The most important meanings of the upcoming holidays include time with family and friends, spirituality, and taking time to relax and reflect.  But presents are fun, too, right?  So I’d like to give out a few gifts to you, my readers, with Contest #1 today (and Contest #2 and Contest #3.). Today’s contest is to write something for How to Cope with Pain to [...]

Welcome to Grand Rounds, the best of this week’s medical and health writing by bloggers. Our theme for this edition of Grand Rounds is Pain.  As you might have guessed from the name of this blog, I write about all things related to coping with pain.  What’s a pain-free way to present all the great submissions?  As Thanksgiving is coming up [...]

This article is one in a series on Medications for Pain…  What are your choices?  How do various medications work?  What are the pros and cons?  How about side effects? Today is the last article in this series, and we’ll look at 2 promising advances in research for pain. 1. The first advance is studying multiple [...]

Do you have pelvic pain?  Here’s a chance to help others. Drs. Andrew Goldstein, Caroline Pukall and Irwin Goldstein, along with medical journalist Debra Gordon, are writing a book for women who experience painful sex.  If you’re interested in being interviewed, please send an e-mail to Ms. Gordon (debra@debragordon.com) and answer the following questions.  Your [...]

A reader Lissy recently asked this question about getting the best treatment from your physician and being an advocate for your own care. I’d like to see the topic of being an advocate for yourself with the healthcare community discussed.  I’ve found it increasingly frustrating trying to manage my own care due to lack of continuity [...]

I’ll be hosting the medical-blog carnival, Grand Rounds, next Tuesday 11/24 here at How to Cope with Pain.  For those of you unfamiliar with this carnival, it’s a weekly collection of the best medical blog writing.  Started by Nicholas Genes many years ago, it continues to thrive and provides lively reading each Tuesday. I’ll be continuing the “themes” [...]

This article is one in a series on Medications for Pain…  What are your choices?  How do various medications work?  What are the pros and cons?  How about side effects? Today we’ll look at what medication advances are coming soon.  How exciting!! 1.  Improvements to opiates (narcotics) While opiates or narcotics are sometimes helpful, they have more than their [...]

On Fridays, I’m sharing videos from YouTube.  I hope you enjoy them! Today’s video is a magical one about possibilities, even if you have physical challenges.  Wow!  Courtesy of MorgheEshgh123.

I was talking with a colleague recently about balance and maintaining your health when you have chronic pain, and invited her to write her thoughts on the subject.  This is by Dafny, a PhD psychology resident.  Do her struggles sound familiar to you?  I invite readers to leave your comments below. Dafny writes:  I often struggle [...]

This article is one in a series on Medications for Pain…  What are your choices?  How do various medications work?  What are the pros and cons?  How about side effects? Today we’ll look at the medication category of Antipsychotics.  The original use of antipsychotics is for psychiatric disorders like Schizophrenia or Bipolar Disorder, where a [...]