Kaitlyn Wekerle's blog

Common Pain Medication Mistakes

Chronic pain can feel unbearable at times. Medications and alternative therapies work differently for each patient, and sometimes patients take matters into their own hands. Let’s face it; we’ve all been guilty of it before. The prescription bottle says to take one but we take two because we think it will help. Physicians prescribe medications according to dosage and what they believe will help the patient best, and patients should adhere to these instructions.

Can Weather Trigger a Migraine?

On January 1, 2013, the International Headache Society published a paper citing weather predictions “could help chronic sufferers more efficiently anticipate headache and migraine arrival and begin preventative treatment immediately.”

We’ve learned that weather conditions do play a role in the levels of chronic pain symptoms, but could it they actually predict the future? Southwest Spine and Pain Center knows the level of interest this topic has for our chronic pain sufferers. We want to produce as much information and education to our patients so they can continue their pain management outside office walls.

Avoiding Holiday Back Pain: Shopping

The holidays can be a real pain in the back! What is supposed to be a season filled with scented candles, and joyful music, ends up being stressful and strenuous on our bodies. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 50,000 Americans sustain a back injury from a winter-related activity. In addition, 5,800 of those injuries are decorating-related.

At Southwest Spine and Pain Center, we want to spread joy through holiday pain management. Ordinary tips such as using good posture is helpful, but during the holiday season everything is bigger and our patients need bigger tips.

Fighting Off the Winter Blues

For those with seasonal affective disorder (SAD), the fall and winter months can be depressing, to say the least. Shorter days, lesser sunshine, and chilly temperatures make for an obvious disruption in the body’s circadian rhythm, which sometimes leads to feelings of depression.

Come January and February, individuals with SAD may feel like not even getting out of bed in the morning. Other symptoms include weight gain, irritability, and social avoidance. At Southwest Spine and Pain Center, we know the wintertime can be a hard season for our chronic pain patients. With locations all across Utah, we hope to better serve all of our patients, especially during difficult times.

Air Pressure and Pain

Scientists and researchers alike agree that pain worsens with colder weather conditions, but could your pain actually predict the weather? On sunny days your pain may be excruciating and sure enough, it rains the following day. One of the longest controversies in medicine is weather conditions and the aggravating affects of physical pain.

In 400 B.C., Hippocrates noticed and hypothesized seasonal illnesses. The Chinese term for rheumatism translates to “wind-damp disease.” However, modern research shows inconclusive and inconsistent results matching weather patterns to reported pain. The inconsistency has left some people to dismiss the relationship at all and chalk it up to physiological misunderstandings.

Nerve Pain

The funny bone didn’t just get its name because of the weird feeling after hitting it. In fact, the funny bone isn’t a bone at all. The tingling or burning sensation that is felt after hitting the region inside your elbow is actually from pressure of the ulnar nerve against the humerus bone (running from your elbow to your shoulder). Similar feelings of pricking or numbness may occur when you sleep on your arm or leg in a funny position.

Neuropathy is a condition that affects the nerves from performing properly. In severe cases, neuropathy can cause paralysis, although it is very rare. For most people with nerve pain, symptoms depend on the severity but usually include pain and weakness.

Holiday Headache Triggers

It’s that time of year again; winter scented candles, Christmas lists, holiday shopping, and everything that goes along with it. Thanksgiving has yet to come, but most of us are already feeling the stress and headaches that often come during the winter season.

At Southwest Spine and Pain Center, we want to bring pain relief in every form to our patients so that they can enjoy their holidays. Many migraine and headache sufferers anticipate the upcoming agony, but by following our advice, the holidays will be much more merry.

Aching Joints and Joint Management

Joint pain occurs in the body’s “hinges.” Not typically requiring hospital care, joint pain is quite common and can be extremely debilitating. Arthritis is one of the biggest causes of joint pain, but other conditions can develop.

At Southwest Spine and Pain Center, we believe in providing the most beneficial advice to our patients. Joint pain can be very painful as the colder weather approaches. Offering the best spine and pain treatments in the state of Utah, Southwest Spine and Pain encourages you to come in for an examination.

Worse Pain in Colder Weather

For those of us living with a chronic pain condition, predicting weather changes can be felt where pain is persistent. Sinus pain, arthritis pain, and even fibromyalgia symptoms can be greatly intensified once the weather changes; ie raining, lowering temperatures.

You may have heard about this relationship, but never understood why or how pain and weather are related. Researchers suppose that temperature and barometric pressure changes are the cause of increased pain.

At Southwest Spine and Pain Center, we believe in offering treatment that will be affective in all stages of our lives, including drastic weather changes. Whether you have pain from a recent injury, or a chronic pain condition, our specialists consider all factors when designing a treatment plan.

Weather Changes and Fibromyalgia

On June 4, 2013, ScienceDaily released a report that found weather changes including temperature, sunshine, and precipitation to not be a factor in the fluctuation of fibromyalgia symptoms. Dutch researchers found hard medical evidence that supported this conclusion and published their reports to Arthritis Care & Research, an American College of Rheumatology journal.

At Southwest Spine and Pain Center, our medical staff continues to investigate the science behind fibromyalgia. As one of medicine’s greatest mysteries, scientists and investigators worldwide continually study the truths behind this condition.