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At a Glance This X-ray shows two recording devices implanted in the shoulders and recording electrodes placed in the brain. Dr. Prasad Shirvalkar, UCSF Chronic pain—pain that lasts for more than three months—is a major cause of disability. Some types of chronic pain are difficult to treat and lead to considerable suffering. Pain is often measured by patients’ subjective reports. A lack of objective measures for chronic pain hinders the development of better ways to diagnose and treat it. Previous work to develop objective pain measures has looked at brain activity…

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Michael R. Yochelson, MD, MBA  on August 6, 2023 While multiple sclerosis (MS) is not a particularly common disease, it’s not rare, either. According to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMS), close to one million people are currently living with MS in the United States. The worldwide estimate of those living with MS is 2.9 million, according to the Multiple Sclerosis International Federation, and the global rate of increase means that one person is diagnosed with MS somewhere in the world every five minutes. One encouraging development in MS care is that the time it takes…

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Summary When we look at the root cause of fibromyalgia we need to look at two levels: The cause of the symptoms Although the cause of fibromyalgia is said to be unknown, scientists in general terms understand that the symptoms are caused by a sensitisation of the nervous system causing it to act like an amplifier. Because of this normal stimuli becomes painful and pain becomes much worse. Also, because the nervous system control practically everything in your body it can cause a host of seemingly unrelated symptoms. The cause…

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But if they’re unneeded, why do we have them? September 18, 2023By Robert H. Shmerling, MD, Senior Faculty Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing There was a time when pediatricians routinely recommended tonsil removal, even for healthy children — including me. As far as I can tell, I suffered no ill effects — plus, I got extra ice cream! That practice is no longer routine. But it does raise an interesting question: Why do we have body parts that can be safely removed? If they’re not…

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Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition that affects millions of people in the United States. However, the authors of a new study now warn that a significant number of people who have received a diagnosis may not, in reality, have this condition. People with fibromyalgia experience pain all over the body, as well as fatigue, headaches, and increased sensitivity to painful stimuli. Other symptoms may include depression and anxiety, poor sleep, and problems with memory or thinking. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), fibromyalgia affects approximately 4 millionTrusted Source adults in the U.S., which equates to…

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A nail fungus infection is notoriously hard to cure, but various treatments — including home remedies — can help. By Julie Corliss, Executive Editor, Harvard Heart Letter Wriggling toes in the sand and wearing sandals are warm weather treats, unless you’d rather keep your toes under wraps due to thickened, yellowish nails. Nail fungal infections (known as onychomycosis) are common, affecting up to 14% of the general population. In advanced cases, nails can become brittle, crumbly, or ragged, or even separate from the nail bed. While completely curing these fungal infections is difficult,…

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Protect yourself from the damage of chronic inflammation. Science has proven that chronic, low-grade inflammation can turn into a silent killer that contributes to cardiovas­cular disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes and other conditions. Get simple tips to fight inflammation and stay healthy — from Harvard Medical School experts.LEARN MORE View Protect yourself from the damage of chronic inflammation. Ask the doctors Q. My mother has fibromyalgia, and I think I’m starting to experience similar symptoms. Is fibromyalgia hereditary? A. Yes. Fibromyalgia, a chronic pain condition that affects some six million or more…

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