Overcoming Pain

Why people experience chronic pain, and the power they have to de-intensify it.

By Mark Borigini

Taking The Disgust Out Of The Discussion: The Chronic Pain of Dyspareunia

By Dr. Mark Borigini on July 2, 2009 - 4:06pm in Overcoming Pain

Painful intercourse can be a difficult subject to broach: After all, sexual intercourse is supposed to be a pleasurable endeavor, this universal assumption leading the individual sufferer of dyspareunia to wonder if there is something wrong with her head, her vagina, or, Lord have mercy, both.

Truth be told, sex is not always a purely pleasurable thing for women at all times, and this c Read More

Tai Chi For Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain

By Dr. Mark Borigini on June 26, 2009 - 7:42pm in Overcoming Pain

Chronic musculoskeletal pain, including all types of osteoarthritis and back pain, has gradually become an international health priority, particularly among the industrialized countries. Exercise is a major form of treatment for these conditions, and of course there are many forms of exercise. Read More

A Jolt For The Joints

By Dr. Mark Borigini on June 19, 2009 - 4:11pm in Overcoming Pain

The question invariably asked by every rheumatoid arthritis patient: Do I have to take these medications for the rest of my life?

I do not know the answer to this question for any individual patient. But I do know that the answer is usually, Yes.

Yes, because there is no cure for rheumatoid arthritis. Read More

Acupuncture As Biologic Agent In The Treatment Of Chronic Pain

By Dr. Mark Borigini on June 12, 2009 - 8:27pm in Overcoming Pain

The Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Pain Medicine earlier this year revealed data which showed that acupuncture seems to stimulate neuropeptide release, which in turn may have a significant impact on the treatment regimens used to treat chronic pain.

Modern tools of medicine such as molecular assays and brain imaging were used to study the effects of that ancient art, acupunct Read More

The Topic Is Topical: Voltaren Gel

By Dr. Mark Borigini on June 3, 2009 - 9:26am in Overcoming Pain

For those patients with chronic pain involving limited areas of the body, they might not have to expose themselves to the toxicities of oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as Motrin and Naproxen, to name but two. Read More

Sloppy Supplements: The FDA to the Rescue

By Dr. Mark Borigini on May 27, 2009 - 1:04pm in Overcoming Pain

A recent federal report, issued this past March by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) has called on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to become more active in monitoring side effects and assuring truth in advertising, so to speak, when it comes to the use of supplements in this country. Read More

The Paradox of the Poppy

By Dr. Mark Borigini on May 22, 2009 - 7:07pm in Overcoming Pain

Obviously, opioid medications play a role in ameliorating a variety of painful conditions, both acute and chronic. Read More

The Pain Which Does Not Complain

By Dr. Mark Borigini on May 15, 2009 - 7:07am in Overcoming Pain

I have discussed in this space articles in the scientific literature which have raised concerns that prescription pain medications are at times being misused, if not abused.

An article in the January 15, 2008 "Annals of Internal Medicine" reminds us that there are a lot of folks out there who are quietly suffering their pain-and who perhaps are not being treated adequately for that pain Read More

Death, Taxes and Chronic Pain

By Dr. Mark Borigini on May 8, 2009 - 6:48pm in Overcoming Pain

The health care professions are all facing an ageing and rising tide of baby boomers, and many of these patients are going to be suffering from chronic pain, whatever the reason. Unfortunately, the elderly are often untreated or undertreated for pain. Read More

Never Mind The 18 Million Cracks In That Glass Ceiling, Is There Sexism In Knee Replacements?

By Dr. Mark Borigini on April 28, 2009 - 3:09pm in Overcoming Pain

In the recent year of Hillary and Sarah, it is interesting that gender issues in medicine are becoming important-and profitable.

In 2006, Zimmer, Inc. received clearance from the United States Food and Drug Administration to market an artificial knee that is gender-specific. Read More