Cancer research: Control your pain, control your cancer

Kinda strange topic, since, after all, cancer is controlled through the normal treatments, being chemotherapy, radiation, or through surgery. What does controlling pain have to do with being beneficial to cancer treatment, especially when you consider the case of cancer in children. Well, it is being found that an essential part of trying to make cancer treatment in children more effective is also by treating the pain caused by the cancer and by its treatment. Pain affects the body's immune system, and also has profound psychological implications (link to article):

Experts at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital suggest that tumours press on nerves, bones and organs; radiation can damage the skin and mucus membranes; and chemotherapy agents can cause harsh side effects. Moreover, acute pain increases a patient's heart and respiratory rates, metabolism, blood pressure and stress hormones. Children who are hurting need more oxygen.
"Chronic pain influences the immune system, so patients don't heal as well. Research also shows that patients don't breathe as well when in pain, causing a higher risk of pulmonary complications after surgery," said Dr Doralina Anghelescu, Anesthesiology Division at St. Jude. "Patients in pain don't eat as well or sleep as well either. Pain management benefits the whole body," Anghelescu added.

What this study suggests is that, especially in the case of children, pain management and emotional support be an essential part of the treatment, and even the family members of the patient should be part of understanding pain management.

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Site for menstrual cramps

Menstrual cramps are a major pain area for many women. A lot of them believe that there is nothing that can be done to reduce the effect / impact of these cramps. However, here is a website that promises to provide natural remedies to reduce the effects of menstrual cramp. Link to the website.
An example of a remedy from the site:
Treat menstrual cramps using a heat pack - I have always suffered from severe menstrual cramps all my life. I have tried all the medication available over the counter and none work as good as the good old heat pack remedy. Either purchase a heat pack or make a square bag out of two pieces of material sewn together and put a heap of rice in it then sew the end up. You can put this heat pack in the microwave to heat it then simply place it on your abdomen. It works wonders, believe me.

There are more such remedies on the site.

Natural remedies for migraine

Migraine is an affliction that can cause a person severe pain. The pain in the head can incapacitate a person totally, preventing them from working when the pain is happening. Migraine is also something that afflicts a large number of people.
There are some natural remedies for migraine, and here is a website that promises to help (link), (link2)

Many migraine sufferers have turned to natural treatments once the cause has been determined. If stress is the culprit, you may find meditation or self-hypnosis an invaluable aid in relieving tension. If you suffer on a monthly basis because of menstruation or another hormone instability, herbal supplements formulated specifically for PMS symptoms will be beneficial. Some foods like Chocolate, Cheese, Nuts or any food containing MSG may cause a headache and therefore should be avoided. But until you have tried to narrow down the causes you may find your migraine or headache keeps coming back.

Pain in the groin

There was a midget down in Texas whose testicles ached almost all the time. The midget went to the doctor and told him what the problem was. The doctor told him to drop his pants and he would have a look. The midget dropped his pants.
The doctor stood him up onto the examining table, and started to examine him.
The doc put one finger under his left testicle and told the midget to turn his head and cough, usual method to check for a hernia. "Aha!" mumbled the doc and putting his finger under the right testicle, he asked the midget to cough again.
"Aha!" said the doctor and reached for his surgical scissors.
Snip, snip, snip, snip on the right side then snip, snip, snip,snip,snip, snip, snip on the left side. The midget was so scared he was afraid to look, but noted with
amazement that the snipping did not hurt.
The doctor then told the midget to get dressed and see if they still ached.
The midget was absolutely delighted as he walked around the doc's office and discovered his testicles were no longer aching. The midget replied, "Perfect Doc, and I didn't even feel it... What did you do?"
The Doctor replied, " I cut two inches off the top of your cowboy boots"

GOTCHA in Golf

Once the club duffer challenged the local golf pro to a match, with a $100 bet on the side.

"But," said the duffer, "since you're obviously much better than I, to even it up a bit you have to spot me two 'gotchas.'"

The golf pro didn't know what a 'gotcha' was, but he went along with it.

And off they went. Coming back to the 19th hole, the rest of the club members were amazed to see the golf pro paying the duffer $100.

"What happened?" asked one of the members.

"Well, "said the pro. "l was teeing up for the first hole, and as I brought the club down, the jerk stuck his hand between my legs and grabbed my balls while yelling "Gotcha!"

"Ouch!" said the guy "I can see why you lost that hole but how come you lost the game?"

"Have you ever tried to play 18 holes of golf waiting for the second *gotcha*?"