Health Expert Karen Lee Richards 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/5949/index http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/5949/rss self application/xml en-us 15 120 19 http://www.healthcentral.com/images/hc_logo_sm.gif http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/5949/index http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/5949/160824/illuminated-fibromyalgia Sun, 12 May 2013 05:12:00 -0400 Karen Lee Richards Each evening from 9 p.m. until midnight, the Niagara Falls are lit in the colors of the rainbow. There are, however, some exceptions to that rule. Sometimes the Falls are lit in special colors for 15 minute segments to support various charitable causes.   This year fibromyalgia, ME/CFS and multiple sensitivities are among those causes. On May 12, the International Awareness Day for all three, the Niagara Falls will be illuminated for 15... http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/5949/160824/illuminated-fibromyalgia http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/5949/160652/fibromyalgia-awareness Tue, 30 Apr 2013 23:46:00 -0400 Karen Lee Richards May 12 is Fibromyalgia Awareness Day. Every year on or around May 12 events are held across the U.S. and around the world to raise awareness about fibromyalgia and its impact on patients, their families and their communities.   The National Fibromyalgia & Chronic Pain Association (NFMCPA) has announced that this years Awareness Day theme is “CARE & Make Fibromyalgia Visible.” The acronym CARE stands for:C - Contribute A... http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/5949/160652/fibromyalgia-awareness http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/5949/160654/free-fibromyalgia-poetry Sat, 27 Apr 2013 14:19:00 -0400 Karen Lee Richards Calvin Eaton is a 27-year-old special educator and writer. Since being diagnosed with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome in 2010, he has made raising awareness about these “invisible” illnesses his life's mission.   In honor of Fibromyalgia Awareness Day 2013, Eaton is making the Kindle version of his book Living with Fibromyalgia: A Young Man's Journey to Peace, Inspiration and Empowerment Through Poetry and Uplifting... http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/5949/160654/free-fibromyalgia-poetry http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/5949/160655/identifies-fibromyalgia Wed, 24 Apr 2013 02:16:00 -0400 Karen Lee Richards In recent years, fibromyalgia experts have been trying to develop new and better ways to accurately diagnose fibromyalgia as quickly and easily as possible.   The original diagnostic criteria, established by the ACR in 1990, relied on a single symptom – pain – and required that the diagnosing physician be trained in how to do a manual tender point exam. While many still feel that the tender point exam is the most accurate way to... http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/5949/160655/identifies-fibromyalgia http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/5949/160384/dos-don-ts-opioid-safety Thu, 18 Apr 2013 09:42:00 -0400 Karen Lee Richards Opioids (sometimes referred to as narcotics) are very powerful drugs. While they can be quite helpful for someone trying to cope with chronic pain, opioids can also be extremely dangerous when they are misused or abused.   Practicing opioid safety will not only help protect the person for whom the medication is prescribed, but will also go a long way in helping to prevent prescription drug abuse and possible accidental overdose for family... http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/5949/160384/dos-don-ts-opioid-safety http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/5949/160078/artist-pain Sun, 31 Mar 2013 18:31:00 -0400 Karen Lee Richards The PAIN Exhibit is seeking art about chronic pain. PAIN Exhibit, Inc. is a non-profit organization whose mission is “to educate healthcare providers and the public about chronic pain through art and to give a voice to the many who suffer in silence.”   The organization was founded by Mark Collen as a result of his own chronic pain experience. Frustrated by his inability to adequately convey his pain to his doctor with mere... http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/5949/160078/artist-pain http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/5949/160022/fibromyalgia-symptoms Thu, 28 Mar 2013 06:55:00 -0400 Karen Lee Richards Based on previous studies reporting the positive effects of alcohol on chronic pain and rheumatoid arthritis, researchers at the Mayo Clinic decided to examine the association between alcohol consumption and symptom severity and quality of life (QOL) in patients with fibromyalgia.   Study Design and Results   The researchers gathered data on self-reported alcohol consumption from 946 fibromyalgia patients,. Participants were grouped by... http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/5949/160022/fibromyalgia-symptoms http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/5949/160025/fda-issues-prescribers Wed, 27 Mar 2013 20:57:00 -0400 Karen Lee Richards The FDA is under increasing pressure from Congress to do something about the problem of opioid misuse and abuse. To that end, earlier this month the FDA issued an Open Letter to all opioid prescribers.   I can't really disagree with anything in the letter as it primarily urges education for both physicians and patients. Because opioid medications can be extremely dangerous if not prescribed and taken properly, encouraging more training for... http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/5949/160025/fda-issues-prescribers http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/5949/159873/fibromyalgia-treatments Wed, 20 Mar 2013 05:05:00 -0400 Karen Lee Richards I recently came across an article in the March 2013 online issue of Prevention magazine. The title of the article was “Problem Solved: Fibromyalgia” and the subtitle read “What's new, what's natural and what's tried and true.” The article went on to list 12 treatments for fibromyalgia – five were classified as “new” treatments, three as natural remedies and four as tried and true methods.   You can... http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/5949/159873/fibromyalgia-treatments http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/5949/159875/identity-fibromyalgia Tue, 19 Mar 2013 21:06:00 -0400 Karen Lee Richards It was recently brought to my attention that fibromyalgia plays a role in the movie Identity Thief starring Jason Bateman and Melissa McCarthy. The question is – does the movie ridicule the diagnosis and demean people who have it or is it used appropriately as a legitimate part of the storyline? I haven't seen the movie yet so I'll have to reserve judgement.   The movie is described as a “feel-good comedy.” As I understand... http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/5949/159875/identity-fibromyalgia