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Pain Archive
Articles
Ask the doctor: Do I need gallbladder surgery?
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Q. I've been having abdominal pain that may be due to gallstones. Is surgery the best solution, or are there other things I can try first?
A. The first thing to determine is whether your abdominal pain is in fact due to gallstones. They typically cause pain on the upper right side or in the center of the abdomen just below the breastbone that radiates to the back or right shoulder. The pain is often brought on by eating—especially fatty foods—or may occur at night. Sometimes gallstone pain is accompanied by sweating, bloating, nausea, or vomiting.
How to banish aches and pains
Gentles tretching adds benefit to your fitness routine, but make sure to warm up first. |
A variety of physical activities and regular stretching can rid you of routine discomfort.
Could hypnotherapy help you?
Hypnotherapy helps you control or alter your thoughts, feelings, and physical state. The results may help relieve anxiety, pain, or insomnia. Image: Thinkstock |
Tap into your brain's circuitry to boost treatment for your health condition.
Three steps to build a better back
Brisk walking works many muscles that support a strong and healthy back, such as the muscles in the thighs, calves, abdomen, hips, and buttocks. Image: Thinkstock |
Strengthening, stretching, and improving posture will go a long way toward reducing back pain that comes with age.
Should you keep taking NSAIDs for pain?
NSAID use comes wiht health risks. Use the lowest dosage possible for the shortest period neccessary. If that does not provide adequate pain relief, talk to your doctor about other medications or dosages. Image: Thinkstock |
New warnings suggest that even people without heart problems may be at risk for heart attack and stroke with NSAID use.
8 tips for buying shoes that are good to your feet
Buying the right shoes is an investment in foot health. But how do you find ones that fit properly and provide adequate support?Â
Start with your own feet, and look at what's already in your closet. Stand barefoot on a piece of paper or cardboard, and trace the shape of each foot. Now take your shoes, one by one, and place them on top of the drawing. If you're like most people, your "comfortable" shoes will closely match the outline of your own feet.
Stronger heart risk warning for popular painkillers
Current data suggest that naproxen may be the safest NSAID. Image: iStock |
NSAID users: Take the lowest effective dose for the shortest possible time.
Using nonprescription pain relievers safely
Alternating two types of over-the-counter drugs can relieve pain while reducing the risk of serious side effects.
If you're in a drugstore trying to decide which over-the-counter pain reliever to buy, there are scores of products from which to choose. But there really are only two basic types: nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which include aspirin, ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil), and naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn); or acetaminophen (Tylenol). If you want to maximize pain relief and minimize side effects, you might want to stock up on both types.
Best steps to soothe heel pain
Self-help steps can often chase away plantar fasciitis. For tough cases, make surgery your last option.
Plantar fasciitis is a common and painful overuse injury. It happens when the tough band of connecting tissue on the underside of the foot (the plantar fascia) develops tiny tears where it attaches to the heel bone. The good news is that plantar fasciitis usually gets better after a brief period of basic at-home care. "With rest, stretching, and avoiding the activity that is bothering you, it can go away in a couple of weeks," says Dr. A. Holly Johnson, an orthopedic surgeon specializing in foot and ankle problems at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital. "Sometimes it can take a few months for the pain to settle down, however."
Recent Blog Articles
Harvard Health Ad Watch: Got side effects? There's a medicine for that
Packing your hurricane go bag? Make provisions for your health
Does your child need to bathe every day?
Evoking calm: Practicing mindfulness in daily life helps
How well do you worry about your health?
Do parasocial relationships fill a loneliness gap?
Feel like you should be drinking less? Start here
How to help your preschooler sleep alone
Is the portfolio diet the best diet ever?
Which skin creams are most effective for eczema?
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