Elbow pain facts Elbow pain may have a number of causes. The elbow joint is the area of union of three long bones. Tendinitis can affect the inner or outer elbow. Treatment of tendinitis includes ice, rest, and medication for inflammation. Bacteria can infect the skin of the scraped (abraded) elbow. The "funny bone" nerve...
Where did cupping come from? Readers Comments 7 Share Your Story Cupping is an ancient practice in traditional Chinese medicine that has been shown by Western research to have some real benefits. Cupping is a therapy used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to remove stagnation and stimulate the flow of qi (chi). Qi is the...
Hip pain facts Readers Comments 27 Share Your Story Pain in the hip joint can have a variety of causes. Pain in the hip joint can be temporary of chronic. There are many causes of hip pain. The treatment of hip pain depends on its particular cause. What is the anatomy of the hip? The...
What is shoulder and neck pain? Shoulder pain may be an issue with joints or muscle, or could indicate another systemic problem. Your neck and shoulders contain muscles, bones, nerves, arteries, and veins, as well as many ligaments and other supporting structures. Many conditions can cause pain in the neck and shoulder area. Some are...
What is the fentanyl patch? What is the fentanyl patch used for? The fentanyl patch is indicated for the management of pain in opioid-tolerant patients, severe enough to require daily, around-the-clock, long-term opioid treatment and for which alternative treatment options are inadequate. Patients considered opioid-tolerant are those who are taking, for one week or longer,...
What is oral orphenadrine? What are the uses for oral orphenadrine? Orphenadrine is an oral central acting skeletal muscle relaxant that is used for the treatment of acute muscle aches, pain, or spasms. The exact mechanism of action in relieving muscuar aches or spasms is not completely understood. Orphenadrine may reduce muscle spasms through actions...
Oxycodone vs. Vicodin (hydrocodone/acetaminophen) for pain review Oxycodone is a strong opioid narcotic pain reliever (analgesic), and Vicodin is a combination of two drugs, hydrocodone (a strong narcotic pain reliever) and acetaminophen (Tylenol). Oxycodone and hydrocodone are similar to other drugs that are opioid narcotics, for example, methadone, fentanyl, and morphine. Both oxycodone and Vicodin...
Coccydynia facts Coccydynia is tailbone pain that occurs at the tip of the tailbone between the buttocks. Coccydynia is inflammation localized to the tailbone (coccyx). There are many mimics of coccydynia. Symptoms and signs of coccydynia include focal pain and tenderness at the tailbone. The pain is usually dull and achy. An injury to the...
What is hydrocodone and ibuprofen, and how does it work (mechanism of action)? Vicoprofen is a combination of an opioid analgesic (hydrocodone bitartrate, a pain reliever related to narcotics) and a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (ibuprofen). Both medications are effective for pain management. It is estimated that one tablet of Vicoprofen is as effective as two...
What is cyclobenzaprine (Amrix, Fexmid, Flexeril)? Cyclobenzaprine is a muscle relaxant. Cyclobenzaprine relieves muscle spasm when the spasm is due to local problems, that is, in the muscle itself and not in the nerves controlling the muscles. Cyclobenzaprine has no effect on muscle function. Cyclobenzaprine seems to accomplish its beneficial effect through a complex mechanism...