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Body Could Produce Its Own Pain Relief

Scientists working on gene therapy for pain relief say they could be just a couple years away from human trials aimed at stimulating chronically inflamed tissue to produce its own pain relief.Professor Christoph Stein, of Berlin’s Benjamin Franklin University Hospital, outlined his work on Tuesday at the German Anaesthesiology Congress in Munich.”This therapy would be aimed at certain patients with, for example, neuropathic pain from chronic conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis,” he told Reuters Health.
Currently, he and his team are experimenting on rats with rheumatoid arthritis. They have succeeded in using a patented molecule as a vector, or delivery vehicle, for a gene that stimulates the production of endorphins — natural pain-dulling hormones released by the body.This vector is injected directly into inflamed tissue, spurring the production of excess levels of endorphin.Stein said his group was one of four or five research groups worldwide working on similar experimental approaches.Some other groups are trying to deliver the gene into the spinal cord or other areas, he said.”We are trying to use vectors going into immune cells. This is because we know that in inflamed tissue, immune cells produce endorphin, and this works on peripheral opiate receptors to produce an analgesic effect.”He said that the more systemic approaches run the danger of causing side effects such as addiction or nausea, as endorphins are natural opiates.Stein said rheumatoid arthritis would be an early candidate for his team’s gene-therapy approach to pain relief.
“I think we should be looking at human trials in at least two, perhaps three years from now.”"I can see it being used for a certain spectrum of diseases, not for all kinds of chronic pain, but for a certain range of inflammatory painful diseases,” Stein added.He said the most likely way of delivering the treatment would be by a couple of injections a year.
Your mind plays an important role in how you feel pain and respond to illness. You may feel helpless and depressed. With these feelings com decreased activity, low self-esteem and increased pain. Use the tips below to build a sense of person control by adjusting your thoughts and actions.Keep a positive attitude. Your disease may limit some of the things you can do, but it doesn’t have to control your life. One way to reduce your pain is to build your life around wellness, not pain or sickness. This means

-thinking positive thoughts
-having a sense of humor
-eating a balanced diet
-exercising regularly
-surrounding yourself with positive people
-enjoying activities with family and friends.
-It also means following your treatment plan, taking your medication properly and
practicing relaxation.

Don’t focus on your pain. How often do you think about your pain? The amount of time you spend thinking about pain has a lot to do with how much discomfort you feel. People who dwell on their pain usually say their pain is worse than those who don’t dwell on it. One way to take your mind off pain is to focus on something else.Everyone has the ability to distract themselves from pain. The more you focus on something outside your body, such as a hobby or other activity, the less you will be aware of physical discomfort. If you can’t avoid thinking about the pain, try to think of it differently. Think of pain as your body’s message to do something different. For example, if your pain is worse after sitting for a period of time, your body may be telling you to get up and move around.Practice positive self-talk. What we say to ourselves often determines what we do and how we look at life. For example, you may come home from work and think, “I don’t want to exercise today. It’s cloudy outside, there’s no one to walk with, and besides, I’ve already exercised twice this week.” Or perhaps you approach the situation from a different perspective and think, “I don’t feel like exercising today, but I know I’ll feel better afterward and have an easier time falling asleep.”Both of these are examples that illustrate the self-talk approach, and each can affect the way you feel pain. Negative messages can lead to increased pain, while positive messages can help distract you from pain.