Posts made in August 2019

Fibromyalgia is a relatively modern condition that has only recently become better known in the medical community. However, despite increased awareness, many professionals are at a loss when it comes to treatment options. Because fibromyalgia is characterized by chronic pain, many physicians are inclined to prescribe pain medication. They’re also understandably hesitant; pain medication can cause a host of unwanted side-effects, including dependence.

But thanks to new legislature, many states are allowing clinics to offer medical cannabis as a chronic pain treatment alternative. Medical marijuana in Jacksonville, FL, is now a viable treatment option for several people that struggle with the everyday effects of fibromyalgia, including aches, stiffness, and swelling. Research is ongoing, but the results are promising.

Of the fibromyalgia treatments available today, medical marijuana is one of the safest and most benign. In the past, doctors generally prescribed fibromyalgia patients opioids and antidepressants. While many patients experienced benefits, a significant number experienced unpleasant or dangerous side-effects. More and more people began to search for treatments that didn’t come with risks of withdrawal and addiction.

If medical marijuana sounds like a treatment option that could work for your chronic pain, we encourage you to do your research. Meet with a pain doctor that can provide more information about cannabis’s role in pain relief. Medical marijuana may be the answer to your daily struggles.

Call Florida Coast Pain and Spine Center at 904.449.7246 to learn if medical marijuana is a viable treatment for your fibromyalgia pain.

You are suffering from chronic pain and would go to great lengths to reduce the misery. There is something you can do to decrease the pain level: Stop smoking. Of course, this is easier said than done, but looking into the links between smoking and chronic pain help you understand the cause and effect.

The side effects of smoking combine to increase chronic pain. First of all, the drug nicotine contributes to increases in blood pressure and heart rate. It also makes it harder for your organs to supply oxygen to your body and slows healing.

Another concern is your options for pain management. Devices implanted in your body can offer relief to pain sufferers. However, smokers have more significant challenges when it comes to healing from surgery.

One recent study shows that those who smoke are more likely to suffer from chronic back pain. The reason? Smokers are more susceptible because the act of smoking causes interference to a brain circuit that is associated with pain. In fact, smokers have a much better chance of suffering from chronic back pain than non-smokers by a ratio of 3:1.

Look to the doctors at our pain clinic in Jacksonville, FL, for answers. These medical professionals are dedicated to helping you find solutions for your chronic pain. Call Florida Coast Pain and Spine Center at (904) 449-7246 or schedule an appointment online today.

In a previous post, we shared with you four diseases with similar symptoms to rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, there are more of which you need to be aware because knowledge is power when it comes to your health. Before a diagnosis is confirmed, consideration of other conditions is essential, as well as testing. Other conditions that copy RA include:

Gout — Gout is a form of arthritis, but is different from RA. Like RA, gout can destroy the joints, but unlike RA, gout does not result in a narrowing of the space between joints or in periarticular osteopenia.

Pseudogout — Also known as Crystal Deposition Disease (CPPD), Pseudogout can manifest symptoms that resemble gouty arthritis or even rheumatoid arthritis. To determine if your condition is Pseudogout, your doctor aspirates joint fluid to send to a lab for testing.

Sjogren’s Syndrome — In its primary form, Sjogren’s syndrome may look like RA. This autoimmune, inflammatory disease in its primary condition also causes the pain, swelling, and stiffness associated with RA. Specialized testing is the only way to confirm this diagnosis.

To determine exactly what is causing your pain, seek help from a pain management clinic in Jacksonville, FL. Call Florida Coast Pain and Spine Center at (904) 449-7246 or schedule an appointment online today.