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Instead of Tylenol, Reach For a Photo of a Loved One

FitSugar — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 03:00:00 -0800

If you're feeling a world of hurt, you might want to skip the pill form of pain relief. New research found that just gazing at a photo of someone you love could reduce your pain.

A small study, involving 25 women who had been in healthy and loving relationships for at least six months, found gazing at images of loved ones helps manage pain. In the study heat was applied to the forearm of each participant, the women reported their levels of pain while looking at a photo of their boyfriend, when looking at a photo of a stranger, and while looking at a picture of a chair. The women also received the heat treatment when holding hands with their guys, while holding hands with a complete stranger, and while holding a stress ball.

Overall the women reported the lowest amount of pain when in the "presence" of their partners, whether it be from their boyfriend's photo or actual hand. This simple experiment illustrated how the support of a loved one can help ease pain. The next time you want to pop some Tylenol, grab a framed photo or the hand of someone you love instead. Or if you're going through a painful experience and your favorite person can't be with you, the researchers suggest bringing a photo of the special person along. It could have the same calming effect.

How Do You Handle a Fitness-Related Injury?

FitSugar — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 04:30:31 -0700

Whether you pull a muscle at yoga or sprain an ankle while running, getting injured during a workout is no fun. It's painful and can often lead to a period of downtime. For some, the idea of putting their workout schedule on hold is out of the question. I usually take a few days off, but getting started again can be a struggle after a hiatus. What about you?

Redheads Feel More Pain?

FitSugar — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 03:00:41 -0700

Blondes may stereotypically have more fun, but some studies show those born with red locks might feel more pain. So we all need to treat our ginger-headed friends more gingerly since research shows they're more sensitive to hot and cold, and strangely, redheads also require more anesthesia to become numb.

For those with brown, black, and blond hair, the Melanocortin-1 receptor (MC1R) gene produces melanin, which gives our hair and skin color. In redheads, this gene is mutated and produces pheomelanin instead, causing pale skin, freckles, and strawberry tresses. MC1R mutations also affect carrot tops' perception of pain and the effectiveness of drugs that are used to block the sensation of pain.

Not only is this research interesting (and may explain why your friend screamed her red head off when she got her ears pierced), but it may also help scientists design drugs that are more person-specific based on an individual's genetic profile.

If you're a redhead, please share your thoughts on this hairy subject.

5 Closet Items That Could Cause You Pain

FitSugar — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 05:50:00 -0700

Subscribing to the no pain, no gain camp of fitness is just fine in my book. But fashion agony? That's just unproductive. I'm all for looking cute, but not at the cost of extreme discomfort. Save the pain for the gym and avoid fashion-related maladies by rethinking these five items in your closet.

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You Asked: Pain in the Ear When Flying

FitSugar — Tue, 26 May 2009 08:00:00 -0700

Dear Fit,
Whenever I fly I get this horrible pain in my ears, right as we're descending, about 15 minutes before we land. It's excruciating and sometimes I can't hear well a few hours after the flight. What causes this and is there any way to prevent it? I am traveling soon for my Summer vacation and am not looking forward to flying.
- Pain in the Ear

Great that you're taking a vacation. They are great for stress relief. It sounds like you suffer the condition aptly named airplane ear. More scientifically it's known as barotrauma or barotitis media, but whatever the name, the pain can be really intense and can cause ringing or bleeding in your ear, dizziness, or temporary hearing loss.

To hear what causes it and how to ease your pain read more.

This condition is pretty common and is caused by rapid changes in altitude or air pressure, which causes an unequal pressure between your middle ear and the air outside your ear. This makes your eardrum bulge outward or retract inward, which hurts, and can even cause a ruptured eardrum. You've probably also experienced it when swimming in deep water or driving through the mountains.

Swallowing or yawning should help ease your discomfort because the Eustachian tube, which connects your middle ear to the back of your nose, opens and allows air to flow into or out of your middle ear, equalizing the pressure. If you're congested though because of a cold or allergies, this tube can be blocked, causing pain, muffled sound, and temporary hearing loss.

To prevent this from happening on future flights, try taking an over-the-counter decongestant such as Sudafed about 30 to 60 minutes before your flight. This will help to dry up mucus from your nose and sinuses. While you're flying, chew gum or suck on a cough drop. This will encourage frequent swallowing, which helps to activate the muscles that open your Eustachian tubes. Also, don't sleep when the plane is descending, so you can be sure you're swallowing often. I hope this helps and happy travels.

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When It Comes to Exercise, Do You Ignore Your Pain?

FitSugar — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 04:30:00 -0700

Exercising is supposed to make you feel good, but sometimes while you're in the middle of a workout, you can experience discomfort or full-on pain. Achy knees, a stitch in your side, sore ankles, blisters, burning quads, and tight lungs are just a few I'm sure you can relate to. I was wondering though, do you push through the pain and keep going?

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Do You Face Your Pain Head On?

DearSugar — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 13:00:00 -0700

In the October issue of the UK's Harper's Bazaar, Liv Tyler opens up about her breakup with Royston Langdon. Her extremely candid interview shows the grieving side of Liv as she admits to struggling through the pain and loss of her five-year marriage. As we all know, breakups can be devastating, but Liv is being brave and facing her reality head on: "I am trying to just let myself feel it. I think you have to mourn and you have to feel that pain."

Although it's much easier to run from your problems, it won't make them go away so I applaud her for taking the high, yet heartbreaking road to her healing process. How do you typically deal with heartache? Are you of the same mind-set as Liv or do you avoid your problems at all costs in hopes that they'll just fade with time?

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Hurts So Good: Why a Painful Massage Isn't Necessarily Bad

BellaSugar — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 09:03:25 -0700

Today I saw a guy with a United States Marines t-shirt that said, "Pain is weakness leaving the body." I'm still mulling over that one (is it?), but one time I know I don't want to feel pain is after I've paid someone to massage me. In my opinion, a massage is the exact opposite of a workout. One involves Enya, the other Rihanna. One requires antiperspirant, the other aromatherapy. One sort of tickles, one really doesn't. And so on.

But apparently, the reason you can be sore after a rubdown is the same reason you can be sore after a workout: your muscles are simply not used to the stress, whether it's due to Lymphatic Drainage or the Locust Pose. Pain during a treatment will likely translate into soreness afterward. That your muscles have been stretched or your tissue shifted around does not belie a bad massage - much of it is necessary to cure what ails you.

If it hurts so much you can't relax, however, the whole experience is for naught, so be sure to communicate to your massage therapist if the pressure is off. That way you can really emerge renewed, stress-free, like you are walking on a waterbed in the clouds. You know, no pressure.

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Does This Reality Go Too Far?

DearSugar — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 08:00:00 -0700

My new favorite show, Intervention, is gaining popularity by the second. It's the show I can't wait to discuss with my friends the next day and even though the people depicted are troubled and in dire need of help, I'm fascinated each and every episode. Of course reality TV isn't anything new, but this documentary takes the reality to a whole other level. A recent article in The New York Times said it best: "Nothing on television matches its freaky calculus of exploitation and good will. Cameras follow the addicts as they shoot up, freebase, panhandle and score."

Though I feel a little voyeuristic watching these people inflicting such pain on themselves and their loved ones, knowing that the end of the hour will lead to a happy ending - out of 102 addicts profiled on the show, only two have declined treatment - makes me feel a whole lot less guilty. So if you're a fan like me, glued to the TV every Monday night, tell me, is Intervention taking reality TV too far or does it make you realize all that you have to appreciate in your own life?

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5 Things: Migraine Headaches

FitSugar — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 14:30:00 -0700

If you've ever had a migraine - or even if you haven't - you know that they are to be avoided at all costs. These mindbendingly bad headaches can be debilitating, often causing nausea and sensitivity to light. Though more than 20 million people suffer from migraines, they are more common in females. As many as 17 percent of women get migraines, versus just 6 percent of men. Here are five things you need to know about migraine headaches.

Different people have different migraine triggers. Common catalysts include lack of sleep, not getting enough to eat, stress, and certain foods, such as red wine and anything containing tyramine (found in cheese, wine, beer, and sausage) or MSG.
Many women get migraines before or during their menstrual cycles, since the headaches are often caused by hormone fluctuations.

For three more things about migraines, read more.

If you frequently suffer from migraines, it's easy to know the difference between a regular headache and these more severe ones. Characteristics of migraines include throbbing pain concentrated on one side of the head or in the front or back of the head.
The onset of a migraine is often signaled by certain symptoms, including fatigue, sadness, grumpiness, euphoria, and visual auras, wherein the sufferer sees flashing lights or spots.
While waiting out migraines, many people prefer to lay down in a dark room. There are also several medications that treat the pain, including over-the-counter meds and prescription drugs called triptans or ergots.

Fit's Tip: Migraines vary widely from person to person in terms of symptoms, causes, and effective treatments. If you suffer from them or suspect you do, talk to your doctor about the best way to prevent and treat yours.

Do you suffer from migraines? If so, share your solutions in the comments section below.

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