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chronic pain-related stories

Hottest Celebrity Arms, Timeless Beauty, Exercises for Chronic Pain: Links We Love

Diet & Weight Loss, Fitness

We at That's Fit and AOL Health know you've got a lot going on in your lives besides staying in great shape, and we realize that more than just diet and exercise goes into feeling your best every day. That's why we're sharing some of the exciting reporting going on at AOL Health.

The first lady isn't the only leading woman with lean arms. Check out this photo gallery of our favorite famous guns -- and learn how to get the look.

Just what does it take to attain timeless beauty? From Marilyn to Twiggy, AOL Health reveals the diet and exercise routines that helped them achieve their famous shapes.

If your aches and pains make you feel decades older than your peers, you may not be exaggerating. Recent research reveals that a 50-year-old living with chronic pain may have a body that looks similar to a pain-free 75-year-old. AOL Health offers exercises and nutrition advice to help treat your problem.

Fight pain with fish

Healthy Habits, Vitamins and Supplements, Diet & Weight Loss, Fitness, Alternative & Green Health, Nutrition & Supplements

For a while now, people have known about the many health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids. From lowering bad (LDL) cholesterol and raising good (HDL) cholesterol to helping to slim down a waistline, omega-3 seems to be the nutrient of the moment. But, studies have uncovered yet another benefit of this heart-healthy compound (which is found in fish, but is also available in pill form): its ability to assist with chronic pain.

In tests, omega-3 produced pain reduction results on par with ibuprofen and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). When people suffering from neck and back pain replaced their daily NSAIDs with 1.2 grams of omega-3 fish oil for 10 weeks, 60 percent reported feeling better. What's more, 59 percent stopped taking their prescription or non-prescription pain medication altogether.

Omega-3 contains EPA and DHA, which are converted into prostaglandins -- compounds that have been shown to fight inflammation. So, if you're back or neck are feeling a little sore, your solution may not be in your medicine cabinet, but may instead be at your local seafood market.

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Lack of Vitamin D causes more chronic pain

Nutrition & Supplements

If you're into taking Vitamin D, you'll probably have a reduction in chronic pain levels, according to a new study. The neat thing about Vitamin D is that it can be produced free of charge -- by exposing yourself to sunlight (but not too much).

The study that was unveiled at a meeting for the American Society of Anesthesiologists concluded that one in four patients who suffer from chronic pain also have low levels of Vitamin D in their systems.

As such, does a Vitamin D deficiency cause the pain in the first place? That was a leading candidate from the study on root causes of chronic pain by long-suffering patients.

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Talk out your back pain?

Diet & Weight Loss

If you suffer from chronic backaches, cognitive behavior therapy -- the talk therapy that helps change thoughts and behavior -- may be what finally helps you feel better, says a new analysis of 22 studies in the journal Health Psychology.

The problem with this: Most people will have the same reaction as my father. He almost fell off his chair when I suggested that he go TALK to someone about his back pain. The claim though, is that cognitive behavior therapy targets how you think about your pain, so you develop a sense of control and recognize what activities or stressors aggravate your problem.

Also on the list of helpful strategies: Biofeedback, hypnosis and self-relaxation training. These techniques help relieve muscle tension, so you feel your pain less.

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Don't ignore pain and swelling while exercising

Diet & Weight Loss, Fitness

While some sore muscles are to be expected when exercising -- especially if you're doing something new or more strenuous than usual -- you shouldn't ignore pain and swelling during or after exercise, especially if it persists or worsens. While it's uncommon, there is a neuromuscular condition called chronic exertional compartment syndrome. In this condition, repetitive activity in a muscle area (or compartment) swells and inhibits blood supply to the muscles. If left undiagnosed, the exacerbated condition can cause potentially permanent injury to nerves and muscles.

Symptoms of the condition are pain and swelling during exercise. Initially the symptoms subside with rest, but as the condition worsens the pain and swelling take longer to go away. Other symptoms include aching, pressure, numbness, and muscle weakness. Arms and legs are most commonly effected. Because it often goes undiagnosed, accurate numbers of cases are unknown. The condition primarily affects young athletes.

There's no need to overreact to mild muscle pain while exercising. Chronic exertional compartment syndrome is uncommon, after all. But if you notice a pattern with pain and swelling and if your symptoms worsen with time, visit your doctor. It's better to be safe than sorry.

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Baby got a sore back

Healthy Habits, Diet & Weight Loss

I was in a minor car accident years ago. While it shook me up a bit, I didn't think much of it. Neither car had much damage, no-one was hurt, and everyone involved was amicable. (Although the person I hit was an off-duty police officer... but that's a story for another day.) A few days following the accident, I was putting a pair of jeans and threw my back out. I could barely move without causing myself pain. For the next year or so, my back would give out at the strangest of moments. It was simultaneously frustrating and a bit comedic. Luckily, with stretching and exercise I haven't had back problems in years, but I sympathize with those who have chronic back pain.

According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons 80% of Americans experience back problems at some point. Lost productivity and medical claims (to the tune of 32 million doctor visits) costs $30-$70 billion a year in the U.S. If you're experiencing back pain you can try these exercises (but be sure to check with your doctor first). For more tips, see Jumpstart Your Fitness: By dealing with chronic pain.

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Solutions for chronic neck pain

Diet & Weight Loss

Dealing with chronic neck pain? Neck kinks and discomfort are fairly common, and although pain usually resolves itself on its own, anything lasting longer than two months can become chronic and require specialized treatment. A study done recently suggested that a combination of two treatments is the most effective -- neck exercises combined with sleeping on a supportive pillow. The study included 4 groups: one was the control group, one did exercises, one used a support pillow, and one group did exercises and used a special pillow. After a 12 week period, the only group that reported decreased neck pain was the group that recieved the combination of therapies.

This is good news, considering how debilitating neck pain can be. Unfortunately, though, this study only looked at patients complianing of mild neck pain, so there's no data on whether it helps people with more severe cases.

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