A New Special Health Report From Harvard Medical School Discusses
Effective Ways to Manage Pain
Tuesday June 1, 1:31 pm ET

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/040601/netu037_1.html

BOSTON, June 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Relieving pain is one of the most
ancient medical goals and the most common reason that people see a
doctor. Pain can depress you emotionally, interfere with your
ability to work, and prevent you from enjoying someone else's
company. What to Do About Pain, a special health report from Harvard
Medical School, explains ways to manage common pain conditions,
advances in medications and injection therapies, physical and
exercise treatments, and alternative treatments for pain.
Huge strides have been made in understanding pain, and significant
advances have been made in the development of new medication and
nondrug therapies. Doctors can now use an ever-broadening array of
treatments -- from acupuncture to analgesics, biofeedback to spinal
injections -- to help individuals achieve a quality standard of life.

According to What to Do About Pain, variables such as family
upbringing, cultural influences, attitude, and past pain experiences
shape your perception of pain. Additionally, the method that works
best to relieve pain differs from person to person.

The following are suggestions included in the special health report
about ways people can help alleviate discomfort and distress:

-- Physical treatments such as using cold and heat, physical
therapy,
spinal manipulation, and electrical stimulation can be good
nondrug
remedies.

-- Acupuncture, relaxation techniques, herbal products, and
meditation are
widely used alternative treatments to relieve discomfort from
back
pain, headaches, and arthritis.


People suffering pain due to cancer often use the three-step "pain
relief ladder." Doctors prescribe drugs based on the patient's level
of pain. NSAIDs (ibuprofen, aspirin, naproxen) for mild pain, mild
opioid (codeine, propoxyphene, oxycodone) for moderate pain, and
strong opioid (morphine and hydromorphone) for severe pain.

What to Do About Pain also provides information about treating
headaches, arthritis, back, and nerve pain. This special health
report is a complete guide to ways you can develop a pain treatment
program that best suits your individual needs.

What to Do About Pain is available from Harvard Health Publications
and can be purchased for $16 at http://www.health.harvard.edu/shr or
by calling 1-877-649-9457 toll-free.

Media: Contact Christine Junge at Christine_Junge@...
for a complimentary copy of the report or to receive future press
releases directly.