Acupuncture Is Safe & Effective For The Relief of Migraines.

Posted on October 16, 2019October 16, 2019 by Andrew Orr

Researchers have successfully documented not only that acupuncture is safe and effective for the relief of migraines, but also how acupuncture achieves positive outcomes.

As a past sufferer (yes past sufferer) of Migraines, I know all too well how debilitating and painful this condition can be when an attack happens. Even when the initial stage of the Migraine subsides, the aura and residual effects can last for days. While pain medication is a much needed part of the process, I also know that if you don’t administer the medication at the right time, the medication sometimes will have little, or no effect, once the migraine takes hold. Worse still, the withdrawal effects of these very strong pain medications can often then induce migraines and headaches, which then require further medication. It really can be a never-ending viscous cycle.

Migraines really do need a multimodality approach to them because the causes of them come from neck dysfunction(sublaxations), diet, blood sugars, hormones, stress and lifestyle. This is why an individual approach is always needed to properly assess, evaluate and treat migraines is needed. Too many people are just patching their condition, with a variety of treatments that really are only just getting them through to the next attack. What people need is a treatment that will not only treat the cause of their migraines, but also help prevent further migraines and give them long term relief and even cure. Acupuncture is just one component in that overall treatment and prevention, alongside medical interventions. So let’s look at how acupuncture can help.

How can Acupuncture Help?

Acupuncture has been shown to induce important biological responses to prevent and alleviate migraines. Imaging studies of the brain using fMRI technology confirm that acupuncture causes specific cortical responses to achieve lasting analgesic effects. In addition, blood level measurements document specific responses to acupuncture that play an important role in preventing and eliminating pain.

Researchers conclude that acupuncture is effective for the prevention and treatment of migraine headaches. A meta-analysis of controlled clinical and laboratory investigations are the basis for the conclusion. In analysis of recent clinical trials, they showed the effectiveness of acupuncture as a treatment for migraines, with less migraine days and less pain intensity levels when acupuncture was administered. Furthermore, no severe adverse effects occurred. A follow-up of up to three months following acupuncture treatments maintained the same results and showed that acupuncture is effective for the treatment of migraines both on the short-term and long-term basis.

In some of the investigation, researchers conducting a clinically-controlled study using fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging) where they found a significant decrease in the functional connectivity of the right frontoparietal network of migraine patients. This connectivity dysfunctions was found to be reversible after four weeks of treatment using acupuncture. This is another curative effect of acupuncture that is quantifiable in repeated controlled experiments.

Acupuncture has been used for assistance with pain for centuries

For over 7 thousand years, people have used acupuncture in China for the treatment of various pain conditions, including migraines. It is useful, both as a supplementary treatment and as an alternative treatment, in situations where there is no response to drug therapy. Migraines are a headache disorder affecting a broad population that causes many burdens due to associated healthcare costs and people not being able to go to school and work.

Up to 25% of households in Australia and the United States have at least one member who suffers from migraines. The estimated total number of migraine patients in the United States alone exceeds 28 million and half of them have reduced work or school productivity. In Australia millions of people suffer from Migraines daily and it also affects their work, study and general day to day function, with some not even able to leave their homes due to this debilitating condition.

Acupuncture has an analgesic action

Scientists have uncovered some of the biochemical mechanisms responsible for acupuncture’s pain killing effects. Drugs used for the treatment of migraines not only have a analgesic action, but they also activate a reaction in the cerebral vessels. In the studies analyzed it was found that acupuncture has been found this very same analgesic action and also activated the same process in the cerebral vessels. The studies revealed acupuncture’s ability to regulate key regions of the brain affected by migraines. The areas are essentially the pain circuitry regions of the brain and cognitive components of pain processing. In addition, acupuncture also restores normal serum nitric oxide (NO) levels that have been found to be almost 55% higher in patients with migraines. Excess NO is a potent vasodilator contributing to headaches and acupuncture restores homeostasis. The regulatory effects of acupuncture can be quantified as early as the fifth acupuncture session and the effects are cumulative.

Based on these and other studies in the meta-analysis, the researchers conclude that acupuncture improves patients’ psychological profile, relieves pain, is safe and cost-effective, and has been found to be at least as effective as conventional preventative pharmacologic treatments for migraines.

Final Word

At my clinic we know we see lots of people who are looking for relief from headaches and migraines. We use a multimodaility approach that also give an individualized treatment and also looks at the individuals cause of their migraines and headaches. Our aim is to assist in the with acute symptoms of migraines and headaches and assist in the prevention of them as well, along side medical interventions. With the right care, this can be done and now research is now backing up what we have known for many years.

If you need help with headaches and migraines, please call my friendly staff and find out how I may me able to assist you in your individual needs and ongoing health care.

Regards

Andrew Orr

-No Stone Left Unturned

-The Headache, Migraine and Pain Experts

References:

Wang Y, Xue CC, Helme R, Da Costa C, Zheng Z (2015) Acupuncture for Frequent Migraine: A Randomized, Patient/Assessor Blinded, Controlled Trial with One-Year Follow-Up. Evid based Complement Alternat Med 2015: 920353.
Da Silva AN (2015) Acupuncture for migraine prevention. Headache 55: 470-473.
Vijayalakshmi I, Sjankar N, Saxena A, Bhatia MS (2014) Coomparison of effectiveness of acupuncture therapy and conventional drug therapy on psychological profile of migraine patients. Indian J Physiol Pharmacol 58: 69-76.
Mayrink WC, Garcia JBS, Dos Santos AM, Nunes JKVRS, Mendonc¸a THN. Effectiveness of Acupuncture as AuxiliaryTreatment for Chronic Headache. J Acupunct Meridian Stud 2018 Oct;11(5):296e302.

17 Reasons You Should Having Regular Sex and Orgasms

Posted on February 4, 2019September 9, 2019 by Andrew Orr

Part of my job as a healthcare practitioner with a special interest in and reproductive conditions, and women’s and men’s health conditions, is to talk about sex, talk about climax and the benefits of this for a couple, or an individual.

Regular sex, or regular climax, can help have many benefits for an individual, with it helping everything from menstrual pain, right through to increasing pregnancy rates, regulation of the menstrual cycle and even helping moods, sleep and helping your live longer

Here are 17 reasons why you should be having regular climax, or regular sex and many of the health benefits that go with it.

1.It’s Exercise
It’s not necessarily a full workout, but it can be as good for you as moderate exercise. It raises your heart rate about the same as a brisk walk or a slow bike ride.

2.Good for a Woman’s Heart
Women who have sex a couple of times a week are less likely to get heart disease than those who have it once a month. Whether that’s because healthier women enjoy it more often, or because it helps protect a woman’s heart is unclear.

3.May Help Your Headache
Say goodbye to the old standby “Not tonight, Dear. I have a headache.” It turns out sex can help with pain, and that includes some kinds of headaches, such as migraines. Not feeling frisky? Try: “Not tonight, Honey. I have a highly contagious stomach bug.” Works every time.

4.Lowers Stress
People who have more sex are less anxious when they’re faced with stressful tasks like public speaking or arithmetic. But according to the study, it only works when you have a partner — masturbation doesn’t count.

5.You May Live Longer
One study suggested that married women who climaxed more often had a slight tendency to live longer. Researchers aren’t sure if the sex actually lengthens your life or it’s just a side effect of a healthy lifestyle. But why take any chances?

6.Sharpens Your Mind
Sex has been linked to the making of new brain cells, and that’s a good thing. People over 50 who had more sex were better able to recall numbers and do basic math, and the difference was pretty big. It seemed to help men more than women, but both did better than those who had less sex.

7.Makes You Happy
You don’t have to overdo it — once a week is plenty. More than that, and the effect fades. But scientists only studied couples in committed relationships, so if you’re trying to meet your quota by picking up strangers at your local bar, all bets are off.

8.Bonds You to Your Partner
The hormone oxytocin is released during sex, and it sparks feelings of intimacy, affection, and closeness with your partner. That helps build a strong, stable relationship, which is good for everyone.

9.Keeps You Lean
The more sex you have, the slimmer you’re likely to be. Is that because more sex keeps you trim? Or because lean people have more sex? Scientists don’t really know, but all you need is a partner and a bathroom scale to try to find out.

10.Good for Mental Health
Adults in committed relationships who have more sex are less likely to be depressed or take medication for mental health issues. Orgasm also helps with the release of beneficial hormones such as oxytocin and these help us feel euphoric and also help with other endorphins in the body. These then make us feel better emotionally.

11.May Help Your Immune System
Move over, vitamin C. College students who had sex twice a week had more cold-fighting antibodies in their saliva than those who had sex less often. Couples who have regular sex have healthier immune systems and tend to be healthier overall.

12.Helps You Sleep
Orgasm triggers a surge of endorphins and oxytocin in both men and women, and that dulls pain and relaxes you. Both of those can help you sleep more easily, though according to scientists — and many women — the effect is more pronounced in men.

13.Lowers Risk of Cancer
Men who have more sex may be less likely to get prostate cancer, and women less likely to get breast cancer. Pregnancy and contact with sperm are both linked to the lower risk in women.

14.You Could Make a Baby
If you’re trying to have a baby, the more sex you have, the more likely you are to hit the right time of the month. But more sex may also prime women for pregnancy and improve sperm quality in men, which can speed things along. An egg has but 24 hours to be fertilized otherwise it dies. We also know that ovulation does not occur just mid-cycle either. Couples doing IVF also need to have regular sex as climax helps with implantation (by hormones and increased blood supply into the lining) and sperm also assist in helping with implantation as well. Many couples stop having sex during IVF and this is where they are going wrong.

15.It helps regulate your menstrual cycle
Regular climax nourishes the uterine and vagina with blood flow, but it also stimulates hormones, which help to also nourish the uterus, vagina and reproductive organs. Oxytocin helps with moods but it also helps with keeping your cycle regular. Research has also shown that sperm actually help to trigger ovulation.

16.Climax helps with Gynaecological issues and menstrual pain
Regular climax (not just sex with penetration) helps with increasing blood flow into the pelvic cavity, the uterine lining, vagina and surrounding areas which helps to keep your reproductive organs and muscles healthy. Hormones and increased blood flow also help with pain and circulation too. Climax helps with the microcirculation of the reproductive organs and also helps with keeping ovarian function regular and healthy too. As said before regular climax can help trigger ovulation, keep the cycle regular, but sperm can also help with this also. We do know that some women with endometriosis and adenomyosis do have pain with penetrative sex, but climax does not necessarily need for penetration to happen.

NB- If you do have pain with intercourse, please make sure you get investigated properly as there are treatments and management to help this.

17.Helps Your Future Health and is Anti-Aging.
People who have more sex may have better quality of life — and not just now, but in the future, too. If you have an active sex life in middle age, you’re more likely to keep it up as you get older, which is linked to better health and happiness. Regular sex and climax is also anti-aging.

Final Word

Please remember that sex and regular climax has more benefits to it that the actual enjoyment part of it. It helps with intimacy, helps bring couples closer together and it helps with many other health benefits in the body. In practice I am seeing a huge disconnect with both men and women and their reproductive organs and this is why we are seeing so many issues with gynaecological conditions, couples not being able to conceive, relationships issues and issues with peoples health and lifestyles.

In a healthy relationship, couples should be having sex at least 1-3 times per week and if you are trying to have a baby, you should be having sex everyday and be going for it multiple times per day to increase your chances of conception. Maybe it’s time to turn off the TV, close the computer, turn off the mobile phone and spend more time in the bedroom with your own lives, then watching someone else’s. You will be healthier and happier for it in the long run.

If you do want to find out more about my fertility program, or how I may be able to assist you with a women’s health condition, please call my friendly staff and they will explain everything to you.

Take care

Regards

Andrew Orr

-Women’s and Men’s Health Advocate

-No Stone Left Unturned

Women with Endometriosis More Likely to Suffer Migraines

Posted on March 30, 2018September 19, 2019 by Andrew Orr

Besides endo belly, pelvic pain, period pain etc, one of the other symptoms I see women with endometriosis experience is migraines. While not all migraines are just related to endometriosis, and can be from a variety of factors, having endometriosis could give you more of a chance of having migraines.

Recent research published in the Journal of Fertility and Sterility has shown that adolescents with endometriosis are more likely to experience migraines than adolescents without endometriosis. While the focus was on adolescents, it would be safe to say that any woman with endometriosis may be more likely to suffer migraines as well.

In the research, it was shown that adolescents with endometriosis were more likely to experience migraines (69.3%) than those without endometriosis (30.7%)

Among those with endometriosis, age of when the period started was associated inversely with the odds of migraines. The research also found that women with endometriosis and migraines have more dysmenorrhea than those without migraines.

The research showed a linear relationship exists between migraine pain severity and the odds of endometriosis, suggesting heightened pain sensitivity for adolescents with endometriosis. Due to the strong correlation, patients who present with either condition should be screened for comorbidity to maximize the benefits of care.

While the research showed a relationship between endometriosis and migraines it is also important to rule out other factors that cause migraines too, if you have endometriosis.

For sufferers of the disease, it is important not to just blame every migraine on endometriosis. Diet, additives, stress, anxiety, tight muscles, sublaxations, nerve impingement, sinusitis, TMJ syndrome, jaw tightness and many other factors need to be ruled out as well. This way the actual cause of a migraine is not missed.

For sufferers of Migraines please make sure you read my article on how to banish migraines too.

https://drandreworr.com.au/banishing-headaches-and-migraines/

If you do need help with endometriosis, or migraines, or both, please call my friendly staff and find out how I may be able to assist you.

Regards

Andrew Orr

-No Stone Left Unturned

-Women’s and Men’s Health Advocate

-The Endometriosis Experts

-The Headache, Migraine and Pain Experts

Banishing Headaches and Migraines

Posted on March 20, 2018September 23, 2019 by Andrew Orr

A multi-modality approach was one of the best ways I found to help Headaches & Migraines

Many years ago I used to suffer lot of debilitating migraines and headaches. Actually if I did get a headache, I was thankful because that was never as bad as a migraine, that could make you bed ridden with a head feeling like ten hangovers accompanied with the vomiting and light sensitivity.

Even when the migraine had subsided I still felt washed out and like a train had run over me. Thankfully I haven’t had a migraine for many years and all thanks to a multimodality treatment approach that made my life much better.

Like many migraine and headache sufferers, mine were most likely caused by a neck injury, or whip lash, along with blocked sinuses. Current research shows that most headaches and migraines have a neck injury or neck complaint as a predisposing factor. Some neck injuries could go back to childhood or even a traumatic birth and you might not even know about it.

While neck related issues seem to be a major cause, there are many other contributing factors such as poor diet and lifestyle habits. Too many high GI carbohydrate foods and highly refined foods that interfere with blood sugars, can also cause headaches and migraine. Certain chemicals and additives in foods can also exacerbate headaches and migraines too. Let’s not forget how alcohol can be a big factor in headaches and migraines too.

Lack of fluids and inadequate hydration can also be a big cause of headaches and migraines too. While water is important to hydrate us, water alone is not enough. We need to make sure we get electrolytes into us as well. These need to be proper electrolytes, not lolly water such as sports drinks such as gatorade and powerade.

An imbalance of hormones, or hormonal surges, can also cause headaches and migraines and can be a big problem for women around the time of their menstrual cycle.

One other area that is overlooked is that the sinuses are inflamed or blocked and the associated inflammation and blockage is causing pressure and pain and causing headaches and migraines. This is a big one for many people and sadly, all too often, it is overlooked. A simple CT scan of the paranasal sinuses can see if the sinus cavity is blocked. If the sinus cavity is blocked by polypoid disease, or obstruction, it may require surgical intervention.

Lastly the one of the biggest headache producer of all….STRESS!

Stress will tighten up those shoulder and neck muscles and then constrict all the blood flow to the head and the next thing you know it is headache and migraine city.

Whichever way you look at it, headaches are caused from an imbalance in the body and need to be rectified. Unfortunately too many people use the band aid treatment of painkillers to try and deal with the mighty headache or migraine.

Nobody can argue with the painkilling properties of a dose of panadeine forte or a pethidine injection. I’d had many a trip to the doctor to get a shot in the behind. It was either that, or my head felt like it was about to explode. Worse still the pain often gets that bad that dying would be a relief. Well, that’s how it seemed anyway. I’m sure anyone who has suffered a really bad migraine wouldn’t have minded ending it all to get out of pain.

The only problem with painkillers, is they really don’t look at fixing the cause of the problem. Not only that, all painkillers have long term side effects that can be very bad for your health and some medication can be very addictive.

Like any health problem you have to look at treating the cause and not just the symptoms. A headache or migraine is actually the symptom of a much bigger cause. The problem for most people is that they only treat this problem symptomatically or seek help when they get a migraine or headache. It is the good old band aid approach to health care.

So how do you treat headaches and migraines and try and prevent them from coming back?

The answer as I’ve said is using a multimodality approach, alongside medical interventions.

I used Korean Advanced Trigger Point needling, the more modern practices of Osteopractic care and addressing dietary and lifestyle changes, alongside medical interventions. Treatment and management of migraines and headaches needs to be an individualized approach, not a one treatment fix all approach for the masses. Everyone cause of their migraines and headaches is different. What worked for me, is not a claim, or recommendation, and is purely what assisted me and may assist someone else.

Of course any other medically related issues need to be ruled out too. Like any health related condition, the management of headaches and migraines require a series of treatments to fix this problem, not a one off when you are experiencing a headache or migraine.

Unfortunately I used to be one of those people who only do something about my headaches and migraines when I was suffering one. This was until I learnt that if I had regular treatments while I didn’t have a headache, then the practitioners could get to the bottom of the cause of my problems and prevent a migraine from happening. I wish I’d learnt that lesson sooner.

You will also need to address any dietary, hormonal and lifestyle issues that may be also exacerbating, or causing your headaches and migraines too.

You also need to rule out any medically related issues as well and this can be done alongside other treatment modalities at the same time. This is how I now treat people and why I use a multimodality approach to assist people and give them the best results.

You just need to find good practitioners who can help you and who can accurately and precisely pin point the exact cause of your particular problem. Just like with any healthcare professional, a series of questions is asked to get precise evaluation of the overall cause of your particular issue.

Only after a solid treatment plan is formulated, can the patient actually be treated and have a management plan moving forward. It is about looking at the cause of the issue and treating that, rather than just treating the symptoms. You need to treat cause and then the symptoms get treated anyway.

When I finally did get my headaches and migraines sorted, I found that it was a combination of Korean advanced trigger point acupuncture, Osteopractic, diet and lifestyle changes that gave me the best results.

This is why to this day that I firmly believe that with any health condition, headaches and migraines included, that a multimodality treatment approach is the only way to go.

All of this can be done alongside medical treatment options as well. Of course the cause of migraines and headaches are different for each individual and this is why individual assessment and management protocols are needed for each person. This is why people need to see an appropriate healthcare professional and not try to manage headaches and migraines on their own.

If you need help with headaches and migraines, give our clinic a call and find out how I can assist you in helping you with these conditions. You can call my friendly staff and they will explain everything to you.

Regards

Andrew Orr

-Women’s & Men’s Health Advocate

-No Stone Left Unturned

– The Headache, Migraine and Pain Experts

The Silent Face of Endometriosis

Posted on March 14, 2018September 2, 2019 by Andrew Orr

She closes the door and enters the day, with the face that she wants the world to see. She is beautiful, she is vibrant, she is smiling, and she is ready to face what ever the day may bring.

She is immaculately dressed, her hair brushed so neatly and even though she doesn’t need it, she has her make up on, her lipstick applied so neatly and she is every bit the goddess that the world will see today and every other day as well. All this makes her feel good and helps her to go about her day. She is a daughter too some, a sister to others and a partner to her beloved. She is grace and elegance and she is every bit a woman and she it about to embrace her day.

But, while she is every bit the goddess, and a warrior, and her beauty knows no bounds, underneath her catwalk like composure, is another story that the world around her may never really know, or ever come to understand. It is something that they just cannot even see.

Today is like any other day for her, but today is the day that her hidden disease has decided to raise its ugly head. Unlike the beauty that we see before us, this inner demon has taken hold of her and nobody will know the torment that goes on beneath her skin and deep into every organ in her precious body. Today would buckle many and have many lose their way, but not her, she is a warrior and she will not give in.

While the constant anxiety and pain and mixed emotions scatters every cell in her brain, she remains composed and ever focussed and this is all that she will let the outer world see. Very few will know that today is not a good day, but even then those that know, will know that this will not stop her from going about her day.

There are days though, that none shall see her and these are the days that no matter how hard she tries to embrace the day, the disease within has its tight grasp around her and she just need to hide away and deal with the pain. On these days it is just all too much to bear and though she will not give in, todays battle is best not fought, and she just wisely knows today is the day to rest, heal and repair. She knows that sometimes to win a battle, it is best to not fight at all.

Today the flare of the disease within has sent aches to her muscles, sensitivity to her skin, aches to her head, cloudiness to her brain, deep pain to her bones and spine and pulsating pain to her womb. Her belly is swollen, like she is about to give birth and the intestines feel like that are being twisted and ripped apart. She feels nauseas, her head pounds like the worst every hangover and she feels like she is about to pass out. Even the most important bodily functions are just too hard and just too sore today. The disease tries to contort her, to stop her, but she remains upright and continues her day. She does not let the disease win and she will never buy into the label and let it confine her.

Some days are even more stressful, because her monthly cycle has appeared and has come with full vengeance and feels like flood waters through the place that a woman gives birth. On those days, she may even feel like she has given birth and what is bought forth, only few will ever hear about. Not even her partner may see what these flood waters bring and what she just felt like she birthed. That is secret women’s business and only talked about in private, or to the healthcare provider that may assist her from time to time.

She is loving, she is vulnerable, she is caring, she is giving, she is strong, she is fierce when needed and she is every bit the woman that the world knows a woman to be. Even at times of intimacy, she will still give her all and love with such passion and tenderness, but all the while her partner will never know that the pain that may be within. Some days are good, some days are bad, but that doesn’t stop her expressing her passion, her love and her womanly desires and love for her partner. Her heart is pure love and a good man will know how to love her and support her and care for her on the days where she needs gentle, loving, tender care.

Today may not be a good day, but she will brave the day just like any other and hide the disease crippling her within. She will not cry out in the open, she will not even make a fuss. Not many will know today is a bad day, because her courage and strength will get her through the day, just as it has every other day. You will only see what she wants you to see and that is a smiling, strong, vibrant woman about to go and conquer her day.

This is what I see through my eyes, of the strong, vibrant goddess that we all shall see. Because I know the war she is fighting, I see what many do not see. I see what she goes through and why she sometimes has to hide away. I see her wipe away the tears she sheds in silence. I see how restless she is when she tries to sleep. I see the mixed day of pain and emotions and how she tries to regain composure to overcome her day.

Through my eyes I don’t see weakness and someone who is fragile, or someone who gives in. I see a goddess, a mighty warrior, someone who can overcome and conquer all before her. Not by brute force, but by love, by compassion, by listening, by understanding and by knowing how to do what is needed and when it is needed. That is true strength, she is a true warrior and she shows what is it is to be a strong capable super woman. She will not let her kryptonite conquer her and she will overcome it and conquer it instead.

Through my eyes I will never really be able to know, or understand what she really goes through. I can never know what she endures each day. I can only but imagine what it is like to be in her shoes and walk the path that she walks most days. But I know that on days that she isn’t feeling her best, she will let the world see the best that she can be. She won’t fuss, she won’t cry, she won’t show any pain. She is a true warrior and she just puts on her makeup, puts on her lipstick, brushes her hair nicely, dresses eloquently and gets on with her day. Those are the days that we can support her and love her and help her get through her day.

This is the face of endometriosis and only those that suffer from this horrible disease will know what it is like to live in silence while the rest of the world is completely unaware.

Let’s end the silence for the strong warrior endo sisters and the next time someone tells you that they have endometriosis, remember that just because they look fine, they look vibrant, they look strong, they look like a beautiful goddess etc……Just remember that they may be fighting the fight within and today may not be a good day.

This is for my loved ones with the disease and every one of the “endo sisters”

Take care

Regards

Andrew Orr

-No Stone Left Unturned

-Period Pain IS NOT Normal

-The Endometriosis Experts

Alternative Ways to Assist Pain and Help with Pain Management

Posted on February 12, 2018September 3, 2019 by Andrew Orr

After my recent posts of the management of pain, pain medications and how pain affects so many people lives daily, it is pretty clear that there are lots of people out there in pain.

Worst still it highlights what I have known for many years, is that many people who are in pain, or have inflammatory pain conditions, are not being managed really well.

Unfortunately many are also trying to manage their own pain conditions and may even be dependent on pain medications. Some of these medications taken long term may in fact be exacerbating their current symptoms, or actually making their pain and inflammation worse. Some of the medications may in fact by shutting off the body’s ability to know that it isn’t actually in pain anymore, but the body actually thinks it is.

It is such vicious never ending cycle for many people and there seems to be no long-term, or short term, solutions for many who have to endure the physical and emotional consequences of all these things combined.

The one thing for sure, is that pain often isn’t managed well and there need to be more done to help those in pain. But, it also requires those in pain to seek proper help too. Again it is a bit of complex issue and many in pain often get dismissed initially as well, or are looked at as people who are dependent on pain medications just seeking more pain meds.

Pain does need proper management and if pain is not managed properly, it can do more damage than the medications health professionals, and the person in pain, are worrying about. But sometimes the blanket pain medication treatments don’t work, or they just aren’t enough, and this is why when it comes to pain, it need to be managed with a multi-modality approach.

It really cannot just be all about taking medication, or telling people to just go and learn to live with their pain and all will be OK. It won’t be OK and we need to start to educate all concerned that there other options that may assist the current medical treatments and management strategies.

Let’s look at some of the alternatives to pain medications and how these things can help assist those in pain and can be used alongside medications to give better control of pain and also help in reducing dependency of pain medications.

1.Watch your diet

Eating the right foods may provide some protection from the symptoms of pain and the disease state that you may have. The role of diet in inflammatory conditions has been investigated in recent years due to the influence of diet on some of the processes linked to certain disease states that are causing pain and inflammation on a daily basis. Many of the so called anti-inflammatory diets out there are now outdated and have outdated nutritional and dietary advice that don’t really help much at all.

Adopting a low GI and anti-inflammatory diet may help to assist with settling any inflammation and pain in the body and also help the immune system. A healthy diet also needs to include prebiotic and probiotic bacteria to help with digestive function, immunity and gut health. Regulation and restoration of gut function and the microbiome is so important and assisting with pain and inflammatory conditions.

Excess bad carbohydrates increase insulin response and this then causes the body to store fats and stops the burning of fat. This also leads to inflammatory conditions and more inflammation in the body. Excess body fat, now known as obestrogens (because it is estrogenic) needs to be controlled and managed through diet and exercise too. Excess fat and excess weight all lead to inflammation and stress on the body and this can also exacerbate pain and pain pathway.

Certain environmental estrogens, known as endocrine disruptors, such as preservatives, plastics, pesticides and insecticides that can be ingested through certain nutrients have been suggested as risk factors for exacerbating pain and creating inflammation in the body too

2.Try complementary medicine and complementary therapies

Many people with pain and inflammatory disease states find symptom relief from using a range of different complementary and alternative medicines. There is some good solid research to show that some natural medicines may help with the management of pain and inflammatory disease states and the associated symptoms.

There is now some good research to support many natural medicines treatments such as Acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, vitamins, omega 3 oils, probiotics, chiropractic/osteopathy, Yoga, Pilates and more. (1)

When it comes to assisting pain, Acupuncture and Chinese medicines has been one of the most researched complementary medicines. There is some good research and evidence to shown that acupuncture and Chinese medicine may assist those suffering pain and chronic inflammatory disease and their associated symptoms, alongside medical interventions. (1,2,3,4)

Acupuncture has been widely researched to assist with many pain conditions and is now even used in some emergency departments around the world, for acute and chronic pain. (4)

Certain strains of prebiotics and probiotics have also been shown to help with the immune system, microbiome, bowel, and digestive associated symptoms of some pain conditions. Probiotics have also been shown to not only help with digestive and immune function, but also with the psychological function as well. It does need to be specific strains of probiotics though. Correction of the microbiome, but using pre and probiotics may assist in reduction of inflammation in the body and thus assist with pain and painful disease states.

There are also western herbal medicines and naturopathic herbal formulations that can assist with pain and assist with pain management. There are also certain amino acids and nutritional medicine supplements that have been shown to assist with managing pain and inflammatory conditions. Like any conditions, management need to be done on an individualised approach and what works for one person, may not work for another.

Chiropractic and Osteopathy have been used for centuries to assist with pain and pain conditions. By correction of the sublaxations and correction of posture, this can assist in better nerve functioning, better blood flow to muscles and also help with pain reduction and reducing inflammation.

Just like with medical treatments, when it comes to complementary medicines, it is important to find someone who is a qualified practitioner and who specialises in pain management. Just like in the medical model, this can also be hard to find. Please find someone who is a registered healthcare practitioner, or part of an association for qualified healthcare practitioners.

3.Boost intake of omega-3 fatty acids

The is lots of research on the health benefits of taking Omega 3 fatty acids and a diet high in these healthy fats. Omega 3 fatty acids may assist many inflammatory conditions such as depression, cardiovascular disease, arthritic conditions and many conditions where inflammatory processes are then leading to pain.

Researchers have also found that the type of fat included in your diet makes a difference in your risk factors for inflammation and pain conditions. Studies have shown that people whose diets were heavily laden with trans fats increased their risk of the expression of inflammatory disease by 48 % when compared with individuals who ate the least of these. By comparison, women whose diets were rich in omega-3 oils lowered their risk of inflammatory conditions by 22 % compared with those who consumed the least amount.

Eating foods high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, flaxseeds, almonds, and walnuts, may be helpful for pain and inflammatory conditions. Another way to get Omega 3 fatty acids is through supplementation, but please make sure you are using a practitioner only grade omega 3 supplement to ensure higher potency and better quality control. Just remember, it is all about reducing inflammation.

4.Exercise

Often, people who experience pain fear exercising, in case it causes more problems for them. But over time, regular physical activity may decrease the pain and discomfort that you feel. High-intensity exercise and resistance training may assist in helping to reduce the reducing the symptoms of pain and reducing inflammation in the body.

While resistance training and high intensity interval training may assist in pain management and reducing inflammation in the body, some of the more gentle forms of exercise, such as Yoga and Pilates, may also assist in reducing pain and inflammatory response in the body too.

Yoga and Pilates can stretch and strengthen your muscles, help with core strength, help with circulation, which all may be beneficial for pelvic pain management and stress reduction.There has been lots of research into the benefits of Yoga and Pilates and how it can assist pain and inflammation.

No matter what exercise, you choose, exercise may help those with pain and inflammation in many ways, including:

encouraging the circulation of blood to your organs
maintaining nutrients and oxygen flow to all your body systems
assist with decreasing pain and inflammatory response
assist with reducing stress
releasing endorphins in the brain, which are pain-relieving, “feel good” chemicals

Research has shown that those who engage in some sort of regular exercise have fewer symptoms of pain and less inflammation that those people who do not participate in regular exercise.

5.Managing Stress Levels

Stress and emotional factors are probably one of the most under rated causes of pain and inflammatory response. Stress and emotional factors, such as anxiety, are big factors in any disease and can make any disease worse. Have a read of my post all about anxiety exacerbating pain.
Not only can stress and emotional disorders be exacerbated by pain and inflammation, but so can pain and inflammatory symptoms be exacerbated by stress and emotional disorders, in a never-ending cycle.

Pain and inflammation could contribute to making your stress levels, or emotion issues worse, due to the impact that the associated symptoms have on all aspects of your life, including family and personal relationships and work.

Stress management, Counselling, Mindfulness and Relaxation techniques may all assist in reducing stress and emotional disturbances that exacerbates inflammation and pain pathways and painful conditions.

People with pain and chronic pain and inflammation need to manage stress and anxiety by using mindfulness and relaxation techniques. These can help you to increase your awareness of your body, refocus on something calming, and reduce the activity of stress hormones and inflammation in the body. It is all about learning coping mechanisms and what works best for you, not what works best for others.

6.TENS and Neuromodulators

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is an inexpensive nonpharmacological intervention used in the treatment of acute and chronic pain conditions. These small battery-powered devices deliver alternating current via cutaneous electrodes positioned near the painful area. The parameters of pulse frequency, and pulse intensity are adjustable and linked to TENS efficacy. TENS activates a complex neuronal network to result in a reduction in pain

Neuromodulation is the process by which nervous activity is regulated by way of controlling the physiological levels of several classes of neurotransmitters. Many pain management specialist now use a common form of neuromodulation involves using a device to deliver electrical current in therapeutic doses to the spinal cord to disrupt pain signals from the spinal cord to the brain, converting them to a more pleasant tingling sensation. This has been proven a safe and effective therapeutic approach for managing chronic pain of the arms and legs, neck and back often after spine surgery, or for other neuropathic conditions.

In Summary

It is important to know that people with pain and disease states that are causing chronic pain, will need a multi-modality, or team approach to deal with this disease.

The team you need and modalities that you will need will be dependent on your individual symptoms. This will mean finding practitioners who will listen to you and also be open to trying some of the alternatives to some of the pain medications and opiates alongside pharmaceutical medications.

As I said before, these alternatives may assist in treating your pain and managing your pain long term and also help with reducing some of the pain medications you may have been dependent on. Try and find healthcare professionals that can offer you a multi-modality approach for ongoing care and support and who also have a team of other people who specialise in the disease you are suffering from too. Again, the approach that you and your pain management specialist, or healthcare provider, choose to take will vary depending on your signs and symptoms.

Before starting any pain management, or new treatment, it is important to know all of your options and the potential outcomes of all of them and to know that the people that you are seeing are specialists in your condition and know how to manage the disease properly. That can often be the hardest thing to find and why you need to do your homework and see people who are specialists in this area of medicine. Too many people are missed and dismissed purely because they are just seeing the wrong people in the first place.

Lastly, if you are in pain and have a pain condition, please do not try and keep managing it yourself, or try to self-medicate. You need to be managed properly and should be getting the advice of a professional, not your friends, family or social media buddies.

Pain needs to be managed and it needs to be managed properly and this also goes for pain medications as well. If you are still in pain and pain symptoms are getting worse, this means that you need to get something done about it because your disease may in fact be getting worse, or your body may not be responding to medication any longer.

Take care

Regards

Andrew Orr

-No Stone Left Unturned

-Women’s and Men’s Health Advocate

References

1.Xue CCL, Zhang TL, Lin V, Myers R, Polus B, Story DF. Acupuncture, chiropractic and osteopathy use in Australia: a national population survey. BMC Public Health. 2008;8:105–112. [PMC free article][PubMed] [Google Scholar]

2. Zhu X, Hamilton KD, McNicol ED. Acupuncture for pain in endometriosis. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2011;9:CD007864. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

3.Zheng Z, Xue CL. Pain research in complementary and alternative medicine in Australia: a critical review. J Altern Complement Med. 2012;19:81–91. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

4.Zhang AL, Parker SJ, Smit DV, Taylor DM, Xue CCL. Acupuncture and standard emergency department care for pain and/or nausea and its impact on emergency care delivery: a feasibility study. Acupunct Med. 2014;32:250–256. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Knowing All Too Well What It Is Like To Live With Pain

Posted on December 23, 2017June 19, 2018 by Andrew Orr

I often get asked how I know so much about pain and living with disease state and pain on a day to day basis. While I am a man and cannot truly understand what it is like to have a gynaecological condition and the associated symptoms, I can understand how pain can affect ones daily life and how hard it is to manage a chronic disease state.

You see, I too have a chronic disease state that was missed and dismissed for many years. It causes me pain when the disease grows back and the inflammation gets bad. It has required me to have multiple surgeries, because it was missed for so long. Even though surgery helps, it isn’t a cure and the disease can grow back and then start causing pain and associated symptoms again. Sounds a lot like endometriosis doesn’t it?

While I don’t have endometriosis, I do have a disease that is very much like endometriosis and just this week I have had my 7^th surgery for this disease.

My disease state grows in my sinus cavities and it can cause such excruciating pain in my head and make me feel really unwell. It’s really hard to use your brain to shut off pain, when the actual pain is in your head and it feels like my head is going to explode. If the disease gets out of control too much, it could cause extreme pressure and actually cave the bones around the sinuses inwards, so it can be dangerous. I wish someone had listened to me and helped me earlier on so that I wouldn’t have to have been going through the surgery again.

But, I have learned to find the right team to help me. I have learned to manage pain levels using a multimodality treatment approach. I have learned that diet and lifestyle choices can help me manage my disease state. This is why when I talk to all of you, I understand what you all go through and why I am so passionate about telling you all the facts and helping you get the right help and intervention. They always say that to truly understand pain, you have to experience it yourself. Unfortunately I know all to well how pain can affect the whole body, not just where the pain is orginating from.

While I know first hand how bad pain can affect ones life, I have also learnt that the disease does not define me. I am not the disease and I have made a conscious decision to be proactive with my health and not live and breath the disease.

While it is good to be educated and proactive about your health, it isn’t good to live in your disease and let it overcome you and rule your life either. It is about getting up each day, making healthy choices, pushing yourself to move forward and remember that it is all about small steps forward, not matter what is going on.

I found the more I focussed on my disease, the worse things became and I got caught up in the pain cycle and the disease took over and it just made things too hard on both a physical and emotional level. Sure, there are days when you will have a bad day and that is ok. I know I had days where I had to take painkillers and just get on with it and nobody would ever have known how much pain I was in. Sure, there are going to be days when it doesn’t seem fair and that nobody can truly understand what it is like for you. The main thing is to not live in the ‘poor me’ syndrome and not let the disease define you. It is about overcoming the disease and being you again. It is about finding your team to help you. It is about finding that support you need and not buying into the diagnosis and living in the disease.

The more positive you are, the happier you are, the quicker you will heal and the treatments will work better too. Whatever you need to do, you just need to go and do it. If that means seeing a counsellor, seeing a pain specialist, seeing a gynaecologist, seeing a nutritionist, getting some acupuncture, seeing a physiotherapist, seeing a chiropractor/osteopath, taking pain killers, taking herbal medicines, or whomever and what you need that can help you, then you need to do it.

I also know all too well how hard it can be to get started, but when you get started and you keep going and you find the right team of people to help you, that is when you get the results. Never underestimate the power of positivity and never think that all is lost and get lost in your disease state and symptoms. Even if you make two steps forward and then one step back, you are still moving forward. Try and do something you love each day and try and find joy and positivity in your day. It is so important.

Lastly, never ever just take one opinion and always get multiple opinions about what you are experiencing. This is why I offer a multimodality approach for people and offer a multitude of services like a one stop shop. It is why my motto is “No Stone Left Unturned” because I dont want to see anyone be missed and dismissed. The reason I do a multimodality approach and use and integrative medicine approach, is so I can help people as much as possible on my own and then only have to refer for things like surgery and some other specialty areas that I do not do.

Please remember that pain, no matter where it presents in the body, is a sign of inflammation and a sign that something isn’t right. It is a sign that something needs to be investigated and managed and is you are being missed and dismissed constantly, then you need to find another healthcare practitioner, or a team of healthcare people that can help you moving forward and get some sort of normalcy back in your life. If you can’t find the right person, or team, then book in and see me instead. I’ll make sure “No Stone is Left Unturned” and I also understand what it is like to live with pain. You wont be missed and dismissed at my clinic. Don’t forget that I can do online consultations for people that live interstate, aren’t local, or live overseas. I can be your eyes and ears and be your guide and coordinator too. I understand pain.

Take care

Regards

Dr Andrew Orr

Women’s and Mens Health Advocate

-No Stone Left Unturned

-Period Pain IS NOT Normal

Getting a handle on pain with proper pain management

Posted on December 5, 2017August 25, 2019 by Andrew Orr

One of the things that I see not managed very well is pain. I think much of this comes around a perception that we should be able to manage pain with over the counter medications and some of it is also not really knowing what to do, if what we are doing for ourselves, or are currently doing, isn’t working. Some of it is also that healthcare practitioners aren’t managing it well either.

Now, before I start talking about pain, and so that people understand where I am coming from, I need for people to know one thing. Everyone’s pain levels are different and everyone’s cause of pain is different too.

I also know what it is like to live with pain daily and manage a chronic condition that causes pain and affects one’s life. So I understand pain and understand it well and I sympathise with anyone who is in pain. So I just ask for people to take the personal out of this, just listen and hear what I am going to say.

Again I have lived with chronic and acute pain daily and I know what it is like and I have loved ones who have to manage it daily as well. So what I am about to talk about is coming from a place of caring, wanting to help and also knowing how to manage pain on a clinical level as a healthcare professional.

Every day I see people posting in closed groups asking for help with pain and things they can do to manage pain. It breaks my heart hearing what some people put up with, or if I see they aren’t being told the right thing, or being clinically managed properly.

Often I see people putting up with pain because they fear going to the hospital, seeing their specialist, seeing someone else, or that they should be able to handle it themselves.

No matter what, constant and acute pain is not good for the body and it also means that there is something wrong and it needs to be attended to. The longer pain is there, the more damage it does to your body on a cellular level. Long term pain causes cellular death and disrupts nerve pathways, pain pathways and emotional pathways to the brain too. This is why proper pain management is so important.

The thing is, pain needs to be managed, just like any other health issue, and if it isn’t managed, or managed well, then it can really affect ones physical and emotional wellbeing. I know people will say that long term medication isn’t good, and it isn’t, but long term unmanaged pain can be far more detrimental than any long term medication. It truly is a catch 22 situation.

When pain gets to a point where over the counter medications aren’t working, or even some prescription medications aren’t working, then something needs to be done about it.

This either means surgical intervention, or it means that you need stronger medications and you need this in the form of proper medical management of that pain.

It may also means other therapies and treatments outside of what you are currently using and being managed with. It also requires working on the emotional pathways that may also be exacerbating pain. This is why talk therapy and working on emotions is such and important aspect of pain management. You need that multimodality approach for proper effective pain management.

Many times when I hear that people are in pain, one of the things that stops them doing anything is that they perceive that nobody is going to help them because what they themselves have tried, hasn’t worked.

I wish I could get it through to people in pain, that the best thing they can do is go and get the pain managed properly. This often means a trip to the nearest hospitals emergency department and I think this is where people then talk themselves out of it. It is always better to go and be managed properly, than sit at home still in pain. Once pain is managed properly, then you need to see someone who can help your pain, and your condition properly moving forward.

When people come to see me and then I have to refer them for surgery, one of the things I always talk about and have an action plan for is pain management. I always tell my patients to properly manage pain after surgery and even do precautionary pain management post-surgery.

I always give my patients a handout and action plan for pain management, whether they need it or not. After surgery there is often a bit of illusion state around pain, because there have been anaesthetics used and other heavy duty sedatives. So often people wake up in recovery and think the pain isn’t as bad as it is, because it is being masked from the anaesthetics.

Then they go home and don’t bother to keep up their pain meds and then the pain kicks in and then it is really hard to get back on top of it again once it starts. Once the pain cascade starts, then it is really hard to then try and get back on top of that pain yourself.

This is why it is always good to take precautionary pain medications for a few days (or longer) post-surgery and then taper them down and start using some other alternatives to manage the pain. I’ll discuss some great alternatives for pain management later on, but for now, let’s just talk about the medical and pharmaceutical options.

The basic same principles also apply to people who have flare ups with pain, or have chronic, or acute pain. It needs to be managed and it needs to be managed as soon as possible. The longer you are suffering in pain, the harder it is to treat and get under control.

Sure, try all the conservative treatments for pain such as over the counter medications, herbal medicines, acupuncture, yoga, meditation etc, but if those aren’t working well enough, or aren’t working at all, it is time for medical intervention. The same goes in reverse too. You also need to look at the emotional aspects and cause of pain too. Again, you cannot treat one without the other.

Sometimes the body has been in pain that long, that you also need to turn that response off, because it has actually become a habit, rather than the body actually still being in pain. This one is a bit tricky to explain to people, but in essence what we need to do is actually tell the body it isn’t in pain any longer, so that it switches off that response in the brain.

Getting back to acute pain, and when pain is getting out of control, this is where I need people to listen. Many times I see people posting in groups, telling their support group and that they are in pain and saying things like that they feel it would be pointless to go to the hospital, as they usually do nothing to fix their issue.

The thing is sure, emergency departments aren’t there to fix chronic conditions, but, they are there to help you get out of pain, or patch you up, and then refer you on for appropriate management if need be.

Now, before I talk about this next bit, if you are in acute pain and do not know what it is from, you need to go and get that pain looked and get it under control. You can either consult with your healthcare provider (GP etc), or go to your nearest Emergency centre.

Speaking about emergency centres and hospitals, I need to let people know that there is no shame in going to these places to get your pain under control properly.

I also need people to know that emergency centres (A&E) are not there to fix your long term issue. They are there to assess imminent danger, control pain etc and then patch you up and refer you on to other specialists in the field of what your particular issues is. That is it.

All too often people do have a perception that if they turn up to emergency department, their long term health issue is going to be fixed. That is not their job. Again they are there to assess danger, control pain, stop your dying (if that is needed), then refer you on for appropriate management.

Sometimes that means staying in hospital until you are stabilised. All too often I hear people saying that they went to emergency and they did nothing. Well, I doubt they did nothing. They would have assessed you, medicated you (if necessary) and if your condition isn’t life threatening, you would most probably be sent home. That is what they do.

This gets me back to those in pain and are trying to talk themselves out of going to hospital, because apparently, through past experience, or someone has wrongly told them, that they won’t be able to help you. This is wrong.

If you are in acute pain, you are best going to your closest emergency centre, where trained people, not our untrained internet buddies, can assess you properly and then help you with pain and stabilise you.

If all emergency do is control your acute pain and make sure you aren’t dying and are stable, then they have done their job. Controlling someone’s pain can actually stabilise the body in more ways than one. Once that pain is stabilised, then what you need to do is ask them for medications to be continued to actually help with the pain cycle.

You can also continue on with previously prescribed medications to control that pain, now that stronger medications have been administered and your pain levels have lowered. This then buys you time to see your regular healthcare provider as soon as possible and talk about a better pain management plan.

If that said provider isn’t managing you properly, then you need to get a second, or third, or tenth opinion. Look, every profession has people who are not good at their job and some healthcare professional are crap at things like pain management. So, find someone who can help you with ongoing pain management. If you can’t find someone, then message me for details of someone who can. Better still, book in a consult to see me, where I can assist you and your condition and help you get the best help, advice, care and proper health management possible.

There are now also some pain modulators (neuro-modulators) and implants that are being used to control pain too. People are also getting great results with botox and other injectables. There are many options for pain management now and as said before, it does require seeing the right people and also using a multimodality treatment approach.

This also requires working on the emotional aspect too. Yes, I am mentioning it again so people finally get that we also need to deal with the emotions, if we are to manage pain properly.

Last but not least, sometimes you need to look outside the medical model, for help with pain. Actually I believe it is essential. Sure, get your acute pain managed with medical intervention, but you may also need to look at complementary medicines for ongoing pain management, especially chronic long term pain.

No medicine has all the answers, so this is why I am very passionate about people using a multimodality approach to their health issues and especially for pain management. I always say to people that if what you were doing currently is helping, then you wouldn’t be in pain and if you are still in pain, it means you need to change something, or look at other ways to manage it. Unfortunately while modern medicine saves lives and can help us in so many ways, it doesn’t have all the answers either.

If you aren’t getting the help you need, then book in a consult with me and I will do my best to get you the help and care you deserve and should be getting. I also have a great network of trusted professionals I work with if it is outside something that I do, or if you need that team approach for your condition. I have my trusted team and that is what you may need too.

One more thing, for anyone, pain is the sign that something is wrong in the body and means it needs to be addressed. Oh and always remember, period pain is not normal either.

Take care

Regards

Dr Andrew Orr

-Women’s & Men’s Health Advocate

-No Stone Left Unturned

-The Women’s Health Experts

Could you need an Iron Infusion?

Posted on August 9, 2017August 22, 2019 by Andrew Orr

Iron infusion: Uses, benefits, and what to expect

As a healthcare practitioner I am used to seeing women with really low iron, due to various gynaecological conditions.

Many women do not even know they are low in iron until they get bloods tests to show that they are. Being low in iron can be very dangerous for a woman on so many levels.

Many women who are suffering from fatigue are actually low in iron.

Symptoms of low iron can include

Fatigue

Dizziness

Fainting, or feeling of feeling faint

Pale skin

Breathless

Frequent headaches

Palpitations, or racing heart

Easily irritated

Difficulty in concentrating

Cracked, or reddened tongue

Loss of appetite

Strange food cravings

Risk Factors For Low Iron

Heavy menstrual bleeds

Endometriosis

Adenomyosis

Fibroids

Coeliac disease

Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Pregnant and Breast Feeding Women

Certain Cancers

Vegetarians and Vegans

Girls going through puberty

Certain illnesses

Sometimes when Iron gets too low, supplements just will not be enough to get iron levels up to where they should be quick enough. This is where iron infusions can be very effective.

So what is an Iron Infusion?

An Iron infusion is when iron is delivered via an intravenous line into a person’s body.

Increasing the amount of iron a person has in their blood can cure anaemia, or increase a low red blood cell count.

The body uses iron to make hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is an important part of red blood cells and helps carry oxygen around the body.

If a person does not have enough hemoglobin, they can feel tired, or have symptoms mentioned previously. An iron infusion may be used for someone with an iron deficiency when supplements do not work.

As discussed before, there are a variety of medical reasons can cause low iron levels, so your doctor, or healthcare specialist will order iron studies and other tests to see what may be causing someone to be deficient in iron.

An iron infusion may be given if a person’s blood counts are so low that taking iron supplements or increasing their daily intake of iron-containing foods would be ineffective or too slow in increasing their iron levels.

What to expect

A person will go to a doctor’s office, hospital, or another healthcare facility to have an iron infusion. This is done intravenously and the infusion will take between 15-30 minutes if it is given in amounts of 200-300 milligrams (mg). In days gone by iron infusions would take hours to do and would have to be done in a hospital setting.

The new rapid iron infusions allow iron into the body much quicker and have little to no side effects compared to the older solutions that took hours to administer and were not as good as the new versions used now.

What happens after an iron infusion?

An individual can experience some mild side effects after an iron infusion. The symptoms are usually mild side effects such as headaches, metallic taste in the mouth, or some mild joint pain. Some people can feel faint and nauseas after an infusion but this is usually people who do not tolerate having blood taken, or having needles given. Reactions to infusion are rare, but your healthcare provider will explain all this too you. There are some people who may be allergic to iron, just like people can be allergic to certain foods.

Most people will only need one infusion done, but sometimes people with very low iron may need multiple infusions done. This will be after careful monitoring and testing to see where your iron levels are.

Usually iron levels will return to normal and symptoms of iron deficiency will decrease several weeks after the infusion. A doctor will regularly check the person’s iron levels and blood counts to ensure the iron infusion is working.

Iron infusion vs. injection

Doctors can administer iron to someone via an injection or an infusion.

Iron injections are given intramuscularly, but while iron injections may be faster than iron infusions to administer, they can have some unpleasant side effects. Some of the side effects can be pain at the site of the injection, bleeding into the muscle, and permanent discoloration at the injection site. This is why more doctors are now recommending iron infusions over the injections

Before and after the Infusion

Most people do not need to fast or stop taking their medications beforehand, and can also resume their everyday activities after an iron infusion.

If a person is taking regular iron supplements, however, a doctor will usually tell them to stop taking these about a week before the procedure. This is because the supplements may prevent the body from absorbing the iron from the infusion efficiently.

A person will need to resume iron supplements at some stage after the receiving iron infusions, t ensure levels stay where they should be. Your healthcare provider will tell you when to do this.

People who have a genetic issue called haemochromatosis should not ever have an iron infusion.

Iron infusions are now being used more and more, when iron levels are low and people are not responding to supplementation and adjustments to their diet. I recommend them to many of my patient who have low iron due to many varying reasons. Like I said said before, many of my gynaecology patients, fertility patients and pregnancy patients have very low iron levels and will actually need an infusion to get their levels up quickly.

If you are feeling tired, lethargic and may be at risk of low iron, have a talk to your healthcare provider about finding out if you are low in iron and also discuss having an iron infusion if your levels are really low. Your healthcare practitioner may not know about the new iron infusions and that they are now a great option to use and have very little side effects compared to the older methods and solutions. Some GP clinics now specialise in administering iron infusions too.

Regards

Andrew Orr

-No Stone Left Unturned

-Women’s and Men’s Health Advocate

The Facts About Period Pain & Endometriosis- “What Women Need To Know”

Posted on July 25, 2017August 22, 2019 by Andrew Orr

Every day I hear stories about women being told their symptoms are normal, or they have been missed and dismissed for many years. Some of the things I hear women get told gets me angry sometimes.

Many of you have also been told utter BS (bullshit… sorry for swearing) and it just gets me so upset to hear this BS continues in both the public arena, closed groups and by other healthcare professionals. When are women going to get the support they need and get the health system to start listening?

When I have to talk to men about this topic, usually partners of women who have endometriosis, or who suffer bad period pain and other symptoms, I explain it like this. I explaint that if guys had pain in their testicles daily and couldn’t walk, were curled up on the bedroom floor, had vomiting from the pain, had to ingest copious amounts of pain killers etc to just function, then governments would rewrite the health system, laws would be made, research would be done and those testicles would endure pain no longer. Well.. that is what I think anyway.

The biggest problem for women is that many of you believe that period pain is normal, because that is what you have been led to believe. Then some healthcare professionals reinforce it and you are basically made out to be neurotic when you try and tell anyone that you can’t handle it any longer.

Suck it up they say. Take some painkillers they say. Have a baby they say. Take the pill they say. There are so many BS things said to you all and all of them are wrong. There are so many other things wrong with everything from support groups sprouting misinformation, GP’s telling people misinformation, specialists telling people misinformation and people now relying on “Dr Google” as the gospel for their healthcare diagnosis. This is where the problem all starts and in many ways ends.

So how do we fix this?

Well, education is the first step. This is not just to the public, but to healthcare professionals as well. We also need to start educating women at a young age that “Period Pain IS NOT normal” and neither are other menstrual irregularities that could be the signs of other gynaecological conditions.

Early intervention and treatments and management it always going to be the key to any disease state. Thousands of years ago in China, the Yellow Emperor had a classic saying “To treat a disease once it has already started and been expressed in to the body is like trying to forge arms once a war has already started, or trying to dig a well once one if already thirsty”.

Trying to treat any disease once it has been expressed is hard work and for some diseases, nearly impossible. Prevention is the key and like any disease, we need to find ways of preventing endometriosis too. But if the disease is expressed, we need proper education to know the signs, know the symptoms and get early intervention and treatments and management as soon as possible.

Endometriosis can be managed, just like any other disease. I have asthma and I am symptom free because I manage it properly and have the training and education and proper treatments to manage it. I still have the disease, but I have learnt to manage it and be symptom free most of the time. Doesn’t mean I don’t get the odd flare though.

The same can be for endometriosis if you see the right people and get the right treatment and health management. Let’s be real about this, even with the best management, sometimes you will still just have a bad day, or a few bad days, despite what you do. This is the reality of living in chronic disease state.

Finding the right people to listen and to do the right investigations and management can be hard and we also need people to listen and do the treatment too. We do need people to take some ownership in their health too. I mean this is a caring way when I say this.

Having had a debilitating and life threatening disease I know how hard it can be just to function, both physically and emotionally. I also know hard it was for me to find the right people to help me too. So I get it. But we still need to talk about this and be honest about ownership too.

Please don’t buy into the diagnosis and the label if you know what I mean. Doing that can eat you up, make you angry/mad and then makes things worse. I know because I have been there. I now teach people to rise up, ditch the label and be the best they can be daily. But, it can be hard work, as many of you know. I get it.

So, lets start with looking at the facts around Endometriosis first and in the next lots of posts I’ll talk about the management and treatments to get women their lives back

The Facts about Endometriosis

1. Period Pain IS NOT Normal- You are not meant to get period pain. Some slight heaviness, or mild discomfort maybe, but pain you should not get at all. Pain is not normal and we need to stop saying it is.

2. A significant portion of women with Endometriosis are asymptomatic– A significant portion of women DO NOT get pain, or any symptoms at all. Just because you do not have pain, does not mean you do not have endometriosis.

3. Symptoms DO NOT correlate to the extent of the disease– As mentioned previously, some women with relatively small amounts of endometriosis will have significant pain, have lots of symptoms, while some women who are riddled with it may have no symptoms at all. This is why i do not like the staging system (1-4) because it really does not accurately describe a women’s symptoms, or have it correlate to the extent of the disease.

4. The only way to diagnose Endometriosis definitely is via surgical intervention– Scans, blood tests etc do not diagnose endometriosis. You cannot have a scan to diagnose endometriosis and you cannot have a blood test to diagnose endometriosis.

The definitive diagnose IS and ALWAYS WILL BE via a laparoscopy/laparotomy, along with a biopsy and tissue taken to examine. A laparoscopy is the goal standard investigation of examining the pelvis and for investigating gynaecological disorders such as endometriosis.

The laparoscopy also need to be done by what we call an Advanced Trained Laparoscopic Surgeon, who has extra years of surgical training, and who specialises in this disease and specialises in the excision of endometriosis. It can’t just be done by a regular gynaecologist and this is where many go wrong. They just haven’t seen the right surgeon first up who has the proper skills to deal with it effectively. Many women have been under-serviced surgically previously and this is a big issue. It just means that they may get some relief, but it will not be long lasting.

The first surgery should always be your best surgery and early intervention and management of this disease is crucial. The longer it is there, the worse it can become. But, please know that surgery does not cure endometriosis. It is just the first stage in the management of the disease and endometriosis needs ongoing care and a multimodality approach to treat if effectively. It needs a team to manage it properly.

5. There is NO cure for Endometriosis– At present there is no cure for endometriosis. Just as I mention my asthma before and it having no cure, the same applies to endometriosis. Once it is expressed into the body, it will always be there. Even if someone becomes asymptomatic, the disease it still there. But while there is no cure, the disease can be managed and women can become asymptomatic with the right help, right treatments and right management. I see this is practice daily.

6. Having a baby will not cure endometriosis– Many women are told to go away and fall pregnant and have a baby as this will fix their period pain and cure their endometriosis. This is a load of rubbish. Having a baby will not cure endometriosis. It may stop you having period pain for 9-10 months because you won’t be getting your menses, but you can still get other symptomatic pains and referral pains etc. Pregnancy does not fix endometriosis. The reason why women are told to go and have a family as soon as possible is because endometriosis can make it harder to fall pregnant, for some people.

7. Endometriosis may cause Infertility– While it may make it hard to fall pregnant for some women, other women with it may have no trouble falling at all. But women do need to be educated that it could affect your fertility and one of the major reasons women end up seeking help for fertility services.

8. Endometriosis is Estrogen Driven, Not caused by Estrogen dominance– Estrogens do drive endometriosis. This could be from oestrogen’s in our diet, in our environment, from hormones, drugs, plastics, abdominal fats, body fats and any small amounts of circulating oestrogen’s. Estrogens do not have to be in excess, or be dominant to drive endometriosis.

9. The Pill, or Contraceptives DO NOT fix endometriosis– While the pill and contraceptives can help with hormonal regulate and in some cases even stop the period, they do not fix endometriosis. In many cases the Combined pill can actually make it worse because of the oestrogen’s in it. Plus it then masks the symptoms of endometriosis and then when a woman comes off it, the endo is still there and for some women it could lead to them being infertile. The pill masks endometriosis and many other gynaecological issues. It does not fix them

10. You can have Endometriosis at a Young, or Older Age– Endometriosis does not discriminate age. Young girls can have it and older ladies can have it also. It can present at almost any age once the menses has started and can continue even when the menses has stopped. The symptoms may get less with menopause though.

11. Hysterectomy does not cure endometriosis– Hysterectomy does not fix endometriosis because many times endometriosis is not in, or on, the uterus and it can present anywhere in the body. It has been found in the joints, in the brain, around the heart, on the retina of the eyes, around the bowel and in nearly every part of the body. So removing the uterus does not cure endometriosis in many cases.

12. Endometriosis requires a multi modality approach– Like many diseases we all face, there is never one particular miracle cure, or miracle treatment for endometriosis. It requires a multi modality approach to manage it properly. This is how you diagnose, treat and manage endometriosis properly

13. Endometriosis IS NOT an autoimmune disease– Endometriosis is not an autoimmune disease. It is an autoimmune like disease because it is made worse by inflammation in the body, but it cannot be classed as an autoimmune disease.

14. There Are Hereditary and Genetic links– While we do not know the exact cause of endometeriosis, we do know that it does run in families and it there is genetic and hereditary links.

15. Endometriosis can cause many other issues in the body– Like any inflammatory disease, endometriosis can cause issues with moods, interfere with hormones, disturb sleep, cause fatigue, cause depression, exacerbate mood disorders, cause muscular pain, cause skeletal pain, have pain refer down your legs, make your joints ache, cause bowel movements to be difficult, cause loose bowels and IBS like symptoms, cause UTI like symptoms, cause bladder pain, nocturnal urination, pain with sex, pain and bleeding with exercise, ovulation pain and so many other symptoms not mentioned.

It can cause many issues both physically and emotionally and people need to be aware of this. Some women are at the point of suicide and recently we have seen women take their lives, because they just have not been listened to and it has all become too much.

There is probably a few more things I need to add in here. Please feel free to add comments to add in more. But, this is a start and hopefully people can learn from this and we can start educating people on the facts around this horrible disease. Please know there is always help.

Please know the disease can be managed with the right people on board helping you. Please know there are some really good support groups out there too.

Please know there are some amazing women ( and some men) out there trying to be your voice and get people to listen. Hopefully one day we will get a cure and women will get the treatment and management of this disease that they so desperately deserve. Sorry for the long post. But we need to get this out there.

Take care amazing people. Keep your chins up and know that there are people who will listen too.

If you would like to book in a consultation with me, please call my friendly staff, or using the automated emails system on the website.

Let me hold your hand and care for you and assist you in every step of the way to better health and a better way to live daily.

Regards
Andrew Orr

-No Stone Left Unturned

-Women’s and Men’s Health Advocate

-Period Pain is not normal