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
Cancer patients who learn that their disease has metastasized (spread) to the bone – or bone mets, as it is called – often feel like the rug has been pulled out from under them. Demoralization, disorientation, anxiety and depression are normal responses. It is all too easy to anticipate bad things, especially disabling pain. Even […] CONTINUE
How Metastatic Cancer Selfishly Uses Bone Growth Factors Cancer can be said to be the most selfish disease known to humankind. Like people who illegally copy music or videos and reproduce them for sale, cancer is a “pirate” that does not ask permission for stealing the body’s resources and using them for its own purposes. […] CONTINUE
Facet Pain: Where it All Began and What Can Be Done About It There are so many varieties of back pain causes that they could fill a catalogue: injury from an accident or sudden movement, skeletal abnormalities, degeneration of bones or joints, compression of nerves, disk problems, etc. Nerves branches from the spinal cord can […] CONTINUE
Ooh, My Aching Back: What Causes Facet Pain? It is a rare adult who has never experienced back pain. The most common cause of temporary back pain is a strain or injury, e.g. improper lifting of a heavy object, a minor car accident, a strain from a routine athletic workout. Back pain can also result […] CONTINUE
A Treatment Breakthrough Brings New Essential Tremor Optimism Essential tremor (ET) can be good cause for pessimism. An obstacle that many ET patients run up against is the lack of knowledge on the part of doctors. According to ET patient Peter Muller, the Executive Director of a support organization called HopeNET there is a great […] CONTINUE
One of the most discouraging aspects of being diagnosed with cancer that has spread to the bone (bone metastasis or bone mets) is feeling alone. Whether the news comes as a shock because your doctor believed “we got it all out” or you were initially diagnosed with Stage !V disease and therefore expected cancer spread, […] CONTINUE
“…let’s see if we can’t prevent being ill by trying to offer a love of prevention before illness.” Maya Angelou Do you remember buying your first car? Once you had the means to afford your own car, whether new or used, it was exciting to think about the make and model you wanted, shop the […] CONTINUE
Cancer that originates in an organ like the breast, prostate, lung etc. can spread when tumor cells break away and enter the blood stream or lymph system. It is not easy for breakaway cells to survive the body’s defenses and implant elsewhere. However, if they implant in bone, it is called bone mets (short for […] CONTINUE
Two Ways to Reduce Essential Tremor by Lowering Stress Imagine that you are doing a solo hike on a lovely trail in the north woods. It’s late spring, and the forest is quiet except for birds chirping. You pause for a drink from your water bottle – when from behind you comes the sound of […] CONTINUE
Benign Essential Tremor vs. Parkinson’s Disease: What’s the Difference? No one wishes for a chronic, long-lasting medical condition but some are more dreaded than others – especially if there’s no cure. Diseases that involve neurological deterioration are particularly fearful. They affect the brain and/or nervous system. They include deteriorating conditions like MS, ALS, Huntington’s disease, […] CONTINUE
