G W Pharmaceuticals have announced that Sativex® has been granted regulatory approval in Canada for the symptomatic relief of neuropathic pain in multiple sclerosis. This is a major step towards getting Sativex approved for those of us with chronic nerve pain (neuropathic) of any kind.
www.gwpharm.co.uk
Free 'Challenging Arthritis' Courses
If you have any form of arthritis there is probably a Challenging Arthritis course available near you. The course aims to help people manage their lives more effectively. The course is for about six weeks and has sessions on many helpful pain reducing topics: relaxation, communication with your doctor, exercise programmes and much more.
People who have been on the course say,
"They give you lots of new ideas that really help – and it's also a lot of fun!"
Young people and arthritis 'The Source, is Arthritis Care's free helpline for young people, offering information and support on any issues that might be bothering you.
Phone 0808 808 2000 (10am - 2pm) weekdays
Email: TheSource@arthritiscare.org.uk
New product to help with sitting
If you have difficulty in sitting you may find the BacTop helpful. You just sit down, place the foot of the BacTop leg on a chair seat, adjust the height to suit your build and then rest your arms on the top support.
Manufactured to support 150lbs downward pressure, BacTop can be used anywhere -when you are sitting at home, as a car passenger or whilst watching your favourite sports.
http://www.painintheback.info/
Free device to open blister packs
Do you have problems opening blister packs?
If so Contact the customer liaison department of drug company TEVA who will send you a free device to open the packs. Priority goes to customers using TEVA UK/ APS products but even if you aren't a customer if they have any spare they will let you have one .
Freephone 0800 590 502
Focus on…
Migraine Relief
B2 for Migraine Relief
A study at the University of Berlin has shown that 400mg of riboflavin (Vitamin B2) a day reduced headaches by 50% after six months. It is normally considered to be better for you not to take B vitamins separately, so if you try this therapy, it's best to also take a Vitamin B50 Complex tablet at the same time so you cover all the B vitamins.
Information on migraine can be found at
www.migraine.org.uk
Natures Best website is good, as you can buy just the products you need, whereas other makers often add in additional supplements so you may end up taking more of one supplement than is necessary or safe:
www.naturesbest.co.uk
Migra-Cap Migra-Cap is said to be effective for relieving migrains, tension, stress or sinus headaches, hot fevers and injuries to the head eg., bruising, swelling.
They say: The Migra-Cap is made from flexible, breathable lycra with cold therapy gel sachets sewn within placed to target the areas of the head affected by the pain; namely forehead, temples, sides and back of head, sides and back of neck. The unique design also covers the eyes, excluding the area from the light and keeping it cool, which is an essential requirement for the sufferer. The Migra-Cap can be stored in a domestic fridge or freezer and washed between uses. When tested by 32 members of the Migraine Action Association UK, results showed an 81% success rate.
We say:
Worth trying if you have constant migraine or tension headaches. One PainSupport member has tried it and thinks it is excellent.
As well as trying these remedies, it is a good idea to see if you can identify what is causing the migraines or headaches and deal with the source, possibly through diet change or relaxation methods. Headaches always need investigating by your doctor.
An often neglected aspect of living with chronic pain is the impact it has on those who live with the person with pain. These people may not be official ‘carers' but they certainly need some support themselves from time to time, however well they seem to be coping. Here are three excellent charities that will answer calls, give you support and answer all your questions.
New site for people with chronic pain The charity Dipex has published a new section on their website especially for those with chronic pain. The section is packed with information, especially about drugs, and contains many interviews with people of all ages who live with chronic pain.
www.dipex.org/chronicpain
Breaking news and all the latest information about pain and pain management:
www.pain-talk.co.uk
'Frozen' Shoulder?
Frozen Shoulder? Try this site – it has some exercises and ideas for helping a frozen shoulder.
www.frozenshoulder.com
Magnets for frozen shoulder According to a study published in the journal ‘The Pain Clinic' patients who placed magnets on their painful frozen shoulder for three weeks found that their symptoms improved significantly after three weeks and for up to one week after stopping the treatment
It was found that skin temperature was higher after treatment than before, suggesting that the magnets increase the flow of blood to the affected area, thus enhancing healing.
If magnets help with frozen shoulders, it is well worth trying them to relieve pain in any area of the body. You just strap the magnet to your wrist, like you would a watch, so it's easy to wear.
There are many sources for magnets, you can buy Bioflow magnets (one of the biggest makers) from:
www.ecomagnets.com
Going out and about
Swivel cushion
This swivel cushion instantly makes you more mobile. Ideal for getting out of the car with ease, or for chairs in tight spaces. The fabric cover foam cushion is mounted on a turntable to enable you to rotate your whole body.
Base diameter 40cm (15½"). Price: £20.00 Including VAT at 17.5%
Swivel car cushion
Shopping trolley with seat
Take a seat when you go shopping. Then when waiting for the bus, or anywhere else, this versatile chair-cum-bag can take the strain. Wheel it, fold it or use chair and bag separately. Holds up to 66lb (30kg).
Max user weight: 15st (100kg).
The shopping trolley weighs 8lbs (3.7kg).
Size: 23½" x 18½" x 37" (60 x 47 x 90cm)
Price: £35.00
Shopping trolley with seat
Osteoporosis – thin bones
New drug news PainSupport member Vicky, UK, wrote to us about advice from her local Osteoporosis support group who say there that there is now more choice for osteoporosis patients. After HRT ceased to be the recommended first-line treatment for osteoporosis, the options for those at risk were limited to a small number of drugs that help reduce bone loss. Now Protelos is available, which is a newcomer to the class of drugs that not only reduces bone loss but also helps build bone. Proctelos is important says a spokesperson for the National Osteoporosis Society as many people can't tolerate the side effects of existing drugs, so Porctelos provides another option for those who need drug therapy.
Calcium with a smile
Vicky also told us about a new way to get your calcium for strong bones, Ellactiva Toffees!
Each toffee contains 400mgs of Calcium, so a couple of those per day would see you well on the way to getting your full calcium requirement of 1000gms. They ore only 25 calories each and come in caramel or strawberry flavour. Obtainable form Boots, Sainsbury's and Holland & Barret stores, normally £3.09 for 30 toffees.
You may print any of the above FeelGood Factors, Hot News items, or the Articles in this Newsletter for your own private use but if you wish to use all or part of them for any other reason, please ask first. Copyright belongs to Jan Sadler.
If you have any Articles, Feel-Good Factors or Hot News of your own that
you'd like to share, feel free to Contact Us - we
welcome all contributions for future issues.
G W Pharmaceuticals have announced that Sativex® has been granted regulatory approval in Canada for the symptomatic relief of neuropathic pain in multiple sclerosis. This is a major step towards getting Sativex approved for those of us with chronic nerve pain (neuropathic) of any kind.
If you have any form of arthritis there is probably a Challenging Arthritis course available near you. The course aims to help people manage their lives more effectively. The course is for about six weeks and has sessions on many helpful pain reducing topics: relaxation, communication with your doctor, exercise programmes and much more.
If you have difficulty in sitting you may find the BacTop helpful. You just sit down, place the foot of the BacTop leg on a chair seat, adjust the height to suit your build and then rest your arms on the top support.
Manufactured to support 150lbs downward pressure, BacTop can be used anywhere -when you are sitting at home, as a car passenger or whilst watching your favourite sports.
A study at the University of Berlin has shown that 400mg of riboflavin (Vitamin B2) a day reduced headaches by 50% after six months. It is normally considered to be better for you not to take B vitamins separately, so if you try this therapy, it's best to also take a Vitamin B50 Complex tablet at the same time so you cover all the B vitamins.
New site for people with chronic pain
According to a study published in the journal ‘The Pain Clinic' patients who placed magnets on their painful frozen shoulder for three weeks found that their symptoms improved significantly after three weeks and for up to one week after stopping the treatment
This swivel cushion instantly makes you more mobile. Ideal for getting out of the car with ease, or for chairs in tight spaces. The fabric cover foam cushion is mounted on a turntable to enable you to rotate your whole body.
Take a seat when you go shopping. Then when waiting for the bus, or anywhere else, this versatile chair-cum-bag can take the strain. Wheel it, fold it or use chair and bag separately. Holds up to 66lb (30kg).
Vicky also told us about a new way to get your calcium for strong bones, Ellactiva Toffees!
Each toffee contains 400mgs of Calcium, so a couple of those per day would see you well on the way to getting your full calcium requirement of 1000gms. They ore only 25 calories each and come in caramel or strawberry flavour. Obtainable form Boots, Sainsbury's and Holland & Barret stores, normally £3.09 for 30 toffees.