Pain Archive

Ask the doctor

Q. I suffer from recurrent canker sores. What is the best way to treat and prevent these mouth ulcers?

A. Canker sores, also known as aphthous ulcers, are small ulcers that appear on the inside of your cheeks and lips and sometimes on or under your tongue. They should not be confused with cold sores (fever blisters), which are due to a herpes simplex virus.

Some doctors are more likely to prescribe opioids to their patients, and those patients are more likely to end up taking them long-term. It's crucial for consumers to educate themselves about the risks of taking opiates, and to consider alternatives if possible.

Author and migraine sufferer Joan Didion once wrote, "That no one dies of migraine seems, to someone deep into an attack, an ambiguous blessing." At that time, migraines weren't something that could be prevented. Today, that's a possibility for some people who have severe migraines, frequent migraines (more than three or four times a month), or migraines that don't respond well to treatment.

The cornerstone of migraine prevention is managing triggers like stress or certain foods or strong perfumes. Alternative and complementary therapies (like acupuncture) help some migraine sufferers keep headaches at bay.

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A simple x-ray may be a better and cheaper way to diagnose knee arthritis than an MRI, according to researchers. X-rays are also cheaper than MRIs and quicker to perform. 

Shoulder pain appears to be associated with risk factors for heart disease. Researchers found that people with the most heart disease risk factors, like high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and diabetes, were almost five times more likely to also have shoulder trouble. 

When the risks of medication outweigh the benefits.

 Image: © iStock

Taking over-the-counter or prescription painkillers may seem like a simple solution for chronic pain. It's actually a bit more complicated, yet many older adults aren't aware of potential problems. "They think that if it doesn't require a prescription, it's safe. But there are some long-term health risks," says Dr. Edgar Ross, director of the Pain Management Center at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital.

Here's what you should know about some commonly used pain relievers.

Unless the person is able to tell you to the contrary, assume that anyone with a back injury also has a neck injury.

Place a board, such as a door or table leaf, next to the person. The board should extend below the buttocks (ideally to the feet) and above the head. Keeping the head aligned with the rest of the body, gently logroll the person toward you. Move the board under the person and ease him or her onto it. If the person is vomiting, lay him or her on one side and continue to support the head.