Fall is finally in the air, and cooler temperatures bring plenty of time to catch up on reading. September was a big month for people affected by chronic pain because it marked Pain Awareness Month, Stand Up To Cancer Day, and Healthy Aging Month.
All month long during Pain Awareness Month, patients, advocates, and others affected by chronic pain worked to increase dialogue about this critical public health issue. Our article explores why this movement is so important and how leaders have expanded its purpose over the last 13 years.
Arizona Pain will recognize the campaign on Sept. 27 with the Chronic Pain Awareness Expo held at the JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort. The event welcomes a slew of experts all focused on helping patients and caregivers manage pain and stress while improving their health. If you haven’t yet, make sure to RSVP now!
Meanwhile, on Sept. 5, Stand Up To Cancer held its annual fundraising event, a televised, star-studded evening designed to raise money for this organization’s fresh approach to cancer research. Much of cancer research is highly competitive, with scientists from separate institutions, or even departments within an institution, competing against each other for funds and recognition.
Collaborative science is the key to next-generation cancer research, says Stand Up To Cancer.
With federal funding for medical research dwindling due to budget cutbacks, you won’t want to miss this read on Stand Up To Cancer and the exciting ways this organization is upending traditional research to break new ground.
New technologies emerge to battle chronic pain and other health ailments.
For the many cancer patients and survivors alive today, chronic pain is unfortunately a part of their lives. This month’s post exploring the various causes of that pain and new technologies that are emerging to help patients cope is a must-read.
Some advances in cancer pain care are actually new twists on ancient methods, such as electroacupuncture. This treatment combines gentle electrical currents with acupuncture. Studies have shown it not only alleviates joint pain for cancer survivors taking medication to prevent a recurrence, but also depression, anxiety and fatigue.
You’ll never guess some of the other new and interesting ways researchers are investigating to fight cancer pain—a common but undertreated problem.
September also marked Healthy Aging Month, an awareness campaign designed to promote the fact that growing older doesn’t have to mean facing chronic pain. Although many older people do develop conditions such as arthritis or cancer that involve pain, it’s possible to continue to live a full, active life well into the later years.
Don’t miss this article for great tips on living well into your 60s, 70s, and beyond.
Growing older doesn’t have to mean suffering from pain. Learn more about Healthy Aging Month.
Meanwhile, chronic pain affects people of all ages. Those living with it face an uphill battle every day. To help you feel better, we gathered ways to stay inspired. From social media platforms and accounts to keep you motivated to ways to just get out of your head for an hour or two, searching out things that makes you feel better is a big part of living a happy life despite chronic pain.
Need help finding inspiration? Visit this month’s post to learn new ways of beating the blues and connecting with other chronic pain warriors.
Staying inspired is also one way of fighting stress, which is a critical issue for people living with chronic pain. Pain and stress have a complicated relationship, with each making the other worse. Sometimes, it may seem like the tension will never leave your body, but we’ve compiled a series of ways to help you relax and rejuvenate.
Fortunately, engaging in stress-management activities could also help reduce your pain. So even if you’re not feeling up to it, your body and mind will thank you for your efforts.
Need help de-stressing? Read this month’s tips on managing stress with chronic pain.
The fall also marks back-to-school time, with all the fun and stress it entails. (And also a precursor to even more crazy times to come with the holidays. But more on that later.)
If you, or your child, is managing chronic pain amid hectic preparations for returning to school, you’ll want to check out this September’s article, which is chock full of easy-to-implement tips for staying on top of the rush. We’ll also show you how to plan ahead so preparations better fit your needs as a person with chronic pain.
Learn how preparing ahead of time simplifies back-to-school shopping and other holiday planning.
If you’re not a patient, but are instead looking for advice on how to help a loved one manage the stress of chronic pain, we’ve got you covered this September. Don’t miss the article that demystifies different ways of helping and lending a compassionate ear. Knowing how to support a loved one coping with chronic pain doesn’t come naturally, but after this article, you’ll be well on your way to knowing which steps to take.
If you’re looking for more tech-savvy ways to combat anxiety and stress, be sure to read this month’s article on apps to alleviate common mental health issues. One new app developed by researchers was proven in a clinical study to help people access their inner state of calm. Best of all, it’s free!
You’ll also learn which computer-based program offers promise for preventing cognitive decline and related disorders, including dementia.
Research into the frontiers of managing medical disorders is extending into the treatment realm as well. Don’t miss our article discussing Dr. Elliot Krane, a pediatric anesthesiologist at Stanford University, and his ideas about what the future of pain treatment holds.
Scientists are hard at work understanding the physiological pathways underlying pain, and the treatments of tomorrow will likely look a lot different—and be much more effective—than the treatments of today.
What was your favorite Arizona Inside Pain article from September?
Image by ThreeIfByBike via Flickr