A Landmark Study on Palliation of Bone Mets PainWhen a primary cancer such as cancer of the breast, prostate or lung spreads to the bone (bone mets), treatment strategies become complex. In today’s world of oncology, better systemic chemotherapies can add months and even years to a patient’s life; in addition, local cancer control of […] KEEP READING
What You Should Know About CartilageOne of the most fascinating components of the human body is cartilage, an incredibly versatile material. Trying to describe cartilage is like the six blind men who try to figure out what an elephant is: “The elephant is like a pillar,” said the man who touched his leg. “Oh no! […] KEEP READING
How Stress Makes Essential Tremor WorseEssential tremor (ET) is the most common form of uncontrollable rhythmic shaking, though it is sometimes misdiagnosed as Parkinson’s disease. The involuntary trembling results from abnormal communication between certain areas of the brain (cerebellum, thalamus, and brain stem). It is estimated that 10 million Americans suffer from ET, though many […] KEEP READING
Multidisciplinary Teamwork Makes Life Better for Bone Mets Patients A diagnosis of metastatic cancer from one location into the bone (e.g. from breast, prostate, kidney, etc.) is called bone mets. It is different from primary bone cancer that originates in the bone, and is particularly discouraging because the patient has already been dealing with cancer […] CONTINUE
Essential Tremor and CAM, Part II: Vitamins As I wrote in Part I of this series, complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) developed a large following during the last three or four decades. There is considerable interest in the preventive or therapeutic properties of substances such as herbs or mushrooms that occur naturally, and healing practices […] CONTINUE
Can the Mediterranean Diet Reduce Tremor Risk? “Eat an apple on going to bed, and you’ll keep the doctor from earning his bread.” The first known use of this adage occurred in Wales in the 1860s, but apples have a respectable history of being recognized as a support for healthful living. While some foods can […] CONTINUE
Three Invasive Facet Pain Procedures You Can Avoid With MRgFUS When a patient is diagnosed with facet joint disease (osteoarthritis) it can be a relief to finally have an explanation for sporadic or chronic back pain. What is not relieved, however, is the pain itself. For that, the doctor generally begins with conservative treatments. This […] CONTINUE
Have You Ever Measured Your Own Tremor? NOTE: The following is not intended as an endorsement or recommendation of any product. Describing essential tremor (ET) is either objective or subjective. What’s the difference? Well, objective means based in fact, so it’s able to be measured or quantified. Subjective means more open to interpretation, often based […] CONTINUE
Radiofrequency Denervation for Facet Pain Has Disappointing Results There are some things in life that sound good in theory, but in practice they turn out to be letdowns. On a macro scale, think of all the failed utopian experiments throughout history. On a micro scale, think of giving yourself permission to eat all the chocolate […] CONTINUE
3 Safety Principles for Exercising with Bone Mets When asked about the value of exercise, most people will bring up the cardiovascular benefits of aerobic exercise, the pumped-up look and strength of muscles—or the fashion-minded person may address how a toned body makes any outfit look better. It’s the rare person who will immediately bring […] CONTINUE
3 Things Your Back Pain Is Trying to Tell You We often take our bodies for granted, especially when we are in good health and free from symptoms. It has been said that we live in a high-pressure world, but perhaps more importantly, we often place pressure and expectations on ourselves. When this happens, we […] CONTINUE
2 Facet Pain Risk Factors You Can Prevent The great thing about getting older is that you don’t lose all the other ages you’ve been. Madeleine L’Engle There is scientific evidence that as the years go by, older people’s brains slow down and are less influenced by youthful brain chemistry that lends itself to powerful […] CONTINUE
Essential Tremor Asymmetry Does Not Have a Family Pattern Essential tremor consists of involuntary rhythmic shaking that most often appears when a person is making a deliberate action, such as reaching for a glass of water. This is called action tremor, whereas rest tremors may happen while a person is sitting still but they are […] CONTINUE
