroimaging and digital therapeutics revolutionize pain assessment and treatment,” says Dr. Besharat Shafiei, first author of the study, who notes that an estimated 60-80% of cancer pain is not properly managed. “This combination therapy could reshape clinical pain management protocols, reduce reliance on opioids, and improve the quality of life for millions of cancer patients worldwide.” To read the original article click here.

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Velvet Ant Venom May Yield Answers for Pain-Related Medical Research

The AHA! Team — Wed, 26 Feb 2025 06:26:40 +0000

Indiana University via Newswise – The Scarlet Velvet Ant, which is actually a type of wasp, has a venomous sting that is described as explosive and akin to “hot oil from the deep fryer spilling over your entire hand.” The study authors focused on how the venom interacts with nerve cells responsible for sensing pain. A new study by researchers at Indiana University Bloomington investigates why velvet ant stings are among the most excruciating in the animal kingdom, and offers a fascinating glimpse into the evolutionary arms race between predators and prey—while providing insights that may inform pain-related medical research. The Scarlet Velvet Ant, which is actually a type of wasp, has a venomous sting that is described as explosive and akin to “hot oil from the deep fryer spilling over your entire hand.” But while the sting is incredibly painful, it’s not particularly toxic, which suggests that its primary function is to act as a deterrent rather than to kill. The insect’s sting, along with its striking red-and-black coloration, serves as a warning to predators and an enduring reminder of its formidable defense mechanisms. The study, recently published in Current Biology, was authored by Lydia Borjon, Assistant Scientist in in the Tracey Lab at the Gill Institute for Neuroscience at IU, Luana Assis Ferreira, postdoctoral researcher in the Hohmann Lab at the Gill Institute, Jonathan Trinidad, Senior Scientist in the College of Arts and Science’s Department of Chemistry, Andrea Hohmann, Professor in the College’s Psychological and Brain Sciences department and Linda and Jack Gill Chair of Neuroscience, Sunčica Šašić (Human Biology B.S. ’24), and Dan Tracey, Professor in the College’s Biology department and Linda and Jack Gill Chair of Neuroscience. Velvet ants, including the Scarlet Velvet Ant, are commonly found in the southern and eastern United States. They thrive in dry, sandy environments, and are often seen scurrying on the ground in search of nectar or other insects to parasitize. To understand how their venom works, the IU scientists turned to common fruit flies, Drosophila melanogaster, a common model organism for studying biological processes. (IU Bloomington is the home of three resource centers utilized by fruit fly researchers worldwide.) The study authors focused on how the venom interacts with nerve cells responsible for sensing pain. These cells, called nociceptors, respond to potentially harmful stimuli like extreme heat or sharp pressure. In fruit fly larvae, a specific group of these pain-sensing neurons was found to react strongly to velvet ant venom, even at extremely diluted concentrations. The team identified a key venom ingredient—a peptide called Do6a—that activates these nociceptors. Peptides are short chains of amino acids, and this particular one, Do6a, triggers pain-sensing ion channels in insects. (Ion channels are specialized proteins embedded in the membranes of cells that allow ions—charged particles—to pass in and out of the cell.) This ion movement is crucial for various physiological processes, including nerve impulse transmission, muscle contraction, and maintaining the cell’s resting potential. Notably, the targeted ion channels known as Pickpocket/Balboa (Ppk/Bba) in fruit flies bear a striking resemblance to Acid-Sensing Ion Channels (ASICs) found in vertebrates, including mammals and humans, highlighting a fascinating evolutionary link in how different organisms process pain stimuli. The Evolutionary Edge “Our study findings suggest that velvet ants target the pain-sensing systems of evolutionarily distant animals, including vertebrates, like mammals and birds, and invertebrates, like other insects, but it does so through different mechanisms” said Lydia Borjon. “We expected the simplest solution, that the venom would act through related receptors in both insects and mice, but we were surprised to find that this was not the case.” In fruit flies, the Do6a peptide is highly specialized and potent, while in mammals, other components of the venom—less potent and more generalized peptides—trigger the pain response. “Not only is Do6a a very strong activator of insect pain-sensing neurons, it is also the most abundant peptide in the venom. This implies that the defense against other insects was an important factor in the evolution of the venom contents,” Borjon added. This led the researchers to test the venom’s effectiveness against another insect species. They observed how praying mantises responded to being stung. The mantises displayed clear avoidance behaviors, underscoring the venom’s role as a powerful deterrent in the insect world. “This research underscores the incredible precision of evolutionary adaptations,” said Tracey. “Velvet ants have refined their venom to exploit specific molecular targets in a way that maximizes their survival advantage. It is remarkable that the venom evolved to target the nociception systems of vertebrates and invertebrates with such precision.” Species-specific adaptations and implications for pain research The researchers used advanced imaging techniques to observe how nerve cells in fruit fly larvae reacted to venom. They also conducted genetic experiments to confirm the role of Ppk/Bba ion channels. When these channels were removed or deactivated, the nerve cells stopped responding to the venom, proving that the channels are essential for the venom’s effects. When it came to vertebrates, the researchers tested the venom on mice. They found that certain peptides in the venom caused the mice to exhibit pain-related behaviors, such as licking, flinching or shaking the injected paw. However, the Do6a peptide, which was so potent in insects, had no noticeable effect on the mice, highlighting the venom’s species-specific adaptations. ”Exploring how velvet ant venom affects different species provides valuable insights into pain pathways, with potential implications for advancing medical research” said Luana de Assis Ferreira. “For instance, the study highlights how specific ion channels are involved in triggering pain. Such knowledge might one day help scientists develop new painkillers or treatments for chronic pain by targeting similar pathways in humans.” While velvet ant’s venom is a marvel of evolutionary engineering, the broader implications are equally compelling. “This study provides a framework for exploring how other animal venoms work, especially those that target pain pathways. Venoms are a treasure trove of bioactive compounds, and studying them often leads to breakthroughs in pharmacology and medicine”, said Andrea Hohmann. “This research offers a deeper appreciation of nature’s complexity and the power of natural selection, in that the velvet ant’s sting is a carefully honed defense mechanism that ensures its survival in a dangerous world filled with potential predators, said Tracey. “And with these findings, we’re one step closer to understanding, and maybe even harnessing, its power.” To read the original article click here.

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Chest Pain in Children and Adolescents

The AHA! Team — Wed, 26 Feb 2025 06:11:28 +0000

Jennifer S. Li, MD via Duke Health – Chest pain is a common complaint in children and adolescents. Chest pain is often perceived as “heart pain” both to children and their parents, and it can cause a lot of distress. However, chest pain in children is very rarely due to a heart problem and most often arises from a less worrisome source. Jennifer S. Li, MD, a Duke pediatric cardiologist, discusses common causes of chest pain in children What causes chest pain? Chest pain in children and adolescents is common but is generally benign. However, chest pain with exercise or that is associated with fast heart beat, dizziness, or fainting can indicate a heart problem. Many structures located in the chest can cause or contribute to chest pain. Among these are the muscles, tendons, cartilage, or bones of the chest, lungs, heart, gastrointestinal system, and nerves. A problem in any one of these areas can cause chest pain. How often is chest pain due to a heart problem? In older adults, chest pain is frequently due to a heart problem. This is because heart disease mostly strikes older people. In kids, chest pain is very rarely due to a heart problem. A prospective study in 50 children referred to a cardiology clinic showed that 76% had pain from the muscles, bones, or cartilage; 12% had exercise-induced asthma; 8% had pain from gastrointestinal causes; and 4% had pain due to psychogenic causes. Another study of 3700 children without previously known heart problems found a low incidence of heart problems (1%). What about the kid who dies on the playing field? While a lot of media attention is given to cases of sudden cardiac death in kids playing sports, these are extremely rare events among the millions of children and adolescents who participate in athletics. Many instances are related to previously undiagnosed underlying heart conditions. Because of this, it’s important and necessary to have your child complete a sports physical before participating in competitive athletics. Sometimes underlying conditions related to sudden cardiac death have genetic factors, so a careful family history is also an important part of the pre-sports evaluation. What are some common causes of chest pain? Some common causes include: Musculoskeletal: This is usually related to muscle strain or heavy lifting. Costrochondritis: Inflammation of the cartilage around the junction of the ribs to the breastbone. Precordial Catch Syndrome: Sharp stabbing chest pain below the breast that lasts a few seconds and is worsened by taking a deep breath. It may be due to a pinched nerve. Asthma: This is frequently a cause of exercise-induced chest pain. Gastroesophageal Reflux: Usually burning pain worsened while lying down after eating. Anxiety: Typically related to stress or excessive worry. What are some heart-related causes of chest pain? Several cardiac problems have the potential to cause chest pain. Some of these include: Left ventricular outflow tract obstruction (blockage of the outflow of the heart to the body): a heart murmur is present. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: usually an inherited condition causing a thickened heart muscle. Anomalous coronary arteries: coronary artery arising off of the wrong sinus, causing chest pain with exercise. Rhythm disturbances: chest pain is typically associated with the feeling of the heart beating too fast. Pericarditis: inflammation of the lining of the heart often preceded by a viral illness. What are some worrisome symptoms of a heart-related cause of chest pain? Chest pain with exercise, associated with irregular or fast heart beat, or associated with dizziness or syncope (fainting) are symptoms that can indicate a serious heart problem. Chest pain in someone with a first-degree relative who has a history of sudden death or cardiomyopathy should be evaluated. Chest pain that occurs at rest without other associated symptoms is not typically due to a heart problem. What is the usual evaluation that is performed? A careful history and physical examination are necessary and can usually identify the cause for the chest pain. Sometimes laboratory studies may be needed such as an electrocardiogram, an echocardiogram, or an exercise stress test. To read the original article click here.

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Water Enriched With Hydrogen Molecules Improves Pain in Animal Models

AHA Publisher — Wed, 14 Dec 2022 08:00:07 +0000

Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona via News-Medical – “This treatment can alleviate not only the pain caused by a nerve injury, but also the states of anxiety and depression that accompany it, which would substantially improve the patients’ quality of life. This is important because it can allow a more effective and global treatment of neuropathic pain with fewer side effects.” (Olga Pol, Sant Pau Biomedical Research Institute and the UAB Institute of Neurosciences) In an article published in the journal Antioxidants, researchers from the Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau Research Institute (IIB Sant Pau) and the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona demonstrate in animal models that water enriched with hydrogen molecules (H2) improves the symptomatology of neuropathic pain and related emotional disturbances. Twenty per cent of the Spanish population suffers from chronic pain, and between 7 and 10% from neuropathic pain. This condition, mostly caused by nerve damage, causes people to feel intense and constant pain. Treatments are scarce and often involve a large number of adverse effects that affect the patients’ quality of life. For this reason, the Molecular Neuropharmacology research group, coordinated by Olga Pol at the Sant Pau Biomedical Research Institute and the UAB Institute of Neurosciences, is looking for new therapeutic possibilities that can help people who suffer from it. Now in a study published in the journal Antioxidants, they have analyzed the effects of administering to mice models of neuropathic pain water enriched with hydrogen molecules, a treatment that had already shown positive effects in neurological disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease and depression. The results point to this strategy as a very promising candidate for the treatment of neuropathic pain and associated emotional disorders, due to its analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects, as well as its anxiolytic and antidepressant properties. In the study, the treatment was administered to mice by injection, but in the future other routes will be tested, such as oral administration. The next steps will be to investigate how the treatment works in animal models of pain associated with chemotherapy, because many times cancer patients present neuropathic pain as a side effect of the treatment, as well as evaluating its effects on the memory and emotional deficits that these same patients can also suffer. To read the original article click here.

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Green Eyeglasses Reduce Pain-Related Anxiety in Fibromyalgia Patients, Study Shows

AHA Publisher — Wed, 26 Oct 2022 07:00:52 +0000

American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) via Newswise – NEW ORLEANS — Wearing special green eyeglasses for several hours a day reduces pain-related anxiety and may help decrease the need for opioids to manage severe pain in fibromyalgia patients and possibly others who experience chronic pain, according to a study being presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY® 2022 annual meeting. “Our research found that certain wavelengths of green light stimulate the pathways in the brain that help manage pain,” said Padma Gulur, M.D., lead author of the study and executive vice chair of Duke Anesthesiology and Duke Health, Chapel Hill, North Carolina. “There is an urgent need for additional treatments to reduce the use of opioids among patients with fibromyalgia and other types of chronic pain, and green eyeglasses could provide an easy-to-use, non-drug option.” Few alternatives to opioids — especially non-drug options — exist for patients with severe and chronic pain conditions such as fibromyalgia, which causes pain all over the body. Fibromyalgia affects about 4 million U.S. adults, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Pain and anxiety share similar biological mechanisms. Additionally, fear of pain exacerbates anxiety, often leading to increased opioid use, said Dr. Gulur. The researchers studied 34 fibromyalgia patients who were randomized to wear various shades of eyeglasses four hours a day for two weeks: 10 patients wore blue eyeglasses, 12 wore clear eyeglasses and 12 wore green eyeglasses. Patients who wore green eyeglasses were four times more likely to have reduced anxiety than those in the other groups, which saw no reduction in anxiety. “We found that although their pain scores remained the same, those who wore the green eyeglasses used fewer opioids, demonstrating that their pain was adequately controlled,” said Dr. Gulur. “We would recommend the green eyeglasses treatment for those with fibromyalgia and are studying patients with other chronic pain conditions to determine if it would be beneficial.” The eyeglasses are specially formulated to filter a specific wavelength on the green light spectrum, said Dr. Gulur. She noted that most patients who wore the green eyeglasses reported feeling better and asked to keep wearing them. To read the original article click here.

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Vitamin D Deficiency Symptoms & Sources to Reverse It!

AHA Publisher — Thu, 14 Jul 2022 07:00:36 +0000

Dr. Josh Axe, DC, DNM, CN – Would you believe that the majority of the population — between 40 percent and 80 percent or more of adults in the U.S., depending on race — is believed to have a vitamin D deficiency? It’s no wonder that this vitamin is now one of the most recommended supplements by physicians, taken in order to treat and/or prevent vitamin D deficiency symptoms. People with dark skin, those who live in northern regions of the world where there’s less year-round sun exposure and those who are overweight have an even greater chance of experiencing vitamin D deficiency. Can vitamin D deficiency be cured? Yes, there are ways you can naturally increase your vitamin D levels and decrease your risk of developing related health conditions. Spending time in the sun, without sunscreen, is your surest way to get enough. Eating vitamin D-rich foods also helps improve your blood levels. Read on to understand just how much time you need in the sun and what foods help you avoid vitamin D deficiency. What Is Vitamin D? (Why We Need It) Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that’s stored in the liver and fatty tissues. It’s somewhat different than other vitamins because the body makes most of it on its own (with the help of sunlight), rather than solely relying on food sources to get enough. Why Do We Need Vitamin D? Here are some of the benefits associated with vitamin D: Contributes to bone health by aiding in calcium absorption into the bones, as well as other vitamins and minerals that contribute to skeletal health, including magnesium, vitamin K and phosphorus. Supports the immune system and may help prevent prolonged or excessive inflammatory responses, plus some viruses and infections. Can help support healthy cell replication and may play a role in protecting against the development of autoimmune conditions. Promotes cardiovascular health and helps regulate blood pressure, cholesterol levels and inflammation. Helps manage blood sugar levels and works with calcium to regulate insulin secretion. May help prevent depression and mood disorders, especially during the winter. Seems to play a role in preventing obesity. Studies show deficiency is tied to greater volumes of fat, serum, liver and muscle mass, although the relationship is still being researched. Vitamin D Deficiency Symptoms What happens when your vitamin D is low? According to scientific studies and reviews, the most common vitamin D deficiency symptoms include: fatigue osteoporosis heart disease and high blood pressure cancer autoimmune diseases depression and mood disturbances poor skin health, including redness, inflammation and dryness insomnia arthritis and joint pain diabetes trouble concentrating asthma hair loss multiple sclerosis chronic muscle or bone pain psoriasis fibromyalgia Causes/Risk Factors/Health Risks Why do some people develop a deficiency in this vitamin? It’s believed that one of the biggest reasons that vitamin D deficiency is now a public health problem is because of our modern, primarily indoors lifestyle. Below is more about the common causes of vitamin D deficiency: 1. Lack of Sun Most children today spend unprecedented hours inside — watching television, playing video games and surfing the internet. Similarly, most adults work indoors, exercise inside gyms and spend their free time inside their homes where they are sheltered from the sun. With all this time indoors, it’s no wonder we don’t get enough of the “sunshine vitamin” and that vitamin D deficiency affects over a billion people worldwide. 2. Frequent Use of Sunscreens As the risk for developing skin cancer has also risen in recent years, doctors strongly encourage the use of sunscreen for children and adults, even through the winter months and when sun exposure is generally limited. Alarmingly, some research shows that when you wear sunblock SPF 8, you reduce your body’s ability to make vitamin D by 90 percent. If you choose a sunblock with a higher SPF of 30 (which is the number normally recommended by doctors), you reduce your body’s ability by up to 99 percent. This results in further deficiencies because even though we spend time outdoors, the sunscreen doesn’t allow our bodies to convert vitamin D from the sun. Other vitamin D deficiency causes and risk factors include: Underlying health conditions — Research shows that certain health conditions, such as abdominal obesity, type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance and hypertension, also increases a person’s risk of vitamin D deficiency. Having darker skin — According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, the newest statistics demonstrate that more than 90 percent of people with darker skin pigments (including African-Americans, Hispanics and Asians) living in the United States now suffer from vitamin D insufficiency, while 75 perfect of the white population is deficient. Certain occupations — A 2017 study recently revealed that occupation can also play a big role in levels of this vitamin. Researchers found that shift workers, health care workers and indoor workers are at a high risk of developing a deficiency due to reduced outdoor time. Being overweight — As the population of overweight and obese adults and children has risen steadily over the past several decades, so has the incidence of vitamin D deficiency symptoms. Sadly, research shows that vitamin D deficiency is correlated with increased risks of developing common cancers, autoimmune diseases, hypertension and various infectious diseases, too. Is vitamin D deficiency serious? Public health experts tell us that it can be, and it’s now linked with a growing number of health conditions, such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes and mood-related problems. Here are some of the potential health risks that may be associated with vitamin D deficiency: Weakened bones — A deficiency in vitamin D can result in the softening of your bones, which is called osteomalacia, or a bone abnormality called rickets. Additionally, a deficiency increases your risk for developing osteoporosis and experiencing fractures or broken bones. This is an especially big risk among older adults. Susceptibility to infections and viruses — Low levels have been linked with higher incidence of some serious infections, including those that affect the lungs and respiratory system. Mood disorders — Because it acts like a hormone within our bodies and affects brain function, vitamin D deficiency has been linked to an increased risk for mood disorders, including depression, seasonal affective disorder and severe mood problems experienced during PMS, insomnia and anxiety. Hormone imbalances — Low levels can interfere with proper testosterone and estrogen production, leading to imbalances that can result in many unwanted symptoms. Can lack of vitamin D cause weight gain? It’s possible. Some studies show that lower levels may be linked to weight gain in older adults, but the weight gain is usually relatively small. There’s more to learn about this connection, but it’s speculated that this vitamin may affect where fat cells shrink or get bigger. Cognitive/mental health problems — Researchers indicate that deficient adults may perform poorer on standardized exams, may have poorer decision-making skills, and may have difficulty with tasks that require focus and attention. Some research has demonstrated a correlation between low levels of vitamin D and an increased risk for developing schizophrenia and multiple sclerosis. Susceptibility to some cancers — Vitamin D deficiency symptoms have been correlated with increased risks for cancer development, especially breast, colon and prostate cancers. According to research published in Frontiers in Endocrinology, D vitamin plays a role in factors that influence tumor growth, cell differentiation and apoptosis. Research shows that it can affect the risk of breast, colon and ovarian cancers, possibly due to its role in the cell life cycle or its ability to block excess estrogen. Treatment/Prevention How can you increase your vitamin D level? While some foods provide vitamin D, exposure to sunlight is still the best way to get the amount you need in order to prevent vitamin D deficiency symptoms. However, research suggests that eating foods that are rich in vitamin D and calcium also helps you acquire more, so try adding high-quality, natural sources into your diet regularly. Importance of Sunlight Exposure: Most experts recommend getting about 10 to 15 minutes of direct sunlight daily, without wearing sunscreen, if you are fair- to medium-toned. If you have dark skin, you likely need more time outdoors to make enough vitamin D because you naturally have more protection against effects of UV rays. Some experts recommend that darker-toned people spend about 40 minutes to one hour in the sun daily if possible. If it’s the winter, you need to double the recommended time to allow enough vitamin D production to occur. Here is a good rule of thumb to know that your body is making vitamin D: You want to look at your shadow and see that it’s shorter than you are. This tells you that the UV index is high enough. Between the hours of 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. is usually when the UV index is highest. If you are worried about not wearing sunscreen and worried about skin cancer, try applying sunscreen to your face and hands but not on your limbs right away (assuming your limbs are exposed). This leaves enough unexposed skin to properly create the vitamin D you need. Overall, increase your levels naturally through the following practices and foods: Sunlight exposure: Aim to spend 10–20 minutes in the sun daily Cod liver oil (take about one tablespoon daily) Halibut Carp fish Mackerel Eel Wild-caught salmon Whitefish Swordfish Rainbow trout Sardines Tuna Pastured eggs Beef liver Raw milk Caviar Fortified milk and dairy products Fortified milk alternatives, such as nut-based milks Maitake and portobello mushrooms (when exposed to UV light) How can you raise your vitamin D level quickly? For people who have low levels, vitamin D supplements are available, which come in two forms: D2 and D3. D3 from animal products (specifically from the cholesterol within these products) is closest to the type humans produce. Vitamin D3 is therefore the more active form and believed to convert much faster than D2. How Much You Need The recommended daily allowance for vitamin D, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is 600 to 800 international units per day for adults. However, getting significantly more, around 5,000 IU per day, may be more effective — especially since there is little risk in over-supplementing in most cases. Keep in mind that this is a general recommendation, and there is no way to know the exact amount that’s best for you without a blood test. You may need a higher or lower amount and should speak to your doctor. Here are more recommendations based on age: Dosage Recommendation for Children: 1–3 years: 600 IU (15 mcg/day) 4–8 years: 600 IU (15 mcg/day) For Older Children and Adults: 9–70 years: at least 600 IU (15 mcg/day) Older adults over 70 years: 800 IU (20 mcg/day) Pregnant and breastfeeding: 600 IU (15 mcg/day) Testing The only way to know if you are deficient is to have your doctor perform a test, called a 25-hydroxy vitamin D test. This will tell you if, and how severely, you are deficient. When your doctor performs a blood test and gives you the results for your vitamin D levels, keep these numbers in mind: 50+ equals a good level. A 25(OH)D level of >50 nmol/L is now considered the “primary goal.” 30–50 means you want to supplement with vitamin D, work on spending more time in the sun and/or add vitamin D foods into your diet. Less than 30 means you are very deficient and definitely want to take immediate action to bring those levels up. When to See Your Doctor Researchers suggest that anyone with the health conditions below should be tested for vitamin D deficiency, especially if they experience a number of deficiency symptoms described above: Ongoing muscle weakness Chronic fatigue Depression, especially during the winter (which can indicate seasonal depressive disorder) Trouble sleeping Anxiety Weak or broken bones Weakened immune system Inflammation and swelling Conclusion Between 40% and 80% of adults in the U.S. may suffer from vitamin D deficiency symptoms, which can lead to major health issues, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, autoimmune disease and cancer. Two major causes of vitamin D...

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A Wearable Device That Soothes and Heals at Home

AHA Publisher — Fri, 22 Oct 2021 07:00:26 +0000

Abigail Klein Leichman via Israel21c – A mild pins-and-needles sensation encircled my forearm as the Healables sleeve was activated from Moshe Lebowitz’s smartphone. The intensity can be dialed up or down with the flick of a finger. I was in the Jerusalem office of Healables, a startup developing home-based “electroceutical” treatment of pain and inflammation. The device delivers microcurrent electrotherapy to legs or arms, through a port snapped onto an e-textile sleeve with built-in electrodes. The flexible, machine-washable sleeve is made in an Israeli factory that manufactures big-brand American sports apparel. “We tried to make our solution as easy as taking a pill but without any side effects or potential for addiction,” says Lebowitz, the company’s CEO. “By docking with textiles, the treatment is simply like getting dressed.” Wellness and Medical Models Healables is building two products on its technology platform: ElectroGear, a sports-and-wellness model for athletes, to be sold directly and through physical therapists and sports teams; and a medical model to be available by prescription, pending regulatory approval. A clinical trial of the medical model soon will begin on patients with knee osteoarthritis, led by Dr. Hadar Oz, chief of sports medicine at Wolfson Medical Center in Holon. “For these patients we have many kinds of treatments and one of them may be the Healables device,” Oz tells ISRAEL21c. “There is a similar treatment available, but it needs a very large machine. What they did is make it very small and incorporate it into a flexible knee brace. We hope this device will work to lessen the pain and thus allow them better active daily living.” Another trial will start at Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center in Jerusalem on patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy, a common and painful leg, foot or hand complication of diabetes. As for the sports-and-wellness model, Stade Français Paris Rugby Club selected ElectroGear for a pilot through the HYPE Global Sports Accelerator. Healables is recruiting professional sports teams for additional pilots in the US, EU and UK. Healables also participated in the Hadassah-IBM Alpha Zone Accelerator, MedTech Ra’anana and BizLabs MedTech Accelerator for ultra-Orthodox (haredi) entrepreneurs like Lebowitz. Entrepreneur and Rabbi The bearded 47-year-old CEO wears traditional garb: white shirt, black pants, black frock coat and black hat. He has rabbinic ordination from a yeshiva in Israel, where he’s lived since 1997. But he was raised in Baltimore and has a BA in mass communications and user interface/user experience from Towson University. Long interested in technology, in 2002 Lebowitz launched a website builder like Wix. But the technology wasn’t mature enough yet. “I learned that timing is really important in startups,” he says. Soon after ending that venture in 2007, Lebowitz suffered a traumatic brain injury. During his long recovery, he tried a range of complementary treatments, including Chinese medicine, that helped him heal. Locating practitioners and traveling to and from sessions was tiring and time-consuming. He pondered how to bring effective treatment modalities into the home through user-friendly connected wearable devices. The wearables he saw on the market were mostly tracking health parameters rather than treating conditions. Lebowitz wanted a wearable that could treat the body with electrotherapy and–using data collected from those sessions — treat the mind with personalized behavioral health coaching. “As a rabbi, I know there’s a body and a soul, and to treat the whole person you have to look at both,” says Lebowitz. “Even on a biological level, the effect of mental health on immunology is something people have really noticed recently with corona.” In late 2017, Lebowitz founded Healables to realize his vision. He received his first investment in early 2019, a grant from the Israel Innovation Authority. Healables has raised a total of $2.5 million from the IIA and BioJerusalemand is seeking funding from sports-tech and biotech investors. “We will be collaborating with Leonhardt Ventures as well,” he says. Lebowitz finds his yeshiva background advantageous. “Talmud study is about connecting with God, but as a side effect it improves your mental capacity and ability to think creatively. People really respect that.” After all, he notes, “Startups become unicorns by solving problems differently.” Unique in Electrotherapy Physical therapists already are familiar with electrotherapy machines to ease pain and accelerate healing. Some examples are millicurrent devices like TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation), microcurrent devices like MENS (microcurrent electrical nerve stimulation) and electro-acupuncture devices. While TENS effectively prevents pain signals from reaching the brain, it doesn’t address the source of pain. Microcurrent, 1,000 times less than millicurrent, actually aids healing. Studies show microcurrent increases the body’s production of ATP, a compound that fuels many cell processes. It stimulates metabolic activity, improves cellular function, and recruits immune-system cells, growth factors and other proteins that foster wound healing. Microcurrent also decreases systemic inflammation, the underlying cause of many chronic conditions. However, three drawbacks have hampered the wide adoption of this electrotherapy, says Lebowitz. “One, it’s too complicated for many home users and even professionals to feel comfortable with selecting the right settings and it often takes multiple appointments to figure out the appropriate treatment for each patient. “Two, it’s too restrictive because the patient usually needs to be confined to a treatment table for an hour with sticky electrodes and wires that pop off if you move the wrong way. “And three, it’s too time consuming because the patient needs to travel to a clinic multiple times a week.” Healables was designed to overcome all three drawbacks, integrating smart textiles, electronics and software to reduce inflammation, accelerate healing and relieve pain, while eliminating travel time. The same device with different settings can treat different conditions. “Some conditions require half an hour a day, some two hours a day, but you can be doing other things during the treatment. You just press a button on your smartphone and it goes. For an athlete, you can be treating your leg while working out your arms in the gym.” The Healables system is HIPAA-compliant and includes artificial intelligence for personalizing and improving treatment based on response data. Later, this will also be used to power the behavioral health coaching component. A Family Affair The company’s chief scientific officer, retired US Army Col. George Lowell, was director of laboratories at Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, former CSO of BioDefense at GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals, and present board member of BiondVax Pharmaceuticals. Lowell is also Lebowitz’s father. He had Anglicized the family name, and Moshe changed it back to the original after relocating to Israel. Most of the startup’s crew of 14 are Orthodox or ultra-Orthodox, including Chief Medical Officer Andrew David Shiller, a physician specializing in treating acute and chronic illness and pain. Before moving to Israel in 2015, Shiller saw “some astonishing results” when he started using microcurrent technology in his practice. He tells ISRAEL21c that before earning his MD at Duke University and doing residencies at Harvard-affiliated hospitals, he studied mechanical engineering at MIT. “I was always interested in putting engineering together with what I learned about complementary healing, but I never got around to it until I joined this company,” he says. Inflammation is the fundamental process that drives most chronic illness such as diabetes, autoimmune disease, cardiovascular disease and degenerative brain disease, Shiller explains. “It’s not about red-hot swelling but about low-grade protein shifts in the blood that don’t always show up in clinical tests. People treated with microcurrent are getting better with their pain but also decreasing pro-inflammatory proteins like the cytokines IL-6 and IL-1. This is a stunning potential gamechanger.” Clinical Results Shiller told me about results of user testing the sports wearable on several people. One was a 50-year-old woman with disfiguring osteoarthritis. One ankle was giving her excruciating pain even after surgery and physical therapy. “We tried the device once and she stopped using crutches. After three sessions she has almost no ankle pain,” Shiller says. Another tester was a soldier from a special forces unit, sidelined because of knee pain. “He has bone marrow edema associated with chronic trauma, and he was using oxycodone and Celebrex just to sleep at night,” says Shiller. After one session, he was able to stop taking drugs. “He’d find the pain creep back after a week, so we gave him a device and sleeve to test at home, programmed for him. He’s using it several times a week. I hope at some point he’ll have no pain,” says Shiller. “Whether they are completely better or not, there is significant improvement and it’s very gratifying to see that with our device.” Shiller adds that the Healables protocols will be refined with the help of collected data and outcomes of clinical trials. “Our initial studies are studying two conditions but there’s a whole potential world of treating chronic inflammatory problems with wearable microcurrent electrotherapy, which is kind of thrilling,” he says. For more information, click here To read the original article click here.

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