When Alternative Therapies Don't Work: Here's What You Need to Know

By Mark Bromson, MD

Many patients come to me seeking pain relief. Whether it is back pain, neck and shoulder pain, or arthritis pain, my patients need solutions. Sometimes, the solution involves treating an underlying condition and putting an end to the pain. Sometimes, it means learning to manage chronic pain over the long term. Often, it simply means offering quick relief so people can get on with daily life. It's this third solution that we'll be discussing today.

Pain and Your Nerves

A back injury may be very different from chronic arthritis, but these conditions are similar in one aspect: both trigger a series of exchanges between the three major parts of your nervous system. These exchanges or messages are relayed through the body by neurons, the billions of cells that make up the nervous system. The result is the sensation you know as pain.

Here's how it works: Pain begins with the peripheral nerves. They extend from your skin, muscles and internal organs to your spinal cord. These nerves may be sensitive to touch, movement and temperature changes. When these nerves are stimulated, they send pain messages in the form of electrical impulses to your spinal cord. In the spinal cord, which is the second major part of the nervous system, chemicals called neurotransmitters are released. These activate yet another group of nerve cells, which relay the message to the brain.

In the brain, which is the third area of the nervous system, the message is received by the thalamus. From there, specific messages are sent to the parts of the brain responsible for physical, emotional and intellectual reactions. As a result, you feel the pain in your body, you react emotionally based on your past experience, and you understand the idea of pain and begin, no doubt, to think of ways to alleviate it.

Getting Fast Relief

Now that you know pain begins with the nerves, you can target them directly to get relief. As I mentioned above, your peripheral nerves are responsive to the sensations of hot and cold. If you take advantage of this, you can prevent the pain message from reaching the brain by masking it with a different message.

The key is to use topical treatments with ingredients that can distract your nervous system from the pain you are experiencing. Sometimes called "counterirritants," these substances are effective at providing temporary relief. Some highly potent ingredients to look for are menthol, camphor, eucalyptus oil, juniper berry oil and pine oil. The active ingredients listed on a product's label will be present in the largest quantity in the medicine. Ideally, a mix of menthol and camphor should appear on this list.

These pain-masking ingredients can penetrate the skin and trigger a response in the nerves. Menthol, for example, will result in a cooling sensation when the nerve impulses reach the brain. Other substances produce hot sensations. Capsaicin creams, in particular, are made from chile peppers and deprive nerve cells of a substance needed for sending pain messages.

I often recommend topical pain relievers like I described above to my patients. These highly effective counterirritants will not permanently alleviate pain, but they provide temporary relief that is vital to those suffering from chronic conditions. Often, people use these products when they are waiting for other medications to begin working.

There are many ways to deal with pain. Only you and your doctor can determine the best plan to suit your individual needs. If topical counterirritants become part of your treatment plan, they should provide a welcome dose of relief just when you need it most.

Sources

http://www.webmd.com/pain-management/guide/pain-management-symptoms-types
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/pain/PN00017
http://www.webmd.com/pain-management/guide/pain-relievers
http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/library/PN/00041.html
http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/on-line/brain/2.asp

[Mark Bromson, MD, is a nutritional consultant for Vitalmax Vitamins. He is presently a practicing orthopedic surgeon in South Florida. His extensive medical education includes a biology degree from Harvard College, a medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania, and an MBA from the University of Miami. Dr. Bromson is actively involved in the advancement of alternative medicine and its role in nutrition, exercise and the musculoskeletal system. To learn more, click here.]

Cutting Edge Fitness: Build Muscle You Can Really Use By Al Sears, MD

A lot of people think you've got to hit the weight room to really build muscle. It's understandable, but they're mistaken. You can skip the weights entirely. Think about it: real strength isn't about isolating a muscle group and working it to death. The kind of muscle power you really need should give you functional strength.

Functional strength means you have ability to get yourself up a flight of stairs. It means you can lift your groceries and load stuff into your car. Functional strength is the power to live your daily life. But as you age, that power starts to fade.

My older patients ask me about this all the time. When you're young, you never think about lifting, pulling or standing up. But when you get older, it hits you: Losing the ability to live your daily life means you lose your independence. And that can mean winding up in an old-age home... depending on relatives... or having a bad fall and being hospitalized.

When my patients ask me for advice, I tell them to work the "big muscles," which include your legs, hips, buttocks and lower back. About 85% of your muscle mass is below your waist, and this is where your functional strength comes from.

The simple act of getting yourself out of a chair is a good example. Try a little experiment: Sit on the edge of your chair. Put you hands in your lap. Lean forward, push up with your legs and stand up.

Was that difficult? If it was, you may be losing muscle mass in your legs. And that's a problem. That pushing power you get with your legs keeps you agile, balanced and mobile. When you lose it, even getting out of bed becomes a problem.

Unless you do something about it, you'll lose muscle as you age -- about 2% every year. That doesn't sound like much. But if you make it to 80, it means you're body will be little more than fat and bone.

Building those muscles doesn't require a lot of work or sacrifice. And the payoff is huge. You can use "body weight" exercises and never have to step foot in a gym -- or even leave your home.

If you're familiar with my PACE program, you know that I use calisthenics with my patients to help them build functional strength. Here's one you can try right now:

With your hands on your hips, take a step forward with your right leg until your front knee is bent 90 degrees and your back knee almost touches the ground. Push off from your leading foot and return to the starting position. Repeat with your left leg.

These are called alternating lunges. They're great for building leg strength. But to keep mobility and balance, you need to keep your hips flexible too.

[Ed. Note: Dr. Sears, Chairman of the Board of Total Health Breakthroughs, has written over 500 articles and seven books in the fields of alternative medicine, anti-aging, and nutritional supplementation.]

Healthy Recipes: Slow Cooker Spicy Cashew Chicken By Kelley Herring

Dust off your trusty slow cooker for a new generation of healthy recipes cooked using this old-fashioned technique. Over the next few months, I'll be sharing more healthy, delicious, budget-friendly "set it and forget it" recipes to help make your holiday season stress-free -- at least when it comes to dinner!

Time To Table: 1 1/2 hours
Serves: 6

The Benefits
Excellent Source of magnesium, potassium, protein, selenium, vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin C, niacin
Good Source of iron, zinc, folate, omega-3
Preferences: Gluten Free

Ingredients
3 cloves organic garlic, minced
1 tsp organic ginger, grated
16 ounces organic chicken breast, cut into 2" strips
1 Tbsp toasted organic sesame oil
2 tsp Asian chile paste or 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
5 cups organic broccoli florets
1/4 cup raw cashews
3 Tbsp organic hoisin sauce (gluten free)

Preparation
Coat a large skillet with cooking spray. Set over medium high heat. Add garlic and ginger; cook 15 seconds or just until fragrant. Add chicken and cook, stirring constantly, 3-4 minutes. Coat a 4 quart slow-cooker with cooking spray. Add chicken and broccoli. Cover and cook on low for 2-4 hours. Combine hoisin sauce, oil and chile paste in a small bowl. Stir into cooker. Cook 15 minutes more. Add cashews and stir to combine. Serve over brown rice if desired.

Nutrition
300 calories, 12 grams fat, 2 grams saturated fat, 5 grams monounsaturated fat, 3 g polyunsaturated fat, 66 mg cholesterol, 319 mg sodium, 17 g carbohydrate, 5 g sugar, 1 grams fiber, 32 g protein

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These articles appear courtesy of Early to Rise’s Total Health Breakthroughs [Issue 11-28-08] which offers alternative solutions for mind, body and soul. For a complimentary subscription, visit http://www.totalhealthbreakthroughs.com/