Pain Relief Newsletter February  2003 [ Send a copy to a friend ]   Glucosamine May Ease Knee Pain A small study has found that daily doses of glucosamine, a widely available nutritional supplement, reduced discomfort and improved mobility in people with chronic knee pain. READ ARTICLE   Pain Sufferers Unhappy With Care More than half of the people who suffer severe pain are unhappy with the medical care and support they receive, says a new Internet survey.  And it's not that they haven't searched for something better.  People with pain who responded to the survey at the website Pain.com say they've seen an average of 7.2 doctors, and 36 percent of them plan to consult with more doctors. READ ARTICLE   Take Two Walks and Call Me in the Morning Exercise sometimes can do as much as prescription medicines in treating and preventing diseases.  The medicine Dr. Harold Elrick often prescribed can't be found in any pharmacy and isn't always easy to swallow.  Elrick sent many of his patients away with orders to get up and get moving.  "Exercise is indicated for certain conditions just like medicine.  It's very effective," he says.  "And the great thing is it has fewer side effects than any medicine." READ ARTICLE   Bowen May Work When Nothing Else Does Her major concern was the debilitating pain she experienced every day. Her job called for her to be on her feet all day. By the middle of the afternoon, she could barely stand. She had tolerated this pain for the last two years. Doctors diagnosed it as heel spurs. She had tried various orthotic shoes, to no avail. They told her there was nothing they could do and that she would just have to live with it.  She was desperate when she decided to try the Bowen Technique as a last resort. After her first session she felt an improvement in her lower back. It was still stiff and achy, but it felt improved. Her knees also felt better. She still had headaches and severe foot pain. After the second session the pain in her feet was gone. She was able to work all day and then go home and walk around the house with no shoes, something that had not been possible for the past two years. After the third session, her back pain, headaches and knee pain were gone. She still felt some minor foot aches at the end of the day, but with short rests, they quickly went away.   Six Steps For Handling Stress You're fed up.  The kids are bugging you.  Your job is demanding and the housework never ends.  Tired, irritable and unable to sleep at night, you want relief.  This is stress. Stress starts when your body is confronted with more than it can handle, be it physical, emotional or mental.  At first, your body prepares by increasing adrenalin production.  You know the signs:  pounding heart, heavy breathing, sweating, tense muscles.  However, when stress persists, physical preparation turns into physical deterioration.  Here are some simple suggestions how you can decrease the stress in your life. READ ARTICLE Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Cured Without Surgery There are several causes of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS), but most cases are due to a reversible nutritional imbalance, overuse of the wrist, or injury.  These factors contribute to the Carpal Tunnel Syndrome being recognized as the second most common type of occupational disorder.   Studies have shown that surgery offers no better success rate than natural therapy, and recurrence rates are higher due to not treating the underlying cause. READ ARTICLE Wonder From Down Under: The Bowen Technique Tom Bowen was a genius - a natural healing genius from the land of koalas and kangaroos, aborigines and Crocodile Dundee.  Until recently, the only healing secret that had been imported from Australia was tea tree oil.  That changed when Dr. Oswald Rentsch, Tom Bowen's only apprentice, started to teach the Bowen Technique - one of the most effective forms of body work ever developed. Few people in this country have ever heard of Bowen and his work, but the technique is quite well known and widely appreciated in Australia. READ ARTICLE Foods That Fight Pain  - BOOK REVIEW   Foods That Fight Pain That foods can fight pain and even stave off many of the aches, pains, and diseases associated with Western standards of living is a conclusion that many Americans are ready to hear. After incessant media reports and some verifiable and credible scientific research, doctor Neal Barnard of Food for Life matches ailments with foods, supplements, and the like. Wipe out migraines, for instance, with ginger or feverfew and the avoidance of certain trigger foods (e.g., dairy, chocolate, meats, eggs). Treating arthritis, in many cases, involves vegan menus and doses of GLA (gamma linolenic acid) containing oils. What appears next on his solutions list should come as no surprise: daily exercise (and lots of it), sleep, and a macrobiotic diet, with more than 100 recipes plus narrative supplied by Jennifer Raymond. An easy-to-read prose style belies the seriousness of the subject.                                                                                              - Booklist                                                           Newsletter Archives September 2002 October 2002 November 2002 December 2002 January 2003