Addiction Claims Another Star

Last week America learned of another, by drugs, of a music star. Amy Winehouse a very talented singer/songwriter joined Kurt Cobain, Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison, and Janis Joplin as giving their lives to their addiction to narcotics.

I wonder just how many average Americans, some of whom cannot begin to carry a tune or write song, are suffering with addiction to prescription pain killers...none more so than people with chronic knee, back and other joint pain, sometimes so debilitating some people seemingly can't go on.

It's much, much easier to get a Physician to write a script and for that person to become reliant on pain killers than it is for a person to wean themselves off of these complicated drugs. This is the silent addiction. The 800 mg Motrins, the Tylenol - Codeine tabs, the Percocets, Oxycontin, and far harsher others.

I think that in this society we have woven, people just procrastinate and rationalize everything. And no more dangerous is this, is it for people on pain killers or addicted to illegal narcotics. Some rationalize "Okay, when it starts becoming a problem, I'll get off it." Take pain killers for that joint pain or that back ache every day and you little by little degrade your body.

Others may think they need that pill each day in order to get through the day keeping their pain away...."I need these pills so I can walk without pain",..... Maybe so. But also is it so, that there is much people can do to try and eliminate their dependency upon these daily pain killers. It starts with changing the culture and reducing the "quick cure" on pain killers. It starts exploring all manner of alternative therapies - some of which have been in effective use a lot longer than prescription pain killers,...and it with starts with living a healthy life style.

I write about this because I have lost a close family member to suicide which was directly influenced by 13 prescription medications that person was on. I know many others who take daily pain killers,...some for neck pain,...some from residual pain from broken bones. I don't have the answers. And maybe I'm just fortunate not to have pain anymore. Just be careful on what you take. I know many people who think nothing of popping a few Tylenol or Motrin,......common sense, case examples, and now Tylenol decreasing the daily maximum dose all should lead you to reconsider how you use these products.



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Acupuncture for Joint Pain

Acupuncture is a subject and potential form of treatment for Joint Pain sufferers that many will not investigate for several reasons; fear of needles, a belief that Acupuncture is quackery or getting an opinion (usually un-asked) from some “expert” who told them not to waste their time and money.

My belief is that you have to know the details of anything before you accept it or discount it. So what is Acupuncture? What potential does Acupuncture have to alleviate Joint Pain?

To understand Acupuncture you must understand the concept of the body’s essential life energy, called “chi” or “ki” flowing through your body in invisible routes called “meridians”. There are several thousand Acupuncture points connected to these meridians. Accessing and stimulating these Acupuncture points with needles corrects the flow of energy and alleviates pain and problems.

One of the possible ways Acupuncture alleviates pain is by reducing muscle tension thereby reducing tension or pull on joints. Another reason why Acupuncture may help is through the release of endorphins which naturally fight pain or our perception of pain.

Some believe that a method from which Acupuncture is effective is getting the body to react to the micro trauma that Acupuncture needles cause and therefore sending resources to that part of the body to “fix” it.

Another version of Acupuncture is Electro-Acupuncture where pulsing electrical current is delivered through the needle stimulating the intended afflicted area.

Without a doubt there are studies that suggest Acupuncture can and has alleviated joint pain caused by arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. This fits well with MyAchingKnees.com beliefs that all non-invasive methods to alleviate joint pain should be considered before prescription medications and/or surgery as these more invasive joint pain solutions have more potential for serious side effects.

Acupuncture may involve multiple needles being inserted into Acupuncture points on a meridian to a depth of 10 to 20 millimeters. One inch would be 25.4 millimeters to give you an idea of the depth a needle would go.

Acupuncture is becoming more and more accepted by the conventional medical community, however not all Medical Insurance Plans will cover Acupuncture.

MyAchingKnees.com highly suggests the joint pain sufferer research and consider Acupuncture as a form of treatment for any joint pain particular arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.