The bird in the cage had lived there for a very long time. Often it would look through the bars of the cage, out of the window to the meadows and trees beyond. It could see other birds flying free in the open air and often it would wonder how it would be to feel…
“Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.“ Theodor Seuss Geisel
A new study led by Samer Hattar at John Hopkins University has found that prolonged exposure to bright light at night affects the brain’s centre for mood, memory and learning. This can result in depression and lower mental function. His advice is to “switch on fewer lamps, and stick to less intense light bulbs”.
“In May-2012 I underwent C5/6 & C6/7 anterior cervical decompression and fusion operation. The operation was successful. Normally at the end of 1&1/2 weeks of post operation; the pain around the neck should subside & attain approx. 75% normal movement of the neck. However; this was not in my case. After 1&1/2 weeks; the pain was really…
It wasn’t long after the Gods had created humankind that they began to realise their mistake. The creatures they had created were so adept, so skillful, so full of curiosity and the spirit of inquiry that it was only a matter of time before they would start to challenge the Gods themselves for supremacy. To…
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common source of joint pain, stiffness and swelling. It’s a leading cause of chronic disability and affects about 8 million people in the UK and 27 million in the US. OA leads to the gradual degeneration or wear and tear of joint surfaces and is often the cause of knee and…
It’s been a year, to the day, since I started this blog. Hundreds of hours have gone into researching, reading and writing the articles. Although it’s been tough at times and even challenging just to find something to write about, I’ve enjoyed the process and learnt a lot from it. I’ve now got a lot…
A study by Arthur English and Nancy Thompson has found that exercise can promote the regeneration of peripheral nerve injuries. In both males and females, the effect requires the assistance of androgens such as testosterone.
“Habit is either the best of servants or the worst of masters” Nathaniel Emmons
Although mainly about the effects of emotion on reason, ‘Descartes’ Error‘ by Antonio Damasio contains a few fascinating nuggets on pain. He distinguishes 2 components to pain: Sensory perception from skin, mucosa, muscle, organ, etc. – the nerve endings stimulated in an area of the body lead to a ‘pain image’, a temporary representation of body…