HOW I COPE… “While undergoing throat cancer treatment, I found that besides physical pain I also was experiencing mental issues caused by not being productive. During my daily treatments, I stayed connected to work by mastering the manuals of all my tech gadgets and learning how to use them properly. That gave me a lot of satisfaction and thoughts of productivity.” —Kent St. John, 56, cancer survivor, Cottekill, New York. (Read more about St. John’s coping skills on page 64.)
avoiding medication misuse
The Clinical Journal of Pain reported a fairly shocking statistic, based on research from the University in Belgium: Nearly half of patients suffering from chronic pain misuse their medications. But perhaps just as surprising, there were more cases of underuse than overuse or abuse. The study, which included patients with back pain, neuropathic (nerve) pain and fi bromyalgia, found that of the 48 percent of participants who admitted to “medical mis- use” of their pain drugs, 34 percent underused medication while 14 percent overused. There are a number of reasons why someone deviates from the dosage, including these characteristics that up the odds that a person will misuse their medication: You may be more likely to overuse if…You’re a smoker. The study found tobacco smoking was an indicator of medication overuse. The connection? Researchers suspect that smok- ers don’t pay attention to their dosage because overall health is less of a priority. You may be more likely to underuse if…You self-treat. Researchers noted that patients who underused their prescribed drugs were often replacing them with non-prescribed pain relievers such as ibuprofen. Those who take less than their prescribed dosage may fear the side effects of drugs; may want to feel more in control; or may prefer a more natural approach to their pain relief and care. — allie nicodemo
SHED POUNDS,
RELIEVE PAIN Is your pain causing you to gain weight? Ailments like knee or back pain can make exercising challenging, if not im- possible. The potential result: weight gain. But thanks to the national “8 Weeks to Wellness” program, you can remedy your aches and shed pounds at the same time. The program’s suc- cess is attributed to its inclusion of chi- ropractic care, along with massage therapy, meditation, nutrition and ex- ercise. “Chiropractic treatment can help patients lose weight in a variety of ways,” says Dr. Jason Fennema, a
14 PAIN RESOURCE FALL 2012
Chiropractic care can aid in weight loss.
Chiropractic Physician and owner of Ravenswood Health Center in Chicago, which offers the “8 Weeks to Wellness”
program. “It can reduce pain and mus- cular dysfunction, which increases pain-free mobility while also removing interferences from the nervous system caused by structural imbalances and poor posture. Once those interferenc- es are remedied, the body can prop- erly regulate itself. Tests have shown improvement with cholesterol and blood sugar levels and lower C-reactive protein (CRP) levels that are known to cause systemic infl ammation relat- ed to pain, as well as improving endo- crine function with the thyroid and pancreas.” 8 Weeks to Wellness is avail- able throughout the U.S. For locations, visit the program’s website at www.8ww. com or call 215-968-1661. —lisa davis