Childhood Behavioral Problems Linked To Chronic Pain In Adulthood

It is well-known that there is an association between childhood behavioral problems and psychological problems later in life such as depression, anxiety, panic disorder and the like. However, until recently, there has not been a clear link between childhood behavioral problems and chronic pain in adulthood.

In a recent study, British researchers analyzed data gathered from following over 20,000 children beginning in 1958. This group, or cohort, was periodically assessed at different times over the course of over 40 years (at the ages of 7, 11, 16, 42, and 45 years). Behavioral data was gathered by using standardized measures and questionnaires; specific behaviors such as restlessness, stealing, obedience, lying, and bullying (among others) were looked at.

The study revealed that there indeed seems to be a link between severe behavioral disturbances in childhood and chronic pain in adulthood. For instance, the risk of having chronic pain at age 45 doubled for those individuals whose teachers had reported severe "persistent" behavior problems at ages 7, 11, and 16 years.

The mechanism for this association is believed to possibly be something called the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Basically the HPA axis is a signaling system between brain structures (hypothalamus and pituitary) and the body (adrenal gland).

The HPA axis is intimately tied in with both emotions and stress on the one hand, and physiological responses on the other. In other words, it is a major "bridge" between the mind and the body, and as such is a good preliminary candidate for the link between childhood behavioral patterns and chronic pain later in life.

It is possible that in children with severe behavioral problems, HPA axis function becomes disturbed early-on, leading to persistent physical problems later in life. It is important to note that this is a very preliminary conclusion; there may be much more going on here, and further research is certainly needed..

Source : http://blog.seattlepi.com/bodyandmind/archives/198276.asp

Early detection can help you save on health cost I

Prevention is better than cure, as they say. The growing health insurance segment bears this truism out, which is witnessing almost 100% claims ratio. Insurers say that some 16 out of every 100 policyholders register claims under the health policy every year. In other words, the cost of treating 16 policyholders is equal to the premium collected from 100. 

Insurers have now discovered that they can make substantial money out of health insurance if they can prevent one out of 100 policyholders from falling ill. To this effect, they are now offering freebies like free health check-ups and discounts on gym memberships to policyholders.

The same financial logic applies to individuals as well. For instance, getting a cavity filled in early will help save several times the amount on a root canal treatment. Most ailments requiring surgery do not occur overnight, but build-up over a period of time and in many cases, can be detected early through regular checks. Doctors say, you almost save up to 50% on health costs with regular check-ups, exercise and balanced diet. The idea is to avoid severe health complications which could also take a toll on your biological as well as financial health.

Monitor BP and sugar levels 
Blood pressure is a function of stress and anxiety rather than heredity. Such cases can be kept monitored through counselling, yoga and meditation instead of direct medication if the BP is not alarmingly high. “You can read the early signals such as a constant headache and body ache. Patients suffering from severe stress and hypertension should get their BP checked at least once every week.

Otherwise, once a month check-up would suffice,” explains Dr T Samuel, a senior medical practitioner. BP test can be done for as low Rs 50 with a general physician. Diabetes is a function of heredity, hence it is better to monitor your sugar levels twice a year if any of the parents or grand parents are diabetic.

Exercise and side-effects 
Join a gym, shake a leg to some music or just go for a brisk walk in the neighbourhood park for half an hour everyday. There are a plethora of exercise options. First, it will help you destress, thereby keeping tabs on your BP. It helps production of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or “good” cholesterol. It helps you lose weight and maintain an ideal BMI (body mass index) and promote better sleep, leading to a healthier lifestyle.

A cervical or a lower back pain doesn’t sound new to most working professionals who spend 90% of their time sitting in front of the computer. “Just taking a walk every half an hour in the office may sound like a breezy suggestion. But it helps you break the monotonous posture. This combined with regular exercise, good posture and stretches should help the pain ease up,” explains Dr KS Ramakrishnan, a Mumbai–based senior physiotherapist.

Check your oral hygiene 
You don’t have to walk to your dentist only when you develop a cavity or for a root canal. It could be for flossing, threading, crowding of teeth or just a gum check. If your gums hurt or bleed while brushing or flossing, or you experience a persistent bad breath, you should visit a dentist. These could be early signs for persistent dental problems. 

Types of Pain and There Causes I

Muscle Pain

Muscle pain is probably the most common type of pain and is caused by various circumstances. Over time, prolonged pain can be the cause of a person not sleeping well, which sometimes adds to the situation and can cause more issues. If you have constant stress in your life, this may also be the cause of your body becoming tired and painful. Muscle pain can originate after moving and hauling furniture, sitting at a computer all day or could be your body just feeling the workout from the day before.

Ankle Pain

Ankle pain could be caused from a sprain or fracture and you should seek immediate help from your physician. People rely on their ankles for walking, therefore taking care of this part of our body is very important. Seeking out proper pain management will ensure a speedier recovery and hopefully will alleviate most of the pain. Ankles may also become painful if they are overused in walking for an extended period of time, or even running.

Headaches

Headaches are very common and some are extremely painful. There are different types of headaches relating to tension, stress, nerves, sinuses and poor eyesight. A bad headache can determine how one functions throughout the day. Most people have suffered through a headache and have learned that relaxation and the correct pain management will more than likely alleviate this pain. Sinus headaches may require being seen by a physician to determine the proper method of relieving the pressure of the sinuses. Migraines are also painful and sometime debilitating to people.

Who are at Risk of Lower Back Pain and Lower Back Ache Risk Factors

Lower Back Pain one of the several Body Pain. Due to symptoms and causes of Lower Back Ache, a list of people at risk is created :

• People whose job requires spending long hours sitting or standing.
• Workers required to lift or pull heavy loads.
• Workers who frequently have to lean forward or perform torso twists side.
• Pregnant women, who bear an extra weight of 9 kg to 12 kg in the stomach and whose hormones control a relaxation of muscle tissue (primarily the pelvic region to facilitate delivery, but also near the spine).
• People whose parents suffered from degenerative disc disease, of OA or of osteoporosis.

Risk Factors of Lower Back Pain

• Lack of physical training or overtraining.
• Overweight.
• Poor posture.
• Wearing high-heeled shoes.
• The smoking because it contributes to the osteoporosis.
• The stress extended. Repressed emotions or where unsatisfactory work contribute to back pain. Stress increases muscle tension in the back.

Over-Stress: How to Manage it...

Stress is the body's response to a challenge or tough situation. When the body is stressed focus, strength, stamina, and alertness are all heightened. to be more specific, hormones are released into the blood stream and heart rate increases, as well as breathing rate, blood pressure and metabolism. This is known as the 'fight-or-flight' mechanism. Our ancestors would have experienced stress responses when they were hunting animals for food or were, in fact, faced with an animal that could potentially kill them (i.e. lion, crocodile). In those days, whether you stayed to fight off the animal or ran for dear life, the movement of the body (or exercise) would use up all the stress hormones floating through the blood and reduce the heart rate and blood pressure, etc.

These days we continue to go through the exact same stress response as our ancestors, however we might facing a deadline rather than a lion or managing a team of  people instead of feeding a tribe. The thing is, unlike our ancestors we don't fight or run to get rid of the stress hormones, we continue to sit at our desk, typing away on the computer while the hormones build up, heart rate continues to rise and blood pressure goes through the roof! When a stress response is active long term it can cause health issues such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), headaches or depression.

So how to you deal with stress? Obviously you wont be able to remove all stress from your life so its a matter of finding ways to reduce the stress response and manage the way you're feeling.

• Exercise - going for a jog and doing a boxing class will get rid of any pent up energy, stimulate the production of endorphins (happy hormones) and lower your 'flashpoint'.
• Watch what you're thinking - attitudes and perceptions will heavy influence the way you see and feel about things so think positively.
• Set realistic goals - work out what your priorities are and set achievable timelines.
• Relax in a way that suits you- take time out to do something you enjoy such as  reading, meeting with friends, doing a yoga class.
• Take 'Breathing Breaks' - I'm a big fan of cigarette breaks, just minus the cigarette. Smokers take 5-10 minutes out every few hours and to go outside and take deep breaths. So do yourself a favour and take 'Breathing Breaks', it'll lower your heart rate and blood pressure.
• Talk to someone - there is nothing wrong with venting your frustrations. Talk to someone you trust about what is stressing you out, besides two heads are better than one, you might come up with a brilliant solution.

Just remember that we weren't designed to stew over things and become more and more aggravated, we were designed to be active and work off the stress response so the best thing you can do to reduce stress is to get into the gym and run, run, run!!!