I’ve had these two stories bookmarked to post here for a bit, so it seems past time for me to actually do it.
The best new pain cures, with a focus on women
Many women have a tough time finding the right kind of relief for their pain—and for good reason: Until recently, experts hadn’t actually studied women’s pain specifically, and most research wasn’t conducted with a woman’s hormones and physique in mind. All that’s changing, though.
Docs now know that to banish our aches, they must develop treatments formulated for women’s bodies. What’s more, researchers are also looking for—and finding—ways to head pain off at the pass, so those of us with chronic troubles such as migraine, fibromyalgia, or backache don’t have to be hobbled by pain on a daily basis. Here, how the new research will help you live an (almost) pain-free life.
Health.com: Smart ways to banish pain
It’s definitely good news that they’re doing the research, at least! There’s good information here on how estrogen and other hormones affect the central nervous system. The article specifically mentions treatment for migraines and other headaches, fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue syndrome.
There’s a definite anti-painkiller bias in the article, unfortunately. The author doesn’t seem to grasp the fact that ibuprofen isn’t enough “preventive medicine” for some of us, but if you can look past that it’s a decent article.
Low-energy bulbs ’cause migraine’
I’ve had concerns about this issue myself. Fluorescent bulbs have always been a problem for me, and the “low-energy” bulbs that are so popular now are fluorescent. The flickering of fluorescent bulbs can also trigger seizures in epileptics. While manufacturers claim that the new bulbs don’t flicker, they still cause problems for some people. Eye strain from the low-intensity light is cited, but some of us do perceive flickering.
The U.K. plans to ban the sale of conventional (incandescent) bulbs within the next four years. Patients’ associations are asking that the older bulbs remain available for those who have issues with the newer ones.
This article didn’t happen to mention another problem with the disposal of the bulbs: they contain mercury. You can’t just toss them in the trash, and if one breaks you have an environmental hazard. That cost is seldom mentioned when people talk about how much can be saved by switching to those bulbs. When I looked for legal ways to dispose of the bulbs here in Atlanta1I used Earth911, an excellent site for anyone in the U.S., all of the results involved paying $1 or more per bulb. How many people are going to do that? Not many, which means that the bulbs will go into landfills, releasing the mercury.
In looking for a citation regarding the disposal problems, I came across another article that states that fluorescent bulbs also cause skin healing problems for those who are photosensitive due to lupus, eczema, or other conditions.
I think we’ll keep buying the full-spectrum incandescent bulbs for now.
Wow! LOve the revamp of your site! Great to see you back. I know how it goes with the forced hiatus that comes with fibro.
That is interesting about the lights. My low energy bulbs don’t bother me, but regular florescent like those in the stores really cause trouble for me. The disposal issue is massive though. My SADD lamp also doesn’t cause problems. Interesting….
Thanks, Katie! I’m glad somebody noticed 🙂 I’ll probably change it a bit more, but I like this one, too.
I get a migraine every time I visit stores like Wal-Mart, and I think the lights are a large part of the cause. I’d wondered about light therapy bulbs, and I’m glad to hear from someone about them.
I have an Ott-Lite that I use for stitching, and it doesn’t bother me. Of course, it doesn’t flicker at all either. They’re expensive for a reason, I suppose!