General Pain

Heartburn can be really Painful

2010-12-13T01:29:00.000-08:00

Heartburn is a medical condition with biological causes and it is really an unpleasant sensation to experience, it can be really painful. There is a solution I'd like to recommend, please click on the link below. The Heartburn No More™ System is a 150 page downloadable e-book, full with secret natural heartburn cure methods and unique powerful techniques.

The step-by step holistic acid reflux system that Jeff Martin discovered during 11 years of heartburn research has helped thousands of sufferers in more than 100 countries. I believe this program contains all the information you'll ever need to eliminate your heartburn permanently!

Without antacids and without using drugs and without any side effects!

Further information can be found at SafelyCureHeartburn.com

Easy Steps to Lower Your Cholesterol Level

2010-05-04T06:14:00.000-07:00

You can lower cholesterol without drugs by following some basic steps that will not only change your cholesterol readings, but also improve your health today and in the future. So often we use a prescription drug and hope it will magically cure whatever ails us. The truth is prescription drugs for lowering cholesterol do work. The problem is both the short term and long-term side effects.

Even more dangerous than the side effects of prescription drugs to lower cholesterol is not getting cholesterol under control. Over time, high cholesterol can lead to numerous conditions of the heart and arteries, not the least of which are atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), stroke or heart attack.

Here are 5 steps you can take today to lower your cholesterol without prescription drugs.

Eat right. May sound simple, but diet has such a significant impact on lowering cholesterol that it should be the number one factor you look at in determining if your high cholesterol is hereditary or a matter of dietary choices. A low fat and low cholesterol diet is the first step toward lowering cholesterol.

Exercise. Improving cardiovascular health is a step toward reversing the effects of high cholesterol. Exercise itself doesn’t directly lower cholesterol, but will strengthen the heart and entire circulatory system.

Quit smoking. If you smoke, the plaque build up in the arteries due to high cholesterol is accelerated. When plaque blocks the flow of blood to the heart, the muscle has to work harder to get oxygen. This can lead to a heart attack. If the arteries get completely blocked with plaque from high cholesterol then a stroke can occur.

Relax. Chronic stress can affect cholesterol levels. If you are constantly stressed and eating a low cholesterol diet, you may not see any improvement in cholesterol readings until you learn to relieve stress.

Talk to your doctor. Not all doctors are quick to prescribe medications. In fact, the more enlightened doctors will help you form a diet and exercise plan that is suitable for your current overall health and abilities as a first step toward lowering cholesterol. It is always important to ask your doctor if your decision to follow a specific diet or exercise plan is right for you. In addition, do not stop taking medications before consulting with your doctor. You can lower your cholesterol with diet and exercise, and under the care of your doctor, see about removing drugs from the process.

It does not take long to see significant improvements in your cholesterol. Lower cholesterol can be yours in just a matter of weeks.

Easy Ways To Relief Headache

2010-05-01T10:44:00.000-07:00

Having headache is annoying and sometimes it is difficult for us to avoid. Mostly when we are under pressure, headache appeared automatically. If it gets worse, we might faint due to the pain we felt.

A headache is a condition of mild to severe pain in the head. It can also attack at our upper back or neck. There are different types of headache, but most of the time headache brought on by stress, too long in front of computer, noise and others.

One of the main causes of headache is tension in the muscles of the neck, scalp and jaw. We usually deal with it by taking some sleep or consume over-the counter aspirin to release our pain. However, can we do this at any place?

Obviously, we cannot sleep at the office or at the mall. In addition, we might run of aspirin when headache strike us.

Do not worry! The easiest way to handle headache and we can do it everywhere is through massage. Massage is the practice of applying pressure or vibration to the soft tissues of the body, to heal injury, relieve psychological stress, manage pain, improve circulation and relieve tension.

When we suffer from headache, we can help ourselves with self-massage. Simple and everybody can do it, either at work or home.

Here are four easy ways in massage to heal our headache.

1. Eyes Area Massage -- Close your eyes. Place your middle fingers to your eyes that are above cheekbones. Massage that area gently but firmly in circular motion for 1 minute,

2. Eyes to Nose Massage – Using thumb, go along the underside of eyebrows (along the bone on top of eye socket). Feel where this bone meets the bridge of your nose and eyes and find a point where there is a small indentation. Very gentle pressure, press your thumbs into the points. You can do it four times by holding and press that area for 10 seconds in each press.

3. Neck Massage -- Massage a point where you can feel it by moving the middle fingers of your hands to the back of your head and feel the base of your skull. Specially, at the tops of your neck that meets the base of your skull. Massage for a minutes using finger tips gentle in circular movement.

4. Scalp Massage – Let your palms of your hands massage your scalp on the top of your skull for a minute gently.

Once you have done all those massages, start taking a deep breath. Lift your shoulders towards your ears for five to 10 seconds to relief remaining pain, and then let them drop back down into their natural position.

You are going to feel better when you can do that for a couple of times. Your massage will relief your headache and your head will feel less weighty.

Lift the Spirit Now

2010-04-29T14:55:00.000-07:00

Luckily for me there’s always been that curiosity of what’s out there in the alternative world including the alternative therapies. I’ve tried many of them over the years and will continue to do so, all in the hope I can make things better for my body, mind and spirit. And it has.

I’m aware that what may work for me may not work for someone else, so the message is to keep trying until you find something that will suit your needs.

Many times I’ve been told they’ve tried everything. What is everything? What it actually boiled down to you could count on one hand. It’s worthwhile to keep searching, you may find that your world expands in a most amazing way by the making of new friendships (I have) and picking up useful skills for your ‘self-healing’ tool-kit.

So what do I do when I’ve reached a cross-road and need some direction or could do with some healing?

Below I’ve listed 5 basic points that have helped to lift my spirit and with practice will also help yours:

1. Meditation! Meditation is one of the greatest self healing tools available and costs nothing except a little of your time! There are many meditation techniques out there, find one that suits you and begin.

By putting some meditation music on and spending time in quiet contemplation it can soothe your soul and reconnect you with the highest aspect of yourself.

2. Aromatherapy and Essential Oils.

Rebalance and rejuvenate your spirit through blending a selection of essential oils together in an aromatherapy oil burner. I’ve found the following blend works extremely well when there’s a need for nurturing, support and healing:

Approximately an hour before retiring to bed place a few drops of the following in an aromatherapy oil burner with some water (for safety’s sake, extinguish the flame before lights are turned off for the night):

4 drops Jasmine

4 drops Rose

4 drops Neroli

3 drops Lavender

3 drops Bergamot

The smell divine! I use this one every now and again and not only sleep like a baby but anxiety and stress disappears, and feels like the weight of the world has lifted from my shoulders by the following morning! (If you have a small bedroom you might like to half the amount of drops)

3. Breathe! Stand with feet a shoulder-length apart. Take 3 slow and deep breaths using the diaphragm muscles. Breathe in through the nose, and breathe out through slightly parted lips. As you do these imagine you’re inhaling your personal power, filling every cell in your body, from your diaphragm up to the top of your head.

Be your personal power and notice how much taller, straighter and stronger you become. Repeat the steps above.

4. Be in the Present Moment. Take a few deep breaths and focus totally on this moment, right now.

If you’re reading a book or magazine, or even this article, totally focus on the words and take in their meaning. There is only you and this article now in the present moment.

If you’re in the workplace, focus totally on the task at hand, and only this task, and what you must do in order to complete it. Nothing else matters except you and the task at hand.

5. Set an intention. When I’m on the lookout for something new and useful for me, I set my intention on what it is I’m after.

For example, I may want to find a book that will give me answers in regards to directing me to another healing modality or skill. I then meditate on this intention, give it a timeframe then open my heart to it. Lo and behold I will have a book in my hand in no time at all! I love the power of intention – I also use intention for getting a parking space when I go shopping!

These days I rarely get sick and when I do and have a medical checkup, doctors tell me I’m actually very healthy (surely they can find something so I can get some sympathy around here!) which also includes blood test results.

I still do sadness and unhappiness well (I’m still human) though neither lasts long whereas in the past it would last many days sometimes weeks. What lasts much longer is a peaceful state.

When using the 5 points above, my spirit lifts and life once again becomes more peaceful and joyful.

A Healthy Lifestyle

2010-04-26T00:32:00.000-07:00

In the fast paced world that we live in it can be easy to neglect our health and wellness. We’re so busy racing through our day to day lives – family, friends, work, social engagements – that we don’t take the time to look after ourselves. It’s really no wonder that so many of us are tired and run down. What are some simple things that we can do to improve our quality of life?

Drink Drink Drink…

You’ve heard it a million times and you’ll probably hear it a million more – drink more water!

Think about it: The human body is 72% water. A 5% drop in fluids creates a 25-30% loss in energy. A 15% drop in fluids causes death! At this point in time 66% of us aren’t drinking enough water, so over half the population isn’t running on all six cylinders to begin with – before things like bad air, bad food and stress take their toll.

It’s not really a difficult thing to remedy. Just drink one glass of water every half hour or so – or 10-12 glasses of water per day – and you’ll notice a huge jump in your energy levels.

Living Food – Loving Life!

A little known fact is that heating food above 116°F destroys much of the nutrient content. Considering that we already aren’t eating enough veggies, that’s a fairly substantial problem. Nutritionists recommend five serves of fresh vegetables per day. How many of us are actually taking that advice?

A great way to get the nutrients found in fresh veggies without spending all day at stove or eating raw celery sticks is to juice your veggies. Make sure that you own a good juicer (some juicers expose vegetables to heat created by friction during juicing, which breaks down important enzymes), grab some fresh vegetables and drink your way to good health. It takes a fraction of the time (there’s no cooking involved, for one thing) and it’s convenient. You can take your juice to work and even give some to the littlies for school lunches!

Wheatgrass in particular is an excellent source of nutrition. It’s high in chlorophyll (sometimes described as ‘plant blood’ because it closely resembles human red blood cell molecules) and has over 100 elements that the body needs. Fresh grains are another excellent source for vitamins and minerals.

Energy In – Energy Out

Exercise is another dirty word for most of us. The thing is, exercise doesn’t have to be horribly time consuming or mind-numbingly boring. There are plenty of options.

Years ago gyms usually offered weight rooms, aerobics classes and maybe a tydro-circuit. Now you can add water aerobics, yoga, pilates, dance-ercise, step classes and a whole range of new workout options.

If you don’t really have the time or money for the gym, or prefer to spend your mornings/nights at home, then try an exercise bike or walker. I’d be lost without my exercise bike – I set it up in front of the television and peddle away merrily during my favourite shows.

If, like me, you suffer from illness or injury or your level of fitness is quite low, you might like to consider some invaluable advice that I got from my doctor:

Once you’re physically unfit, and particularly if you’re also unwell, it can be a mammoth battle to just do the most minimal amount of exercise in a day. The danger is that inactivity leads to further loss of energy, which becomes a self-perpetuating cycle until you can barely get off the couch.

An excellent way to get back into a physical routine is to start slowly. Ridiculously slowly, it may seem. For the first couple of weeks, walk/ride for 5 minutes per day – exactly 5 minutes, no more, even if you think you could continue. When the 2 weeks are up, increase to 7 minutes, then 10 minutes, 12 minutes… continue to gradually increase your activity until you’re at a level that you’re comfortable with.

It may sound a little silly, but it works. In effect, you trick your body into producing more energy. You’re building your exercise time up so slowly that your body doesn’t really realise what’s happening. Follow this method and, before you know it, you’ll be comfortably exercising within your limits every day.

So, folks, that’s the basics. If you can rearrange your life a little to allow for better eating habits and a little exercise, and if you remember to just drink a glass of water every half hour or so, you’ll be well on the way to living a healthy life. On a final note, don’t forget to take some quiet time for yourself. Meditating is an excellent way to minimise stress. You don’t have to sit around for hours, just give yourself 5 minutes of quiet time every day – even in the shower, if that’s the only place where you can get time out – and have a little catch up with yourself.

And, last but by no means least, laugh! In fact, laugh like a loon – the louder the better! You’ll be amazed at how much such a simple thing can lift your spirits!

Soothe the Sting of Sunburn

2010-04-21T01:22:00.000-07:00

Each of us most likely has at least one memory of nasty sunburn. Whether experienced personally, or by a close family member or friend, the symptoms are likely to include anything from red hot skin – either tender or painful to touch, to nausea, dehydration, blistering and flaking or peeling of the skin.

As anyone who has experienced bad sunburn will verify, the amount of time spent causing the sunburn, is largely disproportionate to the length of time that can be spent suffering the consequences of its effects. In this respect, and depending on the severity of burning, -- pain and discomfort can persist for several days after the event, as the body works to heal and recover from the unprotected UV exposure.

Unless the symptoms are severe, (in which instance you may need to consider medical treatment), here are 5 simple home remedies that will cost you next to nothing, and which will assist in soothing the sting and pain of sunburn:

1. Cool baths: - Soaking in a cool * bath is one of the best ways to draw heat from the skin and soothe the pain and discomfort of sunburn. (Avoid ‘cold’ as this can cause the body to go into shock.) Here are some additional things to add to your baths for further relief:

a. Add 10 drops of so of essential oil (chamomile or lavender) to the bath. Soak for 15 minutes or until relief is felt.

b. Adding baking soda (or oatmeal) to a lukewarm bath can also relieve sunburn pain. For this treatment to work best, try to make sure that all affected areas are submerged. Bath water can be poured over your body using your hands or a soft washcloth. Burned facial areas can be gently dabbed using the cloth, or alternately you can splash water directly onto your face. After soaking, lightly pat the skin dry with a soft towel (preferably cotton). If you’ve take an oatmeal bath, let the light coating of oatmeal that clings to your skin remain.

c. Adding vinegar to the bath water will help in taking the sting out of sunburn.

2. Rubbing alcohol: - Because it evaporates so quickly, dabbing on rubbing alcohol will quickly cool and ease the pain of sunburned skin.

3. Vinegar: - Vinegar is an effective and cooling treatment for sunburn. Soak towels with it, and apply to the burned areas. Alternately you can fill a spray bottle and spray it directly on the skin as needed.

4. Egg Whites: - If your burn is painfully hot, separating the white from the yolk of an egg, and then spreading the white over the affected area will help to cool the burning instantly. This can be repeated as often as needed.

5. Potatoes: - Potatoes can also be used to relieve the pain of sunburn. Take 2 potatoes and wash them well. Cut them into tiny chunks and place in a blender to liquefy. (If the result appears too dry, add some water). Pat the affected areas with potato juice. Wait until dry, and then rinse off in a cool shower or bath.

Remember that as well as causing varying degrees of discomfort and pain, repeated sun exposure and sunburn also accelerates the aging process and can increase the risk of cataracts and skin cancer. Prevention therefore should also always be considered more preferable than treatment!

DISCLAIMER: These are home remedy tips only, and should not replace your regular health care provider. If in doubt at any time in relation to your sunburn, please seek the appropriate health care assistance.

Home Remedies to Ease the Pain of Sunburn

2010-04-18T09:19:00.000-07:00

Keywords: sun exposure, skin cancer, cancer, sunburn, UV exposure, home remedy, alternate remedy, alternative medicine, natural remedy

At some time or another, we’ve all experienced the effects of sunburn – be it a light burn or a more heavy burn.

Although the sting of regret of inadequate protection (from UV exposure) can be an excellent incentive to plan more carefully on ‘future’ occasions, it’s of little help in soothing the immediate physical sting (i.e. pain) accompanying sunburn.

However if you ‘have’ found yourself having spent a little too much time in the sun, -- here are 4 natural home remedies to help ease the pain of sunburn, and assist in the body’s healing process:

1. Cool Milk Compresses: - The fat and lactic acids in milk are known to have soothing qualities for sunburned skin. Soak a soft cloth or cotton gauze in cool whole milk, and dab carefully onto the burned skin. Do this for around 20 minutes, and follow by rinsing off with cool water. (Due to the importance of the milk’s fat content, it’s important that whole milk be used in this treatment).

2. Cool, sugarless tea: - The tannin in tea is the active ingredient here, which helps to soothe and relieve some of the discomfort of sunburned skin. After brewing a big pot of tea, and allowing it to cool completely, slosh the affected areas with a soft sponge or washcloth. As with the vinegar (4), you could also fill a spray bottle, and spray the tea directly on the skin. And don’t throw away the used (cool) teabags. These are especially good for sensitive areas around the eyes – simply place the teabags over your eyes if they feel hot and tired. (If you have ‘St. John’s Wort’, consider using this as it contains cooling properties, which can help tone down some of the heat in your skin, as well as soothing the nerve endings damaged by the sunburn).

3. Aloe Vera: - Aloe Vera is commonly used to treat sunburn. As well as providing soothing relief, it may also assist in the healing process. Apply to the affected areas as needed. Although the gel extracted directly from an aloe Vera plant works best, if you don’t have ready access to one, you may use an ‘over the counter’ Aloe Vera Cream that contains the gel. For this to be effective, just ensure that the cream contains a high concentration of Aloe Vera than it does water or other solutions.

4. Water: - When exposed to the sun, your body loses water and essential body salts. Dehydration occurs when your body loses too much fluid, and begins to reabsorb fluid from the blood and other body tissues. To prevent the consequences of dehydration, increase your fluid intake to ensure you adequately re-hydrate your body for optimum recovery and health.

Sunburn should of course be avoided where possible -- particularly as it’s adverse affects not only include damage to the skin, but also the increased risk of skin cancer. Prevention and protection should always be considered the best treatment for sunburn, and will assist in ensuring your optimum long-term health!

Relieve for Back Pain

2010-04-14T14:37:00.000-07:00

Michael J. Homan is a Reiki Master and studies natural healthing methods such as Acupressure, Electro-Acupuncture, Reflexology, Crystal Therapy, Chinese Magnetic Cupping, has his own e-Book called 4 Steps To A Pain-FREE Back!, and has a health related web site devoted to health issues and natural healing techniques.

I have studied and taken courses in acupressure. Studied some on chiropractic. I also have looked into psychological issues to do with pain and medical problems. And I am also a Reiki Master.

So now that you have a little about my background, and what fuels my writing... let's get to the real content.

I am going to condense this article for convenience since it is a combination of four major studies in themselves, but you can get my e-book or read my full articles at my web site, which is healthgrowhealthier.com.

I have found that 4 major things play an important part in your spines health.

First, there is posture. I know this is not the first time you have heard this, but it needs to be said again and again. Posture should be noted in sitting, standing, and sleeping. Start taking note of your posture at all times. If it is not straight, then start working on fixing it.

If you sleep in a position like I have in the past, with both hands under your pillow while you lay on your side, you can pinch a nerve in your neck if your shoulder of the arm that's up starts to relax and leans in toward your head or neck. It would be better to lay your arm of your upper hand down on your leg while one hand is under your pillow. And if you can, buy a few different thickness pillows for throughout the night. I do not know about you, but I can not have a high, fluffy pillow when I lay on my back. But a thin pillow gives me neck ache when I lay on my side.

The second thing on our list is the flexibility of your back.

What you want to do when you notice your back goes out a lot and you experience pinched nerves, is in getting your spine back into alignment and having it flexible.

Of course if you feel a chiropractor is your best choice, by all means seek one. But think about your progress if you could align your own back when ever you needed to. It's not all that hard!

If you are in pain at the present, put ice or heat on the spot until the pain seems to lessen.

Do NOT, under any circumstances exercise while any of your nerves are inflamed or swollen!

To get your back more flexible you might want to learn kundalini yoga. Not all yoga styles are like those you may have seen on television, where they twist themselves up. Kundalini yoga has very good and useful spinal exercises developed to help flexibility. Kundalini Yoga is also a spiritual tool to help before meditation as well.

It is very important to strengthen your back and the surrounding muscles. This is the third step to a healthy back. Doing sit-ups is one such exercise, You do not have to do many sit-ups until you feel you can... step by step. Take all of these things slow and at the pace of your body. Your body will let you know what it is feeling. Pain is a warning sign. Just remember... taking pain pills is okay when you really need them. But also remember that they do not heal the problem, they only mask the warning sign, they simply stop the warning sign, but not the underlying problem. Health is more than just eating right. One has to consider mental health, environmental, and many other factors. It is not all that easy for a doctor to diagnose the complete problem and cure it, especially if it has roots in psychological issues and has gone a long time unchecked, and became a physical problem.

The fourth and last step in back health is to start a daily stretching routine. You have seen cats and dogs stretch when they get up, try it for yourself!

The key to back health is in keeping it actively flexible and strong, or well supported by the stomach and back muscles. You may have to find that happy medium in between like I have, being too much strength in one area will pull out another. Each person is uniquely different in many areas. So never think what worked for someone else is going to work for you. You may have to build on someone else's information and work it into your own, personal program.

I recommend you learn a little about acupressure as well to maintain your pain when it flares up. I have found that I can manage pain by using acupressure, simply by putting pressure on certain areas of the body. But that is something I suggest you seek a professional for help, or look for someone who does acupuncture, or take a course in acupressure like I did.

Relieve and Prevent Thyroid Disorder

2010-04-13T09:12:00.000-07:00

Reason 1

The thyroid regulates the rate of energy production in the body’s cells. Thyroid disorder reduces the body’s metabolism and makes you feel sluggish.

Reason 2

Thyroid disorder also increases your risk of degenerative diseases such as heart disease, cancer and arthritis and your risk of widespread infection. In severe cases, the energy level in the body’s cells cannot even sustain a basic level of metabolism, creating a life-threatening situation.

Reason 3

One major problem with thyroid disorder is that it’s often missed in diagnostic tests. Even if tests show that you do not have a thyroid disorder, you might still be at risk. If your body is highly acidic, your risk of thyroid disorder increases.

Reason 4

Thus, even if you haven’t been diagnosed with thyroid disorder, it’s important to check your body’s overall pH level and take dietary and other steps to reduce the acid level in your body.

Reason 5

You will not only reduce your chances of developing thyroid disorder or making an existing thyroid disorder even worse. You will improve your health overall and reduce your vulnerability to degenerative disease.

THE RISK

Accumulation of acids in your body, due to insufficient digestion of food, food allergies and consumption of acid-forming substances, can cause thyroid disorder. Acid-related causes of thyroid disorder also include exposure to heavy metals and toxic chemicals in the water supply and in highly processed food. When your body’s acid level rises too high, your thyroid function will be depressed and your metabolism will slow.

Lack of digestive enzymes, also caused by over-consumption of processed foods, further causes your thyroid disorder. Your body’s ability to neutralize acids is further reduced. As you get older, the more toxins you're exposed to, the more likely you will develop a thyroid disorder if you haven't already.

THE DAMAGE

With a thyroid disorder, your body’s cells and organs will not metabolize as quickly as they should. The presence of excess acid only makes the problem worse. Your cells and organs will become overrun with acid that they need to eliminate, but your thyroid disorder will reduce their ability to deal with these acids. The acid, in turn, will perpetuate or worsen your thyroid disorder.

For example, a sluggish thyroid reinforces the digestive problems that cause acid to accumulate in your body. Because a thyroid disorder slows your cellular metabolism, it reduces your body’s ability to eliminate acid waste. The more acid-forming substances you consume, the more this cycle repeats.

Thyroid disorder also reduces your immune system function, leading to chronic infection. With the accumulation of acid in your body, infection will spread quickly, further reducing your body’s ability to neutralize acids.

As with other organs, the thyroid needs glucose and oxygen to function. When acid waste accumulates in the bloodstream, these vital substances cannot get through. Without adequate oxygen and glucose, thyroid function is reduced. The resulting thyroid disorder further reduces the body’s ability to clear the bloodstream of these acids that prevent the oxygen and glucose from getting through.

THE BENEFITS OF A BALANCED pH

Because thyroid discover causes so many other degenerative diseases, a thyroid that functions properly can restore health in so many other areas of your body. When you neutralize the acids in your body and eliminate acid-forming substances from your diet, you give your thyroid a chance to heal. Improved thyroid function will, in turn, help your other body organs function properly.

To neutralize acids and restore your body’s pH balance, you need to reduce or eliminate consumption of acidic foods and other acidic substances. Adding more alkaline foods and minerals to your diet can help restore thyroid disorder. As your acid level falls, you'll find that your thyroid function will increase. Your body’s metabolism will increase as a result, and you'll be able to neutralize acids even further. The end result will be restored health, higher energy, and a decreased risk of thyroid disorder.

A Dreadful Superstition

2010-04-10T19:28:00.000-07:00

A terrible superstition holds people around the world in its grip. Ministers of religion, lawyers, architects, men renowned as brilliant scientists, physicians (particularly, physicians), University professors, middle class people, working class people, people of all nationalities, are its victims.

I was one for 43 years. I really and truly thought that what my doctor said was gospel and never questioned him.

What is this superstition? It is that health may be obtained and maintained and diseases “cured” by drugs, medicines and remedies. They have not taken the pains to investigate, in an unprejudiced manner, this absurd and dreadful belief.

So what we have is physician, nurses and drug stores (by the way we do not have “drug stores” any more. They call themselves “Pharmacies” I just checked the phone book.) Other medical specialists all engaging in these false hopes.

Frightful suffering and bereavement are the common lot of mankind, except for the few who have released themselves from this superstition.

I consider myself lined up with Natural Hygienists and Naturopathic doctors and we feel it is simply amazing that the simple facts of which we have can be ignored so generally. And that people offer themselves as sacrifices to this great superstition.

When a theory of health is presented of the ways and means to “Cure” something or they are going to “find a cure, so give us more money” these stories are heralded as a great triumph of “science”

Yet the first principles of science are violated right in the beginning and in the entirety of such a theory.

If an articles is written which lays down in simple words the rules of health, means by which diseases can be obviated and recovery from diseases can take place, very few orthodox journals of high circulation will print it.

An example is in 1980 when after suffering for 43 years with arthritis and in weeks I was free of the debilitating disease; I took my book to the Regional meeting of the Arthritis Foundation. I was so thrilled to think that with this book they could fulfill their promise that if we send them more money they will find a cure.

What a disaster. My husband dropped me off at the hotel entrance and went to park the car. When he got to the entrance he found two uniformed guards walking me out. Bodily.

We were stunned. They told me they did not want that sort of book at their meeting.

Since then I have over 310,000 copies around the world and get calls and emails daily thanking me for changing their lives.

So it is mainly to people, like myself, who believe as natural hygienists believe, to spread the word. In 1980 there were about 6500 hundred doctors who were telling their patients that what I am saying here is true. Two of them are named in my book “I Cured My Arthritis You Can Too”. Today in 2006 there are thousands more.

To us it is amazingly simple.

Eat the truly good food, breathe good air, drink pure water, exercise, maintain optimistic and pleasant thoughts, and therefore enjoy fantastic health. Give our cells the proper nutrition and our immune systems will become as God gave us in the first place. Our immune system will then rebuild our body and we will enjoy the freedom of no illnesses.

There are now millions who are beginning to rebel against what we might almost call the atrocities suffered as a consequence of this superstition.

Many who are ill and are being subjected to the remedies and poisons that are administered to them. Drugs in large containers have the skull and crossbones on them but when we get the little bottles as “prescriptions it is not there.

My mother was told in the 30’s to use an aluminum type product as a cheap deodorant. She did and I believe it was a contributing factor in the way she changed in later years. Aluminum is causing Alzheimer’s.

While drugs may get immediate temporary relief, you will feel and know that the disease is becoming more and more serious.

I do not have final figures but look around. In the early years of 1900 it was almost unknown to have heart troubles. They did not spend time on it in medical schools. All the major diseases of today, cancer, diabetes, arthritis, asthma, the list goes on and none were minor. In 1960 one in 20 had arthritis. Now it is 1 in 3

Same with cancer. Now children are commonly getting it. Heart troubles are killing us faster than ever. I will try to find these figures.

The Untied States is way down in the world as a healthy nation. Have you ever known of so many people with so many health issues? Baby boomers are filling our hospitals with more sickness.

I take my son to the VA hospital due to his Vietnam days and see people his age in terrible condition. Amputees from diabetes, overweight everywhere.

I have felt since 1980 that I have a duty to tell people the other side. I have done lectures and TV and radio. I now do this newsletter. I get people asking me to unsubscribe them due to my teachings.

My phone rings daily with people calling, crying, telling me of the 5, 6, 8 different drugs they are taking. Although they call them prescriptions. I ask each and every one of them to get the hand out from their “Pharmacy” of every drug they are taking and read them to the last page.

Then have a good talk with their doctors.

What do I preach in just one paragraph?

Give your body what it needs in minerals, vitamins and enzymes and exercise, drink pure water, let no negative thoughts or people into their lives and feed our cells to let our immune system take over the job that God meant it to do.

Which is to be in a state of health.

If our immune system is not getting the proper nutrition we are in trouble.

Will this happen overnight? No, You cannot stop taking the drugs you are on without the consent and help of your doctor. Too many side effects can occur.

You did not get in the condition you are in overnight. You will not get into a state of health over night. But start now and by summer or sooner you will not know yourself.

Start promoting healthy cellular replication, get strong muscles, have clear breathing, increased energy levels and have body fitness.

Get supplements that are advanced Nutraceutical supplements. Make an impact on your health today. Feel the results and get VIBRANT HEALTH.

Take heed of what the Bible teaches of food. Mainly moderation in all things.

Stop this insane habit of all cooked foods and foods pre-made. We have gotten into the habit of fast is better. Fast is not better. It costs more in dollars when you buy it and cost thousands in medical bills later on.

Print this in your sub consigns mind. “I am the one responsible for what I eat and drink and do. I am the one who can make changes so I may live, play and have a happy, illness free life”.

If you help yourself to this attitude you will be doing your doctor a big favor. He is overworked and struggling to help.

Stop looking for a magic bullet. There is NONE.

I getup every morning thankful for my health. And my state of mind and for the love of my family. I look forward to each day with joy.

I look at problems as they come up as just a problem that needs a solution.

I work on the solution. If I cannot fix it or change it I have a mental box that I put these things in and I lock it.

I allow nothing negative into my space. If a negative thought pops in I chase it our.

Can you do this? Of course. Let me know how this changes your life.

I am here to help You, help Yourself enjoy a Healthier and Happier Life Style.

Best of Health, Margie "The Arthritis Lady"

Tips for Arthritis Pain Relief

2010-04-09T18:17:00.000-07:00

Think you can't stop that arthritis pain? Great news! You can act now. Get 10 super easy and effective arthritis pain relief tips from arthritis experts and make your life with arthritis a little easier now.

Protect your joints. Don't keep your joints in the same position for a prolonged period of time. Balance your rest and work throughout the day. Use the strongest joints available for the job.

Stretch it. Stretching should be part of every arthritis patient's daily routine. A good stretch helps prevent injuries by warming up muscles and tendons which are more limber and less likely to tear. Spend at least 10 minutes each day stretching, and work each major muscle group.

Cool it down. Stop physical activity. Rest in a cool/shaded environment. Spray with a mist of cool water or wrap an ice pack or cold compress in a towel and apply it to reduce arthritis pain and swelling.

Get moving. Exercise can help reduce joint pain and stiffness and increases flexibility and muscle strength. It can also help with weight control, stress management, and make you feel better overall. The Arthritis Foundation also offers water exercise and other classes.

Get a massage. Massage therapy can relieve your pain, soothe stiff sore muscles, reduce inflammation and swelling. Make sure you use oil or cream on your fingers to make it mroe gentle. Work the area for five to ten minutes a day if possible.

Keep your weight in balance. Being overweight, even just moderately, impacts weightbearing joints and can increase the pain of arthritis. Studies have indicated that losing extra weight lowers the risk for developing osteoarthritis of the knee. Losing weight can help slow the progression of arthritis too.

Get a diagnosis. If you are experiencing symptoms like pain, stiffness, swelling for more than 1 weeks, you should consider seeing your doctor and getting a diagnosis. Remember that there are more than 100 types of arthritis. It is important to get the specific diagnosis for the type of arthritis you have.

Take your medication the right way. Don't stop taking your medication just because you feel it is not working. Check with your doctor first. You need to understand that it may take several days to several months for a medication to become effective.

Look out for new options. Recently FDA has approved some new drugs for osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and other arthritis diseases. If feel that the current medication doesn't work well, check with your doctor about possible new options.

Keep educating yourself. It is important to learn something new about arthritis. Find some good websites online and subscribe to their newsletter if they have it. Join one of two active online arthritis communities like forums or bulletin board. Never hesitate to see your doctors and ask questions.

Modern Pain Treatment

2010-03-30T03:59:00.000-07:00

By Robert Friedman

Headache & Pain Management Center of Palm Beach

Medical conditions manifesting as pain account for 80 % of physician visits and pain costs Americans $120 billion in expenditures yearly. With this in mind, it is astonishing that only recently has pain management entered the medical school curriculum and gained status as a legitimate medical specialty. Despite great strides in medical research and technology, the mechanisms which make pain a problem in the human body are just now being explained.

The nervous system consists of nerve circuits or pathways, some of which exist to warn of injury or damage to the body and to enable one to react to prevent further trauma. The warning sign that we are all familiar with is the pain message. Acute pain is often a useful sign of underlying injury or disease that needs to be treated. However, recent research shows that with continued activation of "pain nerves" come abnormal changes in nerve connections and braispinal cord chemical messengers which allow the pain message to persist, even if the initial trauma has healed. This results in chronic pain, which is much more difficult to treat than pain from acute injury. As opposed to most instances of acute pain, chronic pain is not useful and can be considered a disease in and of itself. In fact, recent studies show that the effective treatment of acute pain can prevent chronic pain from developing. Thus, measures to prevent post-operative pain are being taken even before a patient goes to surgery. Physicians are learning that it is more effective to treat painful conditions early on, rather than waiting until the chronic pain becomes a disease in and of itself. This is particularly true for conditions such as reflex sympathetic dystrophy, nerve injury, fibromyalgia, and post-traumatic pain states.

Chronic headaches afflict a large proportion of the population. New, very effective medications are available to treat migraines. However, in many patients with very frequent headaches, medication may actually be the problem. The regular use of medication to relieve the pain of headache can result in "rebound headache" with increasing frequency of headache episodes. In such cases, the answer may lie in modification of lifestyle and dietary habits as well as other preventative measures.

The effective relief of many pain conditions requires an accurate diagnosis in order to find the most appropriate treatments. Depending on the exact symptoms, this may involve examination by various specialty physicians, x-rays or MRI, or electrical nerve and muscle tests, among others. Then patients can enter a treatment program customized for their particular needs. This usually requires a multidisciplinary approach, meaning there must be a team of medical professionals from various specialties who work together to provide whatever treatment is necessary. Anesthesiologists, neurologists and neurosurgeons, orthopedic physicians, psychiatrists, rheumatologists, and rehabilitation physicians are among the specialists who have become advocates for patients suffering from pain. Physical therapists and chiropractors, psychologists, massage therapists and acupuncturists may be involved in treatment as well.

A persisting myth about patients in chronic pain is that it's "all in their heads." For reasons mentioned above, severe pain may indeed persist without any visible signs of injury or disease. There are intimate connections between the pain pathways in the brain and spinal cord, and the portions of the brain involved in mood and emotions. As a result, many victims of chronic pain suffer depression as well. This may give a false impression that depression is the primary problem and the pain is imagined. This approach has been an obstacle to many chronic pain patients. In any case, treatment for depression or anxiety is sometimes required, whether it is a result of chronic pain or it was preexisting. Interestingly, many of the older antidepressant medications help chronic pain in non-depressed patients, particularly in cases due to nerve injury. Thus, it is important to recognize that pain is not just a physical phenomenon, that it affects multiple brain areas. This idea creates the framework for a multidimensional approach to pain treatment.

Other barriers to the effective treatment of pain stem from outdated attitudes about pain medications and their tendency to cause addiction (psychological dependence). All opioid medications ("pain killers" related to morphine or codeine) have the potential to result in physical dependence with long-term use. But studies have shown that very few patients with chronic or cancer pain actually become addicted. Better education of physicians and patients, as well as guidelines issued by governmental agencies, have led to more effective treatment of cancer pain in particular.

Managed care has not adequately addressed the treatment of chronic pain. Limitations are set on utilization of certain treatments, but there is no consensus on what types of programs are effective (as well as cost-effective) for treating patients with these conditions. In some settings, the multi-disciplinary approach has been shown to provide better outcomes (better functioning, less long-term reliance on the medical system, less pain medication required) but most insurance companies do not cover such comprehensive care.

Whether you suffer from headaches, back pain, neuralgia, neuropathy, fibromyalgia, RSD or abdominal or pelvic pain, no single treatment is effective for all conditions. Some types of pain do not even respond to strong pain medications. Depending on your diagnosis, other medical conditions, age, and personal preferences, treatment may include medications, physical treatment, electrical nerve stimulation, nerve blocks (injections of numbing medication or cortisone), counseling, or other modalities. The effect of a healthy lifestyle on chronic pain is well known. A fit body and good attitude can affect the endorphin/enkephalin brain chemical systems which can act as natural pain killers. A good diet, regular exercise, and an active life are useful adjuncts to other modalities of pain treatment.

For additional information, please see the following web sites:

palmbeachpain.com

http://www.pain.com

http://www.aan.com

http://www.achenet.org

http://www.spineuniverse.com

Dr. Friedman is board-certified in neurology and in pain management and is on staff at Jupiter Medical Center and Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center.

Robert J. Friedman, M.D.
Headache and Pain Center of Palm Beach
1015 W. Indiantown Rd.
7625 Lake Worth Road
Suite 202
Lake Worth, FL 33467
Jupiter, FL 33458
Main phone #: 561-842-PAIN

Education:
1982-1986
University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA
M.D.

1978-1982
Dartmouth College
Hanover, NH
A.B.; Cum Laude; with distinction in major subject

Training:
1996 Clinical Fellow
Department of Neurology (Pain Management)
John Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD

1987-1990 Neurology Resident
Chief Resident
Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center
Hanover, NH

1986-1987 Intern (Internal Medicine)
Allegheny General Hospital
Pittsburgh, PA
1999-2000
Interventional Pain Management Training Florida Pain Clinic Ocala, FL

Employment:
1998-Present
Robert J. Friedman,
M.D. PA and Headache and Pain Center of
Palm Beach, Jupiter and Lake Worth, FL.

1996-1998
Pa

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robert_Friedman

Excruciating Pain

2010-03-21T01:19:00.000-07:00

By Jane Elliott
Health reporter, BBC News

Marlene suffered years of pain

When keen golfer Marlene Evans started to suffer excruciating pain in her hips she feared the worse.

"Even if I turned over slightly in the night, a shooting pain from my hip would wake me," she said.

"The final straw came when I was forced to take up to eight painkillers a day so that I could control the pain and get through a round of golf.

"Although the anti-inflammatory painkillers did take the edge off the pain, I started to feel dizzy and sick as a result. I knew that I had to find another way of dealing with it."

Misconceptions About Pain - Grinning and Bearing It!

2010-02-28T00:03:00.000-08:00

Doctors differ in how they deal with pain. Older ones - of the family doctor variety who have a lot of experience in treating a variety of non-life-threatening injuries and illnesses - often dismiss pain with a hearty, "You'll feel better soon." Younger specialists, who have to fight much harder to earn their livelihoods and are also more materialistic, are much more solicitous of their patients' comfort and prescribe painkillers as easily as they would offer a child sweets.

But on the whole doctors tend to under-treat pain. There is a feeling that pain is just a fact of life. It accompanies all illnesses and it has to be borne. There is also the fear - both among doctors and among patients - that if painkillers are taken too often, they could become a habit.

But, as doctors are realising, pain can take a heavy toll on a patient's health and spirits. Compared to this, the risk of becoming addicted to painkillers is small. OTC (or over the counters) drugs are medicines that can be bought without a prescription and can relieve pain quite miraculously if they are used before the pain becomes really bad. And if one medicine does not work, a stronger one can be tried.

But does this mean that OTC medicines can be popped as nonchalantly as we pop chocolates into our mouths? Many people think that they can, but they are wrong. In fact, there are many misconceptions about pain. Here are the myths and the true facts about them.

Misconception 1. If pain goes away with OTC medication, it cannot be anything serious.

This is not true. Your response to OTC medicines has nothing to do with the seriousness of your medical problem. A sprained ankle is definitely not life-threatening, but the pain can be excruciating and may not respond to OTC medicine at all. On the other hand, serious illnesses like cancer or strokes may cause so little pain (at times) that OTC medicines work fine for patients.

So when do you take pain seriously? A rule of thumb is that minor ailments, even if the pain is agonising at first, normally heal or get much better in a week. They also don't come on very suddenly. You should see a doctor if the condition does not improve, if the attacks of pain are sudden and strong and if OTC medicines do not work at all.

Misconception 2. Women deal with pain better than men do.

Actually, research has proved that neither sex is better in dealing with pain per se. There are different kinds of pain and men and women deal with them differently. Women are able to deal better with chronic pain than men are, but men can deal better with sudden, acute pain - like when you hit your thumb with a hammer or touch something very hot.

Women, however, recover from pain quicker than men do. So in the case of, say a tooth extraction, women suffer more initially, but are less bothered by the lingering discomfort over the next few days.

Research on people suffering from osteoarthritis has given a reason for this ability of women to deal with chronic pain. They cope because they complain to friends, seek support, pray and ask their doctors for help. So they get emotional support and this helps them. Men, on the other hand, try to grin and bear it, to keep up their macho image and, as a result, they do not cope as well.

Misconception 3. Breast cancer does not cause pain.

It is true that breast cancer doesn't cause pain in the initial stages, but this does not mean that if something is causing you pain in your breast, it cannot be breast cancer. Certain uncommon types of breast cancer can cause pain - for example, cancer that affects the skin and lymph glands in the breast.

But generally, tenderness in the breast is nothing to worry about. This can be caused by the peaking of the hormone progesterone just before one's periods and also by hormones that older women take after menopause.

Harmless cysts, too heavy a workout and even a bra that doesn't fit properly can cause pain in the breasts and this is nothing to worry about. But one should visit the doctor if one notices a lump in the breast, if there is a change in the appearance of a breast or nipple, if there is a swelling, redness, a persistent nagging pain in either breast or if one experiences unusual sensations in a breast, whether painful or not.

Misconception 4. Everyone responds to pain in the same way.

Not only do men and women respond to pain in different ways, but different individuals have different thresholds of pain. Some bear the pain of a broken arm without a murmur while others weep and moan over a small bruise. Again the same individual may react differently to pain when she is upset, is under stress, is with a friend, is calm and when she knows that she has to cope by herself. Hormone levels can affect response to pain too. Women are generally more sensitive to pain just before their periods.

Misconception 5. One should always take medicine for a headache.

No, one should not take medicine for a headache because, though the pill makes you feel better immediately, headache medicine actually makes the brain more susceptible to pain and so popping pills can, in the longer time period, cause "rebound" headaches.

So analgesics should be reserved for really bad headaches and for times when you have to function at your best. At other times, a short nap in a quiet, preferably dark, room is a good way to get rid of a headache. So is meditation or the application of a cold pack to the area in front of the ear on the side one has the headache.

Misconception 6. A pain that is strong in the morning and then decreases as the day progresses can be ignored.

This often happens with joint pains. Muscles, joints and tendons tend to be stiff in the mornings and hence cause pain. But, as the day progresses and you move around, these loosen up and the pain subsides. Such pains can be ignored when you know that they are caused by minor injuries which will get cured.

But if the pain is not caused by an injury, it is not going to get cured by itself and something has to be done about it. If this kind of pain (which is worse in the morning and gets better as the day advances) persists, becomes worse and becomes chronic, it could be something like osteoarthritis and you should see your doctor.

Misconception 7. No pain, no gain.

This is what all trainers and fitness experts say when they start you off on a new exercise regimen or fitness programme. Yes, sore and painful muscles are a part of all these programmes when you start, but if your workout leaves you in real pain even after a while, it could mean that you are overdoing it, that you are developing an overuse injury or that you are exercising incorrectly.

So you should ease into a new exercise regimen slowly and work different muscle groups on alternate days. Jog and cycle one day and swim the next. Of course, walking is the best. It rarely results in injury and it can be done every day.

Misconception 8. OTC pain relievers are safe and can be taken in any quantity.

Most people feel that the medicines a doctor prescribes are strong and that one has to be careful about using them. They also feel that OTC medicines that one can get without prescriptions are safe and that one can take any amount of them. But this is not true. Overuse of OTC medicines can increase the risk of ulcers and gastrointestinal bleeding or damage to the liver. So watch out as you blithely pop those analgesics and cold medications.

Misconception 9. Doctors prescribe anti-depressants when they should be giving you pain relievers.

This is the complaint when a patient who is ill and is suffering from pain is given antidepressants. But it is just not true that the doctor is messing up. Constant pain causes people to be depressed and this worsens the physical symptoms of their illness. Depression can also trigger certain types of pain. Antidepressants on the other hand, help by increasing levels of chemicals that control our moods and the way we perceive pain. So they are good for the treatment of pain.

Misconception 10. All pain can be banished for good by a good doctor.

Unfortunately, this is not so. There are some chronic pains - like backache - that just cannot be cured. But people can learn to manage these pains so that they can function better. Today, doctors are less afraid that patients will become addicted to painkillers and so prescribe them for even chronic pains - to be taken when the pain gets worse, when the patient is under stress or when he or she has to function particularly well.

Today, many doctors operate on the principle that people have the right to be free of pain. They weigh the dangers of becoming addicted to painkillers against the relief that they bring and then take a decision.

Even young patients are given painkillers when the doctor knows that recovery is going to be quick enough for addiction not to be a risk. And at, say, the terminal stage of cancer, they decide to let the patient leave the world free of pain, even if "addicted".

Doctors also prescribe relaxation exercises and suggest behaviour modification that will help avoid pain. For example, people suffering from back problems should learn not to make sudden movements, to always carry a small pillow for the small of the back when they know they have to sit for a long time and to learn to pick up weights without straining the back.

Physiotherapy can also strengthen the surrounding muscles and having a pain-reliever while this takes place does no harm.

Pain management also includes biofeedback. Many doctors allow post-surgery patients to use a pump that allows them to decide when they need intravenous narcotic painkillers. And doctors have discovered that this way, patients take small and more frequent doses that reduce the total amount of medication they take to be comfortable.

Pain may be a part of life, but we need not suffer from it too much.

Michael Douglas

At http://www.time4tips.com we investigate some more popular health myths and discover what the truth really is! Here you can also find expert health tips, free beauty advice, weight loss plans, fitness and workout tips with lots of effective home remedies.

Pain Clinics

2010-02-22T23:22:00.000-08:00

West Palm Beach summit takes look at prescription drug abuse, pain clinics
Sun-Sentinel
By Erika Pesantes, Sun Sentinel The State Attorney's Office will host the Prescription Drug Abuse and Pain Clinic Summit with policy makers, law enforcement ...

Lower back pain

2010-01-31T00:49:00.000-08:00

Being involved in competitive sports in childhood increases the risk of developing lower back pain in the long run, a new study finds.

According to the study published in the American Journal of Sports Medicine, college students who had been involved in competitive sports since elementary school are more likely to have experienced at least a single episode of low back pain in their life than their less-competitive peers.

The more years children spend in competitive sports, the greater their risk of suffering back pain becomes. The pain is also reported to be more serious and debilitating among these students, the study found.

It is, however, unclear whether the training techniques, or certain postures and motions adopted in particular sports lead to the higher risk of low back pain in these individuals.

Scientists urged teenagers to play and exercise more regularly despite the findings of this study, stressing that too much TV time and inactivity can also place kids at risk of lower back pain.

Further information can be found at Competitive sports ups low back pain in kids

Benefits of Massage Cushion

2010-01-27T11:12:00.000-08:00

Complaints now a days, most people, especially those who work in offices, facing problems with back pain, neck pain and shoulder. You must continuously for long hours sitting at one place. It is therefore extremely important to unwind at the end of the day. Massage is one of the best ways than getting rid of these problems. There are many massage pillow on the market for this purpose.

A massage pillow is used for devices that help to make a therapeutic massage therapy session. These units contain a provision, a kneading massage technique to massage your neck, upper and lower back on both sides of the spine. By using it you can have a massage, from virtually anywhere on the sofa, bed, sofa, chair, or even on the floor.

Massage pillows are calming, comfortable and even win a portable device, the great popularity. This pillow will help to give relaxation to the whole body.

The 7 Best Ways To Use Your Subconscious for Pain Relief

2010-01-22T11:23:00.000-08:00

By Ben Plumb

Your subconscious has influence over 7 different factors that could be causing your pain. Here's what you need to know about them so you can try to get relief.

The most effective way to use the subconscious for pain relief is to use visualization statements to encourage it to attack the pain process from multiple directions.

Visualization statements represent the specific language that your subconscious wants you to read back to it to help ease your pain. They’re simple and are targeted directly at the main factors that could bring you relief.

You can obtain these statements by learning how to communicate directly with your own subconscious mind. The process is straightforward and can be done at home by working with a facilitator over the telephone. You you need no special skills and no previous experience in working with the subconscious.

This approach may be helpful in addressing back pain or pain in the neck or other extremities, arthritis pain, fibromyalgia pain, or neuropathic pain (nerve pain).

Reducing the Pain Signal

• Pain Relief Factor #1 – Brain and Body Chemistry. Chemical reactions move pain signals along a pathway from your body to your brain. By focusing your subconscious on potential weak points on the pathway, you may be able to reduce the signal enough to get relief.

Avoiding Body System Triggers of the Pain Signal

• Pain Relief Factor #2 – The Musculoskeletal System. Your muscles, joints, tissues, ligaments, tendons and a number of other structures can be a source of back pain, arthritis pain, or other conditions. When you give your subconscious specific visualizations about these structures, it may be able to provide relief.

• Pain Relief Factor #3 – The Immune System. When your immune system is malfunctioning it could be implicated in arthritis pain, fibromyalgia pain, or other conditions that cause pain. By using visualizations you may be able to address the malfunction effectively enough to ease your pain.

• Pain Relief Factor #4 – The Endocrine System. A hormonal imbalance could be contributing to your pain. The organs that produce hormones may be weak, or the levels of hormones that they produce may be out of balance with one another. Through your subconscious you may be able to relieve the imbalance enough to ease pain.

Avoiding Lifestyle Triggers of the Pain Signal

• Pain Relief Factor #5 – Emotions. By visualizing a weakening of the connections between fear, anger and other emotions to your pain, you may be able to reduce the number of pain signals that are triggered. In addition, you may be able to weaken the strength of those signals once they are generated.

• Pain Relief Factor #6 – Food. Certain foods may be contributing to your pain. You can then try to use the subconscious to expose what may be the most prominent offenders--the nightshade vegetables, dairy products, wheat, or others. You can then try avoiding them to see if that eases your pain.

• Pain Relief Factor #7 – Sleep. If you're in pain you probably can't get enough sleep. This causes a vicious cycle--sleep deprivation makes the perception of pain worse, which further prevents sleep. Visualizations about a comfortable position to sleep in, and about other factors, may help you to break this cycle.

Engaging the Subconscious

If you can learn to engage your subconscious, you most likely will be able to identify which of these seven factors apply to you. You can then use visualization statements to give your subconscious the daily reinforcement it needs to possibly take the edge off your pain.

Ben Plumb is CEO and President of The Visualization Group, Inc. The company’s service is delivered by people like himself who personally suffered from years of chronic pain, and used the visualization method described in this article to obtain relief when nothing else worked. For more information, please visit http://www.thevisualizationgroup.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ben_Plumb

http://EzineArticles.com/?The-7-Best-Ways-To-Use-Your-Subconscious-for-Pain-Relief&id=7712

Arthritis Pain

2010-01-17T09:11:00.000-08:00

For your information:

Just last month, in December 2009, McNeil Consumer Healthcare recalled all lots of TYLENOL Arthritis Pain 100 count with EZ-open caps. The company is now issuing a broader recall that includes more products which may be affected.

The recall follows an investigation of consumer reports that pointed to a moldy, musty, or mildew-like odor that, in some cases, was associated with temporary, non-serious gastrointestinal events (nausea, stomach pain, vomiting, diarrhea).

McNeil believes the odor is caused by trace amounts of a chemical, referred to as TBA, which is somehow linked to the wood pallets used to transport and store packaging materials.

More can be found at
McNeil Expands Drug Recall Beyond TYLENOL Arthritis Pain

Control Pain With Hypnotherapy

2009-12-21T06:38:00.000-08:00

The proverb "no pain, no gain" just isn't true. Reflect on all of the times pain has hindered you from participating in activities that you enjoy - perhaps partaking in sports and even sitting can be impossible when you're in pain. Did you gain anything from missing out on memories?

However, the saying that "Pain is all in your head" can, often, be true. If that is so, then the cure is in your head, too. With self-hypnosis, pain can disappear completely. Despite what you may think, hypnosis is simply a mental state during which messages can connect with the unconscious more easily. The state of hypnosis is characterized by deep relaxation. In fact, with regular practice of a hypnotherapy pain elimination regimen, you will find yourself much more calm over all.

Pain is a signal that something in your body is amiss. So pain is actually a beneficial thing. But after you have your medical practitioner give you a check up to make sure that the pain isn't indicating a harmful condition such as a tumor, it is time to manage or even eliminate the pain.

There is no threat in a hypnotherapy pain relief program. You can not "get stuck" in a hypnotic state. The worst that might happen when you use hypnotherapy for pain elimination is that you might fall into a natural sleep state for a half hour- think of all of the times that pain has prevented you from sleeping!

This is not to say that a hypnotherapy pain management system is the same as sleep, because that is the biggest misconception about hypnosis. If you are asleep, you are unconscious. If you are not conscious, then you can't hear anything. If you can't hear anything, then a hypnotherapist can't assist you. In truth, hypnosis is actually a state of keen awareness.

Despite being consciously aware of everything, hypnotherapy pain management programs can help both physical and mental causes and lead to many effective avenues to eradicate pain. Drugs merely block the reception of the physical feeling of pain on a temporary basis, but hypnotherapy pain regimens can actually diminish the amount and strength of pain signals that you perceive. You can literally reprogram your body to distribute less pain-inducing chemicals to your receptors. This means that you can use fewer pain killing medications, or frequently no medications at all.

Endorphins are opiate-like compounds that are created in the brain. They are the compounds that cause athletes to have a high when they workout intensely. Using hypnotherapy, you can also discover how to program your brain to create pain-relieving endorphins on demand and then distribute them to the painful body part where they are required.

Because of endorphins, the brain is capable of inducing analgesia, which is a mild anesthesia, as well as full anesthesia (numbness). Medical journals are full of reports both in pre-anesthesia days, as well as in modern times, when invasive surgery has been done under hypnoanesthesia.

Hypnosis can also be used to program the mind to focus your attention away from pain, and that will help you perceive much less discomfort. Further, hypnosis hypnotherapy pain management programs can help our mind know and understand that the pain is present, but not to let us feel it. A certified hypnosis pain relief professional will be familiar with how to completely address additional hypnotic suggestions that will facilitate your recovery.

A very effective hypnosis pain remedy lies in Neuro-Linguistic Programming, or NLP. No doubt that after coping with chronic pain, you may be skeptical that a hypnotherapy pain program will get the job done. In many cases, NLP methods actually work far better for modern thinkers than traditional hypnosis does because it was created for people like you who are conditioned to question and analyze everything. When we analyze, we tend to throw up barriers to the acceptance of post-hypnotic suggestions.

Tense feelings always make us perceive far more pain than we are actually experiencing. One of the most powerful NLP patterns for eliminating stress is known as the "Flash." This methodology reprograms the unconscious to use mental images that create stress to actually trigger thoughts that create feelings of relaxation in their place. After you've tried this technique, it will be difficult or impossible to think the thoughts that distress you, because your mind will instantly and automatically exchange them in a Flash for thoughts that relax you instead.

Pain relief and self hypnosis go hand in hand. If you're exhausted from coping with medications that leave you incapable of driving or to fully experie life, or worse, of living with the stabbing, shooting or throbbing pulsations of discomfort, a hypnosis pain elimination program can provide safe, natural and instantaneous relief.

Alan B. Densky, CH has been helping people with self-hypnosis pain relief since 1978. A well-known authority in the hypnotherapy field, he offers headache and migraine hypnosis & NLP CDs and free self-hypnosis resources on his Neuro-VISION website

Pain, Headache, Migraines Getting You Down?

2009-12-18T02:35:00.000-08:00

It isn't necessary to suffer any longer! Imagine feeling good all of the time. Hypnosis can help the unconscious mind to replace feelings of discomfort with pleasant comfortable feelings.

If you often suffer from any type of headache or migraine pain, or any other type of physical pain, then you know how it can make anyone feel completely miserable.

It leaves the sufferer in a foul mood, kills their motivation, and hinders them from participating in their normal activities. It puts them in a state of helplessness and agony.

And did you know... medical experts believe that migraine attacks can increase the risk of getting a stroke?

Do you want to find an effective treatment? - CLICK HERE

Pain management business

2009-12-14T11:12:00.000-08:00

The pain management business has been good to many and Dr. Anthony G. Rogers.

After years of writing prescriptions, Rogers, who is a board-certified pain manager, amassed the means to acquire a fleet of muscle cars, $2.8 million in real estate and even a secret interest in a Port St. Lucie topless bar, records show.

The Florida Department of Health fined Rogers, age 48, for poor record keeping in a 1999 case related to prescribing painkillers. That was however no obstacle to his success.

He's among at least 60 doctors registered to prescribe drugs from pain clinics in Palm Beach County, a group that includes criminals and physicians fined by regulators for sloppiness or negligence, according to a Palm Beach Post review of county, state and federal records.

Back Pain Relief

2009-12-03T09:46:00.000-08:00

Christmas is fast approaching and if you are in pain, the festive season does not look a happy prospect. Pain can ruin a good time for most persons, for you and those around you.

If you want real back pain relief between now and the day Santa comes down your chimney, then there are a few steps you must take.

The first step is perhaps not so easy, you need to work out what actually causes your pain. This is not how you lift or bend, it's the distortion patterns that exist in your spine that allow the pain to develop.

5 Steps To Get Back Pain Relief By Christmas

Great pain reliever

2009-11-21T03:54:00.000-08:00

Forget about aspirin! There is a new pain reliever which is decidedly less medical: a photo of a loved one.

There is a study which shows that just looking at a picture of a loved one can help reduce pain. The same goes for holding a loved one's hand, that is proven to reduce pain.

A study which included 25 women, mostly students at UCLA, who had been in good relationships for at least six months. These women received heat stimuli to the forearm and then they reported their pain levels while looking at pictures of their boyfriends, while looking at a picture of stranger, and while looking at a picture of a chair.

They also received stimuli and reported pain levels while they were holding hands with their boyfriends, while holding hands with a stranger, and holding a squeeze ball.

Sarah Master, PhD and colleagues from the UCLA department of psychology found that the boyfriends' presence, whether holding their hands or just seeing their photos, reduced the participants' pain ratings.

"This really changes our notion of how social support influences people," says study co-researcher Naomi Eisenberger, PhD, assistant professor of psychology and director of UCLA's Social and Affective Neuroscience Laboratory. "We thought that in order for social support to make us feel good, it has to be the kind of support that is very responsive to our emotional needs. However, we are seeing that just a photo of one's significant other can have the same effect".

So a bit of practical advice is: If your loved one can't be with you when you are going through a painful experience, bring his or her picture along.

Good News - Chest Pain Centers

2009-11-08T11:54:00.000-08:00

The Tri-City Medical Center has now received accreditation from the Society of Chest Pain Centers, making it the only hospital in San Diego County to receive the distinction.

According to a statement that was released by Tri-City management, the hospital demonstrated that it met and even exceeded a set of criteria and passed on-site evaluations administered by society staff.

Those criteria included not only quick patient treatment and diagnoses, but also supporting community outreach programs and integrating the hospital's emergency department with the local emergency medical system.

Further information can be found at Chest Pain Centers.

Pain Medicine

2009-11-05T05:43:00.000-08:00

Mark Wallace, M.D. and Professor of Clinical Anesthesiology
at the Center for Pain Medicine of the University of
California will present results from a proof of concept
clinical trial titled, "NGX426, An Oral AMPA-Kainate
Antagonist, is Effective in Human Capsaicin Induced
Hyperalgesia Model."

NGX426 is called a prodrug of Raptor's parenterally
administered product candidate tezampanel. When it's given
subcutaneously and intravenously tezampanel demonstrated
statistically significant analgesic effect in five
consequtive Phase II trials. The trials were completed
in acute migraine, nociceptive pain
and neuropathic pain models.

The objective of this single center, double-blind,
randomized study by Dr. Wallace was to demonstrate that
the orally administered prodrug NGX426, maintains the
analgesic effect previously shown for the active moiety
tezampanel. When using a cross-over design, a total of
18 study subjects received single doses of 90 mg of NGX426,
150 mg of NGX426 or placebo in each of three treatment
periods. Pain was induced by injecting 250 ug of
capsaicin between layers of skin in the forearm at
30 minutes and 120 minutes after dosing.

Results and full details of the study will be presented
on November 20, 2009 during Dr. Wallace's presentation.

Leg Pain and heart disease

2009-10-28T08:41:00.000-07:00

I found this article and think it might be of interest:

The nagging pain you feel in your legs when you walk might be an important clue that you have heart troubles, researchers are warning.

That's why they're urging everyone over the age of 40 to get a simple test for peripheral artery disease.

“PAD is a serious heart disease,” said Ross Tsuyuki, a professor of medicine at the University of Alberta in Edmonton. “It's a strong marker for heart disease and stroke.”

More can be found here:
Leg pain is an often-overlooked sign of heart disease

Pain In The Back

2009-10-24T05:29:00.000-07:00

It could strike at any time. Debilitating pain that takes away the enjoyment of participating in your favorite activities. It can happen while bending, twisting or simply picking up your kids or grandkids. It's a hardship that afflicts far too many people... chronic lower back pain.

Each year, approximately 6 million Americans make new visits to physicians for back pain and nearly 500,000 require hospitalization. In addition, industry studies estimate that medical costs for lower back pain are roughly $24 billion, with an additional $30 to $40 billion resulting from indirect costs such as lost work time and workers' compensation.

"It's an affliction that has caused heartache and pain for centuries," commented Gunnar Andersson, M.D., Ph.D., Professor and Chairman, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago. "Of the three areas of the spine, the lumbar or lower back assumes most of the weight-bearing activities, and therefore is most susceptible to injury."

Fusion surgery-where two or more vertebrae are literally "fused" together in order to eliminate motion in the discs and, therefore, pain-is a surgical option to treat lower back pain. "Fusion surgery has become so prevalent because it treats the condition of discogenic back pain in an obvious way," said Dr. Nagy Mekhail, M.D., PhD., chairman of the Department of Pain Management at the Cleveland Clinic. "However, the healing time, cost and the reduced flexibility associated with fusion surgery makes alternate, less invasive options an important consideration in a patient's continuum of care."

For the nearly 2 million people with chronic lower back pain who have failed to respond to nonoperative treatments such as physical therapy, medication and spinal injections, and who don't yet want to go to the extreme of fusion surgery, a minimally invasive procedure called the Intradiscal Electrothermal Therapy™ (IDET™) procedure may offer an alternative for those suffering from persistent and often unbearable pain.

The IDET procedure uses controlled heat to modify tissue in the disc wall and is performed on an outpatient basis, taking approximately 40 minutes from start to finish.

"Similar to a radial tire that wears down over time, cracks or fissures-due to age or injury-may develop in the wall of the intervertebral disc, causing pain," added Dr. Andersson. "The IDET procedure works by raising the temperature of the disc wall. The heat contracts and thickens the collagen fibers within the disc wall, potentially closing the cracks and tears, and cauterizing the nerve endings that cause pain."

While simply growing older is a risk factor for potential back problems, those with sedentary lifestyles, those using improper or incorrect body mechanics during exercise or sports, and those working in a high-risk occupation that requires heavy lifting are also susceptible for lower back pain.

For individuals seeking to maintain a healthy back, there are steps you can take to lessen the burden on your discs and vertebrae:

Use correct posture during sitting, standing and walking to minimize unwanted stress on the spine.

Incorporate regular stretching, aerobic activities and strengthening of the abdominal muscles into your lifestyle.

• Practice proper body mechanics when bending, lifting or carrying items.

However, for the millions of people who suffer from chronic lower-back pain, the IDET procedure offers a new minimally invasive approach.

Nerve Pain

2009-10-21T09:56:00.001-07:00

Combo pill an option for diabetes-related nerve pain
Reuters
By Anthony J. Brown, MD NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A single pill containing the pain relievers tramadol and acetaminophen is as effective as the drug ...
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Wrist and Finger Pain

2009-10-20T11:33:00.000-07:00

Video games may cause pain in children
ABC7Chicago.com
October 19, 2009 (WLS) -- Too much time playing video games may leave children with wrist and finger pain. A survey conducted by a rheumatologist and his ...
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Gamer Kid Leads Study Showing Connection To Joint Pain

2009-10-19T07:01:00.000-07:00

Gamer Kid Leads Study Showing Connection To Joint Pain
Kotaku Australia
The study found that each additional hour of use increased the likelihood of experiencing pain by 50 percent. It also found a higher pain incidence in ...
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There's Playing Through Pain, And There's True Courage

2009-10-18T01:01:00.000-07:00

There's Playing Through Pain, And There's True Courage
Washington Post
By Sally Jenkins Unless you're a protozoa, you've felt pain. If you're anything like me, your way of dealing with it is a cheerful skipping and dodging ...
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Fake Procedure to Help Treat Pain

2009-10-17T00:44:00.000-07:00

Placebo Effect To Treat Pain
eFitnessNow
According to new research out of Germany, it is possible for the 'placebo effect' or fake procedure to help treat pain. A placebo is a scientific strategy ...
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A glass of water reduces pain just as well as a lollipop

2009-10-16T03:22:00.000-07:00

A recent study published in the Journal of Neuroscience by authors Peggy Mason, PhD, professor of neurobiology, and Hayley Foo, PhD, research associate professor of neurobiology at the University of Chicago, is the first to show that while ingesting food or drink, a powerful painkilling effect occurs.

They found a region in the brainstem called the raphe mangus (known to blunt pain during sleep and urination) that regulates this pain response. The brainstem is what controls our breathing and perspiration subconsciously.

In their experiment on rats, they found the animals didn’t lift their paws off a hot light bulb under their cages when they were eating a chocolate chip or drinking sugar water. They were even more surprised to find that even when they replaced the sugar water with regular water; the rats also delayed lifting their paws off the hot cage floor.

When they gave the animals bitter quinine; they found the rats made a “gape that’s akin to a child’s expression of ‘yuck.’” And they reacted to the heat under their cages quickly. So, the researchers concluded that only pleasurable food triggers pain relief.

Surprisingly enough, when the rats were ill; the chocolate chip didn't delay the pain response, only plain water delayed the pain under all conditions.

Mason believes this effect is in humans as well, previous studies showed sugar water reduced pain in infants getting booster shots.

This brainstem controlled pain relief effect might have been a natural blessing for animals in the wild. The brainstem trigger made sure they would eat as much as possible (when the food is non-toxic and pleasurable) and not be distracted by pain while they were eating.

The researchers though consider this natural pain killing effect, a problem for modernized humans because of the large quantities of pleasurable foods available to us around the clock. The brainstem (which functions subconsciously) will trigger you to eat the entire bag of (pleasurable) potato chips until its empty, even though the conscious mind knows it’s full and should stop.

Should obesity be blamed on our brainstems triggers?

No. Since the research shows plain water triggers the same effect as hedonistic foods.

Peggy Mason concludes: "Ingestion is a painkiller but we don't need the sugar, so replace the doctor's lollipop with a drink of water."

2009-10-14T23:40:00.000-07:00

Chile peppers can help with neuropathic pain--maybe, a little
Los Angeles Times
If you suffer from neuropathic pain, there's new evidence that capsaicin--the stuff in chile peppers that gives them their zing--might help you. ...
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Further information about pain relief can be found at Neuro-Vision Pain Relief.

Stomach Pain

2009-10-13T23:30:00.001-07:00

Soothing Imagery May Help Rid Some Kids of Stomach Pain
U.S. News & World Report
TUESDAY, Oct. 13 (HealthDay News) -- Children who experience frequent stomach aches can use their imagination to reduce their pain, new study findings ...
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Pain Research

2009-10-11T23:30:00.001-07:00

National Institutes of Health Announces Pain Research Funding Opportunity (R03)
Targeted News Service (subscription)
A funding opportunity notice from the US Health & Human Services Department's National Institutes of Health states: "The NIH Pain Consortium supports ...
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Cause of Pain

2009-10-10T01:43:00.001-07:00

Plantar Fasciitis: A Common Cause of Pain Under the Foot ...
Pain felt under the heel is commonly caused by Plantar fasciitis. Information about plantar fasciitis symptoms and plantar fasciitis treatments.
Suite101: Health & Wellness Articles - http://www.suite101.com/healthandwellness/

Pain Drug for Cancer

2009-10-08T23:08:00.002-07:00

BDSI to begin sales of pain drug for cancer patients
Bizjournals.com
The drug manages pain in cancer patients 18 years of age or older who are opioid tolerant. Meda has initiated a national sales campaign targeting pain ...
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Pain-Relieving Endorphins

2009-10-07T07:00:00.000-07:00

With self hypnosis you can learn to program your brain to generate pain-relieving endorphins on demand. The body then distributes the endorphins to the painful part of your body. With hypnosis techniques one can also program the mind to direct the attention away from pain, which will help you perceive much less discomfort.

A similar reaction is achieved when parents blow on the arm or leg where their kid fall and hurt themselves. And parents often follow up and try to distract the crying kid with a question, what happened to your ball?

A hypnosis pain management program helps our mind to recognize and understand that pain is present, but not to let us feel it. A qualified hypnosis professional will know how to address additional hypnotic suggestions that will lead to your recovery.

Can a clinic pain relief program work for anyone, included those with chronic pain? Yes, modern techniques for hypnosis, like neuro-linguistic programming, works very well for modern people with an analytic and questioning mind.

Back Pain and Sciatica

2009-10-07T02:35:00.000-07:00

There's a treatment for back pain and sciatica that has been used for over 200 years.

Millions of people have used this ancient treatment to get relief from their pain.

You can learn about this mysterious treatment - Click Here

And I bet you are probably also wondering why your doctor hasn't talked to you about
this time-tested and proven treatment, right?

You'll find out why when you read this - Click Here

Chronic pain

2009-10-05T23:30:00.000-07:00

Story of chronic pain, illness emerges in woman's death
Las Vegas Review - Journal
Kay Woods, an 80-year-old Las Vegas woman who lived with chronic pain and illness for more than a decade, tried to kill herself twice before she was slain ...
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Hypnosis Pain Relief

2009-10-05T06:56:00.000-07:00

Are there some dangers in a hypnosis pain relief program?

A usual misconception is that one can get stuck in a state of hypnosis. That is not correct and the worst that might happen when you use self hypnosis for pain control can be that you can fall into a natural sleep state for a shorter time.

You are unconscious when you are asleep and therefore you can’t be assisted by a hypnotherapist if you are asleep. So hypnosis is actually a state of keen awareness and focus.
Although you are consciously aware of everything, hypnosis clinic pain management programs can help both mental and physical causes.

These programs present many effective ways to get rid of the pain. As you know pills just block the reception of the physical feeling of pain on a temporary basis.

Hypnosis pain elimination programs can actually reduce the amount and strength of pain signals that you perceive. It’s like reprogramming your body to send less pain signals to your receptors.

Pain killing medications can be reduced and in many cases there is no need for medication at all.

Pain-free

2009-10-04T22:38:00.001-07:00

Prosthetic leg enables woman to dance, enjoy living pain-free
Waterbury Republican American
Too shy to actually dance for the cameras, she strolled up the clinic floor like the fashion model she once was -- no limp, no pain. Can a device of molded ...
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Pain

2009-10-04T00:29:00.001-07:00

Reflecting And Responding - Pain | Jade Mountains
By Rev. Mugo
Reflecting And Responding - Pain. By Rev. Mugo - Posted on October 3rd, 2009. Tagged: Daily Life Overcome Difficulties. Adrienne has posted a response to Ayse's writings on Dealings With Pain. She reflects on her daughter who was: run ...
Jade Mountains - Practice Within... - http://www.jademountains.net/

General Pain Reduction Thanks to Hypnosis

2009-10-03T06:41:00.000-07:00

Pain is actually a signal from your body that something is wrong. That is technically a good thing, otherwise we could make things worse. We usually listen to the pain signal as it is strong but sometimes in situations of crisis we don’t register the signal, other signals can be stronger. So how do we deal with pain and the signals. If there is an injury we use medical services to take care of it. In other cases we can manage and even eliminate the pain.

How many times have you been stopped from joining activities that you enjoy because you are in great pain? We have all missed fishing, gardening, golfing and other activities as a back pain for example has been unbearable. The best thing at those times has often been to take a pain killer, lie down and move as little as possible.

There is a saying that pain is all in your head and that can sometimes be correct. In that case the cure should be your head too. We know that pain can vanish with the help of self-hypnosis. Most people have an opinion about hypnosis and usually it’s vague and often completely wrong. Hypnosis is actually a mental state where messages can reach the unconscious more easily and the state of hypnosis is characterized by deep relaxation. If you learn to practice self hypnosis and have a pain elimination regimen, you will find yourself much more serene over all.