Nerve pain (neuropathic pain) Archive

Repetitive motion and poor posture can lead to aches and pains.

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You've mastered the art of texting, emailing, and web surfing on your smartphone and computer. But along with that digital prowess, you've picked up an unexpected side effect.

"We get a number of patients who develop injuries from these activities," says Dr. Tamara Rozental, an orthopedic surgeon who specializes in hand, wrist, and elbow disorders at Harvard-affiliated Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

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Exercise is considered the most effective pill-free treatment to cope with the pain and stiffness of arthritis. And more people are getting advice from their health care providers about how to stay active, according to a study published online Jan. 5, 2018, by the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Researchers looked at national health surveys gathered from 2002 to 2014. In that period, there was an increase in the proportion of people with arthritis (osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, lupus, or fibromyalgia) who said their clinician suggested physical activity to help reduce symptoms — from 52% in 2002 to about 60% in 2014. But by 2014, about 40% of arthritis sufferers still said they weren't getting exercise counseling. That's significant, considering that 91 million people ages 18 or older are affected by arthritis, according to a study published online Nov. 27, 2017, by Arthritis & Rheumatology. You don't have to wait for a doctor to suggest exercise as an arthritis treatment. Try something gentle, like walking, tai chi, or modified yoga. For more ideas, check out the Harvard Special Health Report The Joint Pain Relief Workout (www.health.harvard.edu/jprw).

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Past studies have suggested that drinking coffee is associated with many health benefits, such as added longevity, lower blood pressure, less weight gain with aging, and a reduced risk of many diseases, including type 2 diabetes, liver disease, cardiovascular disease, several degenerative neurological diseases (like Parkinson's disease), and cancer. Now a massive review of more than 200 large studies, published Nov. 22, 2017, in The BMJ, backs up many of those links. The largest health benefits were associated with drinking three to four cups of coffee per day: drinking more than four cups per day did not bring additional benefits. It's not all good news, however; the study found that women who drank coffee had greater risks for fracture and pregnancy complications. But over all, the researchers say, coffee drinking appears to be safe. They caution that the findings are all based on observational studies, not randomized controlled trials — the gold standard of research.

A study questioned the benefit of stents for some heart patients. What does this mean for people with chest pain?

Last fall, many news outlets highlighted a study suggesting that a common heart procedure — inserting a stent to open a narrowed heart artery — was no better than a sham procedure (see "Stent vs. sham: A short summary"). But the big picture isn't quite so simple.

For instance, it's worth noting that six weeks prior to undergoing the procedures, all of the 200 people who completed the study were prescribed increasing doses of heart medications. Referred to as optimal medical therapy, this approach is a proven strategy for treating chest pain brought on by physical activity or emotional stress that promptly goes away with rest or nitroglycerin (so-called stable angina).

Research we're watching

The pain relievers known as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) help ease the ache of arthritis. But taking these pills regularly can increase blood pressure and worsen heart disease. Now, new research suggests that topical NSAIDs (available by prescription in gel form) may pose less risk than the pills.

Researchers tracked heart attacks, strokes, and other heart-related problems in more than 46,000 people with rheumatoid arthritis over a nine-year period. People who used topical NSAIDs (even those who already had heart disease) had fewer of these cardiovascular events than those who took oral NSAIDs, according to the study, published in the Oct. 27, 2017, Journal of the American Heart Association.

Sufferers now have more options than ever to ease the pain or even ward off attacks.

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If you've ever experienced a migraine, you know it's no ordinary headache. Not only does it cause throbbing pain, typically on one side of your head, but it may also cause vision changes, sensitivity to light, and nausea. It's the type of headache that makes you want to retreat to a dark, quiet room and stay there until it goes away. Recovering from a migraine can take time; the headache can last for hours or days. Migraines affect an estimated 28 million women in the United States, according to the American Migraine Foundation (AMF).

The World Health Organization says that migraine headaches rank in the top 10 of disabling conditions. These headaches result in lost work days, lost productivity, and high health care costs. And of course, they can cause you to miss out on pleasurable activities and time with family.