When my first headache specialist said migraine (no S) instead of migraines, I was mighty confused. He’s a brilliant man and obviously knows what he’s saying, but I couldn’t wrap my mind around the distinction. I eventually did, but am now worried that my adoption of his language may confuse readers. Here’s the deal: I’ll…
The more horror stories I hear, the more I realize how lucky I’ve been finding doctors. I haven’t avoided crackpots entirely, but most of my care has terrific care. Some of this is because I’ve lived in two cities with large programs in academic medicine, so I’ve been in the right place. I’ve also been…
Whether or not melatonin is an effective to fight insomnia is still under debate. A recent study indicates that when you take the medicine affects how it works in the body. Researchers report that it was most effective when taken in sync with an individual patient’s sleep cycle. They warn that people shouldn’t self-medicate with…
Hi, everyone! I’m back. Leading up to and encompassing my unplanned hiatus was a mostly crappy stretch. Here’s the brief version. I kicked off the month with a small birthday party for myself, where I didn’t overdo it before or during the party and had a wonderful time. The next day came a cold that…
Pain patients are highly unlikely to be addicted to painkillers (opiods). They are, however, likely to become dependent on a drug, which is very different than addiction. If you stop taking an opiod, you may have withdrawal symptoms, including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, sweating, muscle twitching and aches and pains, and increased pulse and blood pressure….