Time Magazine's Major Articles Summary for Its March 7, 2011 Issue

Why It Hurts - Pain is protective; it teaches us to avoid danger. It may be caused by arthritis, fibromyalgia, neuropathy, cancer, diabetes, or it can be unidentifiable. Doctors are stymied by the chronic kind. Chronic pain is a disease of the central nervous system. They now treat it as a disease of both the brain and the body. Pain is not always traceable to a physical source. Patients with amputated limbs can still feel discomfort in the missing appendage. Patients with chronic pain usually have lower levels of endorphins, the body's natural morphine, than normal. Genes, too, play a role in the response to pain. A recent gene-therapy study involved injections of genes that are coded as natural painkillers to boost the body's levels of these analgesic chemicals. Another method involves retraining the brain. To decrease painful feelings, subjects were told to distract themselves with thoughts of more pleasant experiences. It worked. Retraining the brain beefs up the muscles that turn down the overall pain experience. Doctors are rethinking pain as a disease, as a normally adaptive process gone awry, and not as a symptom.

Living with Pain - Chronic pain is an umbrella term for any type of persistent pain, from migraines to fibromyalgia, that lasts anywhere from several months to the rest of your life. Sixty percent of chronic pain cases are caused by arthritis or back pain. Most of the sufferers are women. We don't know much more about pain than we did 200 years ago. Chronic regional pain syndrome (CRPS) affects about 1.5 million people in the U.S. The injury will heal but the patient will still feel pain because a damaged nerve is still sending signals to the brain. It interferes with cognition, and causes emotional distress and depression. Doctors recommend an approach that combines medication, physical therapy and psychological support. However, there are only an estimated 8,000 pain specialists in the U. S. Most people just see their primary care doctor. Unfortunately, chronic pain has no solution, just a collection of imperfect options. A spinal cord stimulator is one option that has been known to work, but not in every case.

Alternative Help - For two centuries, opioids like morphine were the only weapons for killing serious pain. Yet, their side effects are sometimes deadly. Pain specialists are now investigation nondrug treatments for chronic pain such as massage, acupuncture, yoga, herbal remedies, meditation, tai chi, psychotherapy and even mineral baths. Mind-body practices like yoga and acupuncture can instruct the brain to dial down pain signals. Additionally, scientists have known since the sixties that self-touch reduces pain. Touch is at the core of much therapy, but scientists are not sure how it works. They do know that the healing power of touch is an evolutionary response. It explains why many people seek massages to reduce neck, back and joint pain. Still, people with serious pain should always have access to effective pharmacology. Studies concerning herbal supplements are mixed, including gingko, chasteberry, turmeric and feverfew. The only really successful herbal treatment for pain is thunder god vine, native to East Asia.

The New Age - Dr. Oz tells us that we are in a pain renaissance. Some researchers are exploring the pain-control power of mind-quieting and focusing techniques that athletes use to improve performance. Buddhists preached this thousands of years ago. Meditation can benefit chronic pain sufferers by reducing the emotional impact of their condition. The American Chronic Pain Association has a five-minute relaxation exercise that can be effecting in helping you to let go of the physical stress that accompanies pain. Increased understanding of pain is resulting in great advances in the control of pain.

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Time Magazine - March 7, 2011 Issue