Wednesday, February 17th, 2010

Current research published in the journal Sleep Medicine concluded that cognitive therapy can significantly improve sleep for patients with chronic neck and back pain and relieve pain so they can perform more normal daily activities. This included patients who were on medications but did not want to take more for an sleep disturbances.
A nurse therapist delivered eight weeks of cognitive -behavioral therapy including sleep restrictions, stimulus control, sleep hygiene, and a discussion of catastropic thoughts about the consequence of insomnia. They talked about habits such as the use of caffeine or alcohol, and the use of the bed only for sleeping or sex. A user-friendly manual describing each step was developed that can be used to train other therapists.
Twenty- eight patients participated in the study. They kept sleep diaries, reported on pain and mood standardized tests, and were followed for 6 months after the in intervention. Further research is ongoing to determine the duration of the effects of treatment.
Tags: chronic pain, cognitive therapy, normal functioning, research, sleep
Posted in back and neck pain, research | 1 Comment »
Sunday, February 7th, 2010


Dr Jacob Teitelbaum (left) and Dr David Russell were interviewed by Dr Carl O. Helvie on the Holistic Health Show last night. Dr Teitelbaum, a Board Certified Internist and Medical Director of a National Chain of Fibromyalgia and Fatigue Centers (www.fibroandfatigue.com)suffered from and overcome these diseases. He is senior author of landmark studies in these areas and author of the best seller From Fatigue to Fantasy and also author of additional books mentioned earlier on this website. More information is available on www.Vitality101.com
My second guest, Dr Davids Russell, holds a doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine and is competing another Doctorate of Divinity and is the Founder and Director of the non-profit organization Caritas Traditionalis whose goal is to create a self-sustainable medical presence in economically depressed communities. He has studied classical medicine around the world including Europe, Nepal and the Middle East. More information can be found on an earlier blog here.
Their interviews follow. I hope they are informative for you.
Tags: acupuncture, antiinflammatory, arthritis, ayurveda, black pepper, cherry, chinese medicine, chondroitin, classical medicine, curcumin, detoxing, Dr Carl O Helvie, Dr David Russell, Dr Jacob Teitelbaum, endpain, energy, exercise, fibromyalgia, fish oil, food additives, ginger, glucosamine, heat, herbs, homeopathic, infection, movement, muscle ache, NAET, natural solutions, naturopathic, nutrition, sauna, Shine protocol, sleep, stretching, sugar elimination, toxins, willow bark
Posted in Podcast, Vitamin and Minerals, arthritis, complementary, exercise, herbs, homeopathic, naturopathic medicine, nutrition, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis | 2 Comments »