Category Archives: pain

Glucosamine flunks yet another test, this time for knee pain

Is there an echo in here? Didn’t I have another item about this just recently? I did indeed: on July 8 I shared news that glucosamine made no difference for back pain patients, and here we are again with yet another F-grade for glucosamine, this time for knee pain (which is the problem that most [...]
Also posted in chondroitin sulphate, glucosamine, medications, nutraceuticals, osteoarthritis | 2 Comments

Therapy by charisma

Thought of the day, from my article on structuralism: Patients with great anxiety, pain and frustration are especially vulnerable to persuasion, or “therapy by charisma.” This is why I really make an effort in my work to be reassuring without offering miracles, to be knowledgeable without claiming to “know” what the problem is. All too often, [...]
Also posted in debunkery, diagnosis, hip weakness, myths, structuralism, therapy | Leave a comment

Platelet-rich plasma injection “no more effective than saltwater”

Well, this was probably inevitable. Last summer a reader asked me what I think of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections — the injection of a concentrated preparation of your own blood into irritated tissue, usually a tendinitis or similar condition like iliotibial band syndrome or plantar fasciitis — to stimulate healing. I replied quite optimistically at the [...]
Also posted in debunkery, it band, osteoarthritis, patellofemoral pain, plantar fasciitis, research, treatment | Leave a comment

Dr. Ronald Melzack inducted into the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame

Congratulations to fellow Canadian, Dr. Ronald Melzack! Everything I do has been influenced by Dr. Melzack’s research. Even after years of study and writing, I still have a long way to go before I understand all the implications of his work — indeed, it’s probably impossible to do so, because those implications are still emerging [...]
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