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COVID-19 Vaccine Science Could Help Tackle Chronic Pain

/ Thomas Cohn, MD

monoclanal antibodiesThe COVID-19 pandemic forced medical experts to explore different ways to help slow the spread and create vaccines, and one of those techniques involved the infusion on monoclonal antibodies to help patients fight infections. Monoclonal antibodies are lab-made antibodies that help the patient overcome infections and illnesses, but the hope is that the same technology may eventually be able to replace opioids and help calm chronic pain conditions.

Research is currently being led by Vladimir Yarov-Yarovoy and James Trimmer, two professors in the Department of Physiology and Membrane Biology at the University of California Davis School of Medicine. They’ve also employed several experts to work on their team, including members who have worked to turn tarantula venom into pain medication. The team was awarded a $1.5 million grant earlier this year by the National Institutes of Health’s HEAL Initiative, which hopes to develop solutions for the nation’s opioid crisis.

Hoping To Curb Opioid Use

Addictive opioids are a problem here in the US and worldwide. According to the CDC National Center for Health Statistics, there were 107,622 drug overdose deaths in 2021, up from 93,655 in 2020. Researchers hope that alternative therapies can help to quell chronic pain without turning to potentially dangerous medications.

“Recent breakthroughs in structural and computational biology — using computers to understand and model biological systems — have set the stage for applying new approaches to create antibodies as superior therapeutic candidates to treat chronic pain,” said Yarov-Yarovoy. “Monoclonal antibodies are the fastest growing sector of the pharmaceutical industry and have many advantages over classical small molecule drugs,” added Trimmer.

Trimmer and his lab team have created thousands of different mononclonal antibodies for various purposes over the years, but this will be the first time he turns his attention towards creating antibodies designed for pain relief. And while the prospect of treating chronic pain with the help of monoclonal antibodies may be new, the technology is already being used to treat other ailments. The Food and Drug Administration has already approved monoclonal antibodies to help prevent and treat certain types of migraines.

“Nerve cells are responsible for transmitting pain signals in the body. Voltage-gated sodium ion channels in nerve cells are the key transmitters of pain,” explained Yarov-Yarovoy. “We aim to create antibodies that will bind to these specific transmission sites at the molecular level, inhibiting their activity and stopping the transmission of pain signals.”

If successful, researchers say the antibodies will fit into these sodium ion channels like a lock into a key. These antibodies will then stop the channels from sending pain signals but not interfere with other signals sent through the nerve cells.

So while there is optimism that these antibodies could be harnessed to help treat chronic pain, researchers say that viable human antibodies are still years away. First they’ll need to create antibodies to be tested on lab-created neutral tissue, so hope for a “pain vaccine” is still years away.

One of the most exciting aspects of monoclanal antibodies is that they can circulate in the bloodstream for an extended period before they are broken down by the body. While non-steroidial anti-inflammatory medications are broken down quickly by the body, researchers believe monoclanal antibodies will remain in a person’s system for a month or longer before they are broken down by the body. The team hopes that this means that patients would only need to self-inject with the monoclanal antibodies once a month.

“For patients with chronic pain, that’s exactly what you need,” Yarov-Yarovoy said. “They experience pain, not for days, but weeks and months. The expectation is that the circulating antibodies will be able to provide sustained pain relief for weeks.”

Why You Should ACT On Your Chronic Pain

/ Thomas Cohn, MD

pain ACTOne of the biggest drawbacks of dealing with a chronic pain condition is the uncertainty that comes with it. You don’t know if a flareup will occur at the wrong time, and unfortunately this uncertainty can end up dictating your life and decisions. One treatment technique that aims to address this problem is known as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT. In today’s blog, we take a closer look at ACT as a treatment technique for patients with chronic pain.

What Is ACT?

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is similar in nature to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy focuses on changing the way you think about your pain condition and the challenges that it presents, hoping to reframe the situation in a less negative light. ACT is a little different, but its roots are also based in acceptance and understanding. With Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, the patient is taught to focus on what’s happening in the moment and not to over-analyze or fear what could happen down the road. Patients are guided to face situations head-on instead of shying away from things because of what may or may not happen.

CBT focuses on setting goals and doing what you want to do in life instead of limiting yourself because of your chronic pain. Through these technique, patients are empowered to live life to the fullest in spite of a pain condition that used to hold them back.

In order for ACT to be successful, patients need to be willing to both accept and commit. The vast majority of chronic pain patients accept that they are dealing with an uncomfortable condition, but acceptance is just part of the equation. If you’re not willing to do anything about it or reclaim your power from the condition by committing to yourself and your life, you’re not going to see any improvements. Accept that you have a pain condition, but then commit to making sure that it doesn’t dictate your life.

As you might imagine, ACT is best when paired with other treatment techniques, like exercise or physical therapy. ACT focuses on improving your mental health and your mindset, which is a major part of your chronic pain condition. However, as we’ve said in blogs in the past, chronic pain conditions typically need to be treated mentally, physically and emotionally for best results. You’ll still need to address the physical issues being caused by your pain condition, otherwise the benefits of ACT will be limited. If you’re truly doing the second part of the technique and committing to not letting chronic pain control you, it should be no problem to commit to a physical therapy or exercise routine.

It’s really easy to self-limit when we are dealing with a chronic pain condition. We sometimes put ourselves in a box where we’re comfortable, and we’re scared to step out of these walls we’ve created for ourselves out of fear of what could go wrong. Instead of focusing on what could go wrong, start thinking about what would happen if things went right. Accept your pain and confront it by committing to live the life you’ve always wanted, don’t sit on the sidelines because of pain.

If you want to learn more about the guiding principles of ACT, or you want to connect with a pain specialist who is committed to helping you find a treatment plan that works for you, reach out to Dr. Cohn and his team today at

Walking Can Significantly Reduce Chronic Knee Pain Risk

/ Thomas Cohn, MD

knee painJoint issues are a common source of pain for millions of Americans, and oftentimes it’s the knee joints where this degeneration and discomfort is most obvious. Knee pain can make every step a burden, which is why preventing knee joint deterioration is key. According to a new study, you may be able to do just that by taking a few more steps each day.

According to a new study by researchers at the Baylor College of Medicine, walking may be a powerful way to prevent and treat osteoarthritis of the knee. For the study, researchers tracked more than 1,200 individuals aged 50 or older with knee osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis. Participants self-reported their walking habits and frequency, which helped researchers classify 73 percent of the group as walkers and 27 percent as non-walkers.

Walking And The Impact On Your Knees

After looking closer at the medical data between the two groups, researchers found that those who walked for exercise had a 40 percent decrease in the likelihood of experiencing frequent knee pain. X-rays were also used to assess for the progression and severity of osteoarthritis in the knees, and these images showed that walkers were less likely to experience medial joint space narrowing, which is one way to measure arthritis progression. Researchers concluded that going for regular walks could help to both control knee pain and slow to further osteoarthritis degeneration.

“These findings are particularly useful for people who have radiographic evidence of osteoarthritis but don’t have pain every day in their knees,” said first author of the paper Dr. Grace Hsiao-Wei Lo. “This study supports the possibility that walking for exercise can help to prevent the onset of daily knee pain. It might also slow down the worsening of damage inside the joint from osteoarthritis.”

Walking is such a simple act that can be performed almost anywhere, and it’s not overly stressful on the body. While it may not be able to cure you of your arthritis, it can help to maintain function in your knee, aid in pain control and slow continued arthritis progression, all of which are important for your quality of life.

So if you’re dealing with chronic knee pain, know that you don’t need to pursue an intense workout at the gym to help combat your symptoms and make your knee healthier for tomorrow. Simply lace up your walking shoes and walk for 30-45 minutes a day! And if you’re still looking for help overcoming a chronic pain issue, make sure you reach out to Dr. Cohn and his team. For more information, or for help with a different pain management issue, give our team a call today at (952) 738-4580.

Optimism Grows For The Daith Piercing To Treat Migraine Headaches

/ Thomas Cohn, MD

If you’ve been following our blog for a while, you’re probably familiar with our thoughts on the Daith piercing for migraine relief. We’ve written numbers blogs on the topic, and we’ve even helped to spread the word on research studies that are attempting to help us better understand the connection between vagus nerve stimulation and migraine relief.

We even connected with Dr. Chris Blatchley, who is leading research over in the United Kingdom in order to learn more about the condition. Recently, his research was published in The London Times, and while the digital article is hidden behind a paywall, you can read the story in the picture below or click here for a larger version.

 

What’s Next For Daith?

Dr. Blatchley recently reached out and wanted to share some exciting news about what’s in store for Daith piercing research in the near future. They are currently in the process of conducting a 12-month study on 1,000 patients who have underwent the Daith piercing to see how their migraine symptoms are affected over the next year. In 2023, they plan to use brain scans to better understand the immediate effects of the Medical Daith on brain activity.

What we like most about the article and the research is that they are really working hard to take the perceived “randomness” out of the equation. It’s not enough to simply get a piercing in the daith and hope that it provides relief. Dr. Blatchley has created the “Medi-Daith” technique, which helps piercers find the right location for the piercing. The plan isn’t to hit the vagus nerve with the piercing, but instead get close enough to stimulate the area. Being very deliberate about the location of the piercing can really help ensure that trial data is more accurate.

As we’ve said on the blog in the past and as we’ll echo now, while there does seem to be a correlation between vagus nerve stimulation and migraine relief, we’re still waiting on that concrete proof that provides a better understanding between the connection. We’ve always recommended the technique as a low-cost option for patients who have exhausted other treatments and failed to find relief. That said, it appears that there is growing optimism that the piercing can be beneficial for migraine sufferers.

We’ll follow the new research closely, and we’d be happy to answer any questions you might have if you’re struggling with migraines. We have written a number of blogs with helpful information, and if you’re considering pursuing a daith piercing, make sure that you connect with a piercer that understands the daith procedure and how to complete the procedure to stimulate the vagus nerve.

For more information, or for help with migraines or a chronic pain issue, reach out to Dr. Cohn and his team today at (952) 738-4580.

The Benefits And Drawbacks Of Online Chronic Pain Support Groups

/ Thomas Cohn, MD

online support groupThe advent of the internet has made it easier for people to connect with one another from all over the world. This is especially helpful in the pain management community. Many people may not know anyone else in their immediate circle dealing with a specific type of chronic pain condition, but they can connect with hundreds or thousands of individuals who are going through the same issue they are dealing with when they find a support group dedicated to that condition.

At the same time, support groups aren’t a perfect solution for your chronic pain issue either, and they can actually make it harder to overcome your pain if you’re not careful. In today’s blog, we take a closer look at some of the benefits and drawbacks of online support groups for chronic pain.

Benefits Of Online Pain Support Groups

We’ve recommended online support groups to patients in the past, and they have the potential to be a perfect complement to your comprehensive treatment plan. For starters, there is a huge psychological weight that can be lifted off your shoulders when you know that you’re not going through your issue alone. There are so many others out there dealing with similar issues, and you can share ideas and stories with one another to feel less isolated by your chronic pain condition.

In fact, in a study about chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia, the most frequently mentioned benefit of an online support group was illness legitimization (67.8%). Two other benefits that were frequently mentioned were finding out new information (66.4%) and feeling understood by others (62.2%). Clearly sharing ideas and connecting with others was helpful for those dealing with an isolating condition.

Drawbacks For Online Support Groups

The same study also looked at some potential drawbacks associated with these pain groups, and they found some interesting results. Most notably, active members of the pain care group reported greater symptom severity and less illness improvement than inactive members or dropouts. Now, there’s many possible reasons for this result. Inactive individuals or dropouts may not lean on the group as much because their pain wasn’t as severe, so they may be more likely to find a solution that leads them to no longer need the group.

However, there’s also the hypothesis that over-dependence and heavy involvement in an online support group can negatively affect how you approach your pain condition. One of the most frequently reported reasons for dropping out of the group was too much negative talk or complaining (33.3%). If all you read about your condition is how horrible it is, how doctors are working against you and how there’s no hope for the future, those thoughts can make it harder for you to find the right treatment plan. You may be more likely to avoid the solutions you need simply because of misinformation and pain catastrophizing that can take place in these groups.

A number of these groups can connect you with wonderful people who truly want to help you find a solution to your pain, but like any online group, they can also be full of people who are angry at the world and use the group to spread their misery to others. Whether intentional or not, it’s important that you don’t allow yourself to focus on these negative comments and know that it will do nothing to actually help you overcome your condition.

We’d be happy to point you in the direction of some in-person or online groups where you can connect with others in the midst of their own personal pain battle. You don’t have to go through it alone, and you can also fight your battle with a pain management specialist by your side. For help with your pain condition, or for answers to your questions, reach out to Dr. Cohn and his team today.