Health Expert Christina Lasich, MD shares health management news and commentary at HealthCentral.com. HealthCentral.com is one of the top health destinations on the Web, with more than 35 condition-specific, wellness and general health Web properties. http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/27148/index http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/27148/rss self application/xml en-us 15 120 19 http://www.healthcentral.com/images/hc_logo_sm.gif http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/27148/index http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/27148/153328/medication Tue, 29 May 2012 10:36:00 -0400 Christina Lasich, MD Warm summer temperatures, more hours of daylight and plenty of distractions means one thing: its summertime and you are feeling a little better. Chronic pain usually feels less intense, less debilitating when winter releases its cold grip. Muscle, joints and nerves work best during the warm months of the year. That means you might be able to do more with less pain now. And you might also want to consider making some medication changes now that... http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/27148/153328/medication http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/27148/153135/pharmacy Sun, 20 May 2012 08:00:00 -0400 Christina Lasich, MD Recently, a patient of mine came to me with a question, “Doctor, aren’t my medications supposed to come in green packets, not blue packet?” Well my answer to that question was “Yes,” followed by a “What the heck!” exclamation. After an immediate call to the pharmacist who dispensed the medication, we determined that the pharmacy made an error in filling the prescription and that the patient received a... http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/27148/153135/pharmacy http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/27148/152283/shoulder Mon, 23 Apr 2012 10:57:00 -0400 Christina Lasich, MD Try washing your hair, brushing your teeth or getting dressed without the use of one shoulder, it's darn near impossible to do anything without your shoulders. We use our shoulders all day long, 365 days per year. And over the years, the shoulders may not be feeling as comfortable or limber as they once did back in your younger days. Or maybe you are in your younger years but have been hard on your shoulders. Whether you are young or old, stiff... http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/27148/152283/shoulder http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/27148/151959/prescription Mon, 16 Apr 2012 14:17:00 -0400 Christina Lasich, MD Pain relief can be available without a prescription. And for centuries, ointments, rubs and liniments have been applied to the skin over painful areas. The topical pain relievers have withstood the tests of time, yet sometimes people overlook their existence. Over time, three basic ingredients have prevailed: the menthol products, the herbal products and the capsaicin products. All are worth trying.   The menthol products give your skin a... http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/27148/151959/prescription http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/27148/151795/preventing Mon, 09 Apr 2012 18:06:00 -0400 Christina Lasich, MD Wouldn't it be nice to prevent chronic pain? If you have low back pain, fibromyalgia or another painful condition, what determines whether or not the pain will be persistent for months or even years? Are there determining factors that can be modified enough to change your likeliness of experiencing chronic pain? Critical steps can march a person towards chronic pain or march a person towards recovery. Here are some simple steps that you can take... http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/27148/151795/preventing http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/27148/151302/ways-prevent Mon, 02 Apr 2012 15:04:00 -0400 Christina Lasich, MD Life can be a pain in the neck. Don't let it happen to you. Here are some ways to prevent neck pain from slowing your life down.   1.      Beware of the Bifocal and Trifocal Glasses: If you are reading this through the bottom section of your glasses, then you are likely positioning your head and neck in an awkward position to do so. The best way to avoiding pinching your neck in order to utilize all portions of your... http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/27148/151302/ways-prevent http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/27148/151066/avoid-spring Mon, 26 Mar 2012 13:07:00 -0400 Christina Lasich, MD Everyone is starting to spring into action. But sometimes those spring-time activities can trigger spine pain. After a few months of winter hibernation, your body might not be quite ready for a sudden burst of activity. So before you start cleaning with vengeance, swinging clubs like no tomorrow, or traveling all over hill and dale; here are few suggestions to help keep the spring in your step.   Spring is usually synonymous with cleaning.... http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/27148/151066/avoid-spring http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/27148/151301/prevent-pain Tue, 20 Mar 2012 10:25:00 -0400 Christina Lasich, MD Practically everyone experiences low back pain at some point in life. Some experience it more frequently than others. If you struggle with frequent episodes of low back pain, here are some tips to help you prevent it.   1.      Think BEFORE You Lift: By thinking about how to lift properly, you can prevent 90 percent of the causes for a sudden, sharp pain in the back. Place your feet shoulder width apart, bend the... http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/27148/151301/prevent-pain http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/27148/150960/chronic-pain Mon, 12 Mar 2012 23:14:00 -0400 Christina Lasich, MD Patients are using them, doctors are using them, nurses are using them; more and more people are using smart devices. But not everyone is embracing this new technology. Recently, I heard a patient complaining about a young doctor because he was using a smartphone. She said, "I want to find an older doctor." By "older" did she mean that she wants a doctor who uses a phone without Internet access or a doctor who has gray hair? After spending an... http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/27148/150960/chronic-pain http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/27148/150715/smoking-feel Mon, 05 Mar 2012 23:17:00 -0500 Christina Lasich, MD After smoking for so many years, why quit smoking now? After all, smoking helps you cope with pain, stress and anxiety. If you quit now, you might gain weight. If you quit now, your pain might actually get worse. Right? These excuses keep you happily chained to your habit.  Do you need some good reasons to quit besides saving money and smelling better? If you quit now, you might actually feel better. But "might" is not a strong enough word... http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/27148/150715/smoking-feel