Picking Scabs: Why We Do It and How to Stop

Ever enjoyed popping a pimple? How about poking a blister? It can feel gratifying to watch the grossness ooze out, right? Many people are guilty of picking scabs and some people even eat them afterwards. In fact, our desire to pick our scabs could say something important about our mental … Read More

Swollen Lymph Nodes Are a Sign That Your Immune System Is Working

Finding a lump is frightening—no matter where it is. Swollen lymph nodes are your body’s way of telling you that something’s wrong. Usually, they’re alerting you to a mild infection or illness. Once your immune system has fought the pesky invader, your lymph nodes will shrink back to their normal … Read More

Determine Your Headache Type by Its Location

Nine out of ten people will have a headache at some time. The location of your headache may be an important clue to the type of headache, along with other clues like when the headache occurs, how long it lasts, how severe it is, and what other symptoms you have … Read More

Middle Back Pain: Red Flags to Watch Out For and Causes

Like the upper back, the mid-back region is very stable, and this stability gives it some protection from injury. But the same underlying conditions and circumstances that can result in upper back pain also can result in middle back pain. These include: 1. Poor posture This is a major risk … Read More

Pain Behind Knee: Injury vs. Disease-Related Causes

Pain behind knee can be caused by a variety of conditions, the vast majority of which are injury-related. Some systemic diseases, however, can cause pain-behind-knee symptoms, and some life-threatening diseases also can be a source. Here, we take a closer look at injuries as well as diseases that might lead … Read More

Throwing Your Back Out: The Common Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

No one seems to know how the phrase “throwing your back out” originated, but almost everyone knows what it means: You’ve injured your back and it really hurts. When you yell out "threw out my back!” you’ll know the pain immediately. There will be a sharp, severe pain, usually in … Read More

Vitamin B12 May Help Treat Fibromyalgia and Rheumatoid Arthritis

Those who suffer with inflamed nerve cells in neurological disorders such as fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, MS, and neuropathy know the burning, the numbness, and the pain that comes with these conditions. Fortunately, exciting research is showing that the symptoms associated with many neurological disorders can be greatly reduced with therapeutic … Read More

Rewire Your Brain For Better Pain Management

Sometimes, in chronic pain, the pain-signaling neurons become hyperexcited and continue to fire despite the absence of the cause of injury. For example, with the herpes-zoster infection (shingles), the rash disappears, leaving no evidence of the virus in the bloodstream, but the damaged nerves continue to fire, causing continuous debilitating … Read More

5-HTP May Benefit Fibromyalgia Sufferers By Assisting with Pain Relief, Sleep Quality, and More

For reasons yet to be fully understood, people with fibromyalgia feel more pain than normal. Fibromyalgia sufferers’ brains show activation patterns in pain processing areas when only mild pressure or heat is applied.[1] Researchers believe that part of what contributes to fibromyalgia is an imbalance of the neurotransmitter serotonin. This … Read More

Melatonin Benefits: A Surprising Treatment That May Help Migraine Sufferers

The crushing pain, nausea, and light sensitivity of a migraine headache can wreak havoc on the lives of migraine sufferers. For many, the only treatment options are heavy-duty pharmaceuticals with many unpleasant side effects. And those don’t even work for everyone. But research is pointing to surprising melatonin benefits that … Read More