MUSIC THERAPY REDUCES DEPRESSION IN YOUTH

Researchers at Queen's University Belfast have discovered that music therapy reduces depression in children and adolescents with behavioral and emotional problems.

In the largest ever study of its kind, the researchers in partnership with the Northern Ireland Music Therapy Trust, found that children who received music therapy had significantly improved self-esteem and significantly reduced depression compared with those who received treatment without music therapy.

The study, which was funded by the Big Lottery fund, also found that those who received music therapy had improved communicative and interactive skills, compared to those who received usual care options alone.

251 children and young people were involved in the study which took place between March 2011 and May 2014. They were divided into two groups -- 128 underwent the usual care options, while 123 were assigned to music therapy in addition to usual care. All were being treated for emotional, developmental or behavioral problems. Early findings suggest that the benefits are sustained in the long term.

Professor Sam Porter of the School of Nursing and Midwifery at Queen's University, who led the study, said: "This study is hugely significant in terms of determining effective treatments for children and young people with behavioral problems and mental health needs."

Dr Valerie Holmes, Centre for Public Health, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences and co-researcher, added: "This is the largest study ever to be carried out looking at music therapy's ability to help this very vulnerable group, and is further evidence of how Queen's University is advancing knowledge and changing lives."

Ciara Reilly, Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Music Therapy Trust, said: "Music therapy has often been used with children and young people with particular mental health needs, but this is the first time its effectiveness has been shown by a definitive randomized controlled trial in a clinical setting. The findings are dramatic and underscore the need for music therapy to be made available as a mainstream treatment option. For a long time we have relied on anecdotal evidence and small-scale research findings about how well music therapy works. Now we have robust clinical evidence to show its beneficial effects."

Archive Sciatica massage therapy contraindications

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VM202 Yet More Information About The Promising Gene Therapy For Neuropathy

Today's post from the always excellent sciencedaily.com (see link below) is another article about VM202 - (that unattractively-named, new non-viral gene therapy we've mentioned a couple of times in the last 2 weeks). The difference here is that it is relatively easy for the casual reader to understand and certainly seems to be something to start becoming cautiously excited about. Remember too, that just because the title includes the word 'diabetics' doesn't mean that it doesn't apply to most other forms of neuropathy too.

Neuropathy: Relief for diabetics with painful condition
Date:March 5, 2015 Source: Northwestern University 

Summary:

Those with painful diabetic neuropathy who received two low dose rounds of a non-viral gene therapy called VM202 had significant improvement of their pain that lasted for months, researchers report. "Right now there is no medication that can reverse neuropathy," the study's first author said. "Our goal is to develop a treatment. If we can show with more patients that this is a very real phenomenon, then we can show we have not only improved the symptoms of the disease, namely the pain, but we have actually improved function."

Walking barefoot on sand "felt like walking on glass" for Keith Wenckowski, who has lived with type-one diabetes for more than two decades.

One of the participants in a new Northwestern Medicine study who suffered from painful diabetic neuropathy (PDN), Wenckowski finally found relief from the constant foot pain that required him to wear shoes at all times, even to the beach.

The study found that those with PDN who received two low dose rounds of a non-viral gene therapy called VM202 had significant improvement of their pain that lasted for months.

"I can now go to a beach and walk on the sand without feeling like I am walking on glass," Wenckowski said.

The results of this phase two, double-blind, placebo-controlled study will be published March 5 in the journal Annals of Clinical and Translation Neurology.

Right now there is no treatment for this disease of the peripheral nerves that affects 20 to 25 percent of diabetics. Patients with the most extreme form of the disease feel intense pain with a slight graze or touch. The pain can interfere with daily activities, sleep, mood and can diminish quality of life.

"Those who received the therapy reported more than a 50 percent reduction in their symptoms and virtually no side effects," said Dr. Jack Kessler, lead author of the study. "Not only did it improve their pain, it also improved their ability to perceive a very, very light touch."

Kessler is the Ken and Ruth Davee Professor of Stem Cell Biology in the department of neurology and a professor in the department of pharmacology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. He also is an attending physician at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

VM202 contains human hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) gene. Growth factor is a naturally occurring protein in the body that acts on cells -- in this case nerve cells -- to keep them alive, healthy and functioning. Future study is needed to investigate if the therapy can actually regenerate damaged nerves, reversing the neuropathy.

Wenckowski had continuous numbness, but now, more than a year since he received the therapy, his symptoms have not returned. "I am hoping the effects I am feeling do not cease," he said.

Patients with painful diabetic neuropathy have abnormally high levels of glucose in their blood. These high levels of glucose can be toxic.

Damaged nerve cells send out abnormal signals, causing the patients to feel pain, usually in their lower limbs and fingertips. The condition can lead to injuries, chronic foot ulcers and even amputations.

Painkillers and other medications can alleviate symptoms, but those drugs often come with undesirable side effects.

"We are hoping that the treatment will increase the local production of hepatocyte growth factor to help regenerate nerves and grow new blood vessels and therefore reduce the pain," said Dr. Senda Ajroud-Driss, associate professor in neurology at Feinberg, an attending physician at Northwestern Memorial Hospital and an author of the study.

Eighty-four subjects with PDN completed this study. They went to a clinic twice in a two-week timespan for a series of injections into the back of their calf muscles and lower legs. Some received injections of a saline placebo, others a low dose of the therapy and others a higher dose.

"We found that the patients who received the low dose had a better reduction in pain than the people who received the high dose or the placebo," Ajroud-Driss said. "Side effects were limited to injection site reaction."

The subjects reported their pain symptoms to the researchers over the next nine months. At three months, patients in the low-dose group experienced a significant reduction in pain compared to the placebo group. The effect persisted at six and nine months in the low-dose group, the scientists said.

A future, much larger phase three study will soon be underway.

"Right now there is no medication that can reverse neuropathy," Kessler said. "Our goal is to develop a treatment. If we can show with more patients that this is a very real phenomenon, then we can show we have not only improved the symptoms of the disease, namely the pain, but we have actually improved function."

Story Source:

The above story is based on materials provided by Northwestern University. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

Journal Reference:
John A. Kessler, A. Gordon Smith, Bong-Soo Cha, Sung Hee Choi, James Wymer, Aziz Shaibani, Senda Ajroud-Driss. Double-blind, placebo-controlled study of HGF gene therapy in diabetic neuropathy. Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology, 2015; DOI: 10.1002/acn3.186

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/03/150305110534.htm

Is MLS Laser Therapy An Option For Your Neuropathy

Today's post from paindoctor.com (see link below) is an interesting one that may stimulate discussion (especially with your doctor) and lead to a new treatment that may or may not work for your nerve damage symptoms. It discusses so-called MLS Laser therapy in some detail and sounds pretty convincing. However, it may be worth taking with a pinch of salt, at least until you have done far more research and talked to someone who may be able to give a professional opinion. At least the article doesn't patronise the reader and understands that people may arrive at this therapy after having tried everything else but the evidence it provides is a little thin - hence the need for much more investigation. Nevertheless, if you find it interesting, research the life out of it and then talk about it with your doctor (preferably a neurologist in the case of neuropathy patients) - you never know...it may be something that works for you but be warned; it may not be covered by insurance and will undoubtedly be expensive.

What Is MLS Laser Therapy And Does It Work?
By Pain Doctor|February 11th, 2016

When it comes to chronic pain treatment and management, many patients have tried it all.

From exercise to injections to surgeries, some chronic pain conditions may feel incurable. Until now. A relatively new type of treatment is making waves and starting conversations all around the pain community: MLS laser therapy. MLS laser therapy, also sometimes referred to as cold laser therapy (but only when utilized as specified below), is creating much discussion in the pain treatment community, but without much evidence of efficacy beyond the anecdotal.

Multiwave lock system (MLS) laser therapy uses two therapeutic wavelengths – 808 nanometer (anti-edemic and anti-inflammatory) and 905 nanometer (analgesic) – to reach deeper into tissues and nerves that are affected by pain and inflammation. According to Dr. Jean Santo, a pain management specialist and anesthesiologist, these synchronized wavelengths cause a metabolic reaction in the cells that stimulates healing and pain relief.

In general, all laser therapy treatments work in essentially the same manner, according to doctor of chiropractic Dr. Phil Harrington, who trained at Palmer College of Chiropractic:


“By stimulating the cytochrome oxidase enzyme, we are utilizing that oxygen in the respiratory chain inside of the mitochondria, producing more ATP for that cell. So regardless of what kind of cell it is, it’s going to function at a higher level. Now, we are not turbocharging. We’re not making your body do anything that it could not normally do. We’re just facilitating the process. We are helping those cells produce the energy that they normally would, so they can function as they normally should.”

Lasers are, essentially, helping the cell to complete a natural process that has, for some reason, stalled or slowed.

MLS laser therapy uses higher-powered Class 4 lasers. In some cases, laser treatments may use lasers similar to what you might find in a laser pointer. This is not a strong enough laser to be therapeutic. And unlike the type of lasers used to remove tattoos and other surgical or dermatological processes that pin pointedly focus on one area, MLS lasers have a wider range that allows them to spread deeply into the tissues of the body.

Combining the two wavelengths in an MLS laser offers the power of pain relief with an anti-inflammatory action. Lasers increase circulation in the treatment area, sending oxygen and blood to the painful region. This increased circulation and blood flow stimulates tissue healing, cell repair, and healthy tissue growth.

MLS laser therapy is indicated primarily for musculoskeletal pain, including:
Tendinitis
Bursitis
Muscle strains, sprains, and tears
Arthritis and other degenerating joint conditions
Slipped or bulging discs
Spinal compression
Sciatica
Injuries to the soft tissues
Scarring
Pre- and post-surgical pain

Other benefits may include things like improved nerve function and immunoregulation.

Another type of laser therapy, K laser therapy, adds a third wavelength to the treatment at 970 nanometers. Proponents of this treatment believe that this third wavelength is the most efficient way to increase microcirculation in the cells. In addition to the above conditions, K laser therapy is recommended for:

Repetitive use injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome
Traumatic injury
Acute injury
Frozen shoulder

Both MLS laser therapy and K laser therapy are FDA-approved, but not necessarily as a pain-relieving treatments.

K lasers are approved as a warming device only, and MLS is still viewed as experimental. Both MLS and K laser treatments are usually not covered by insurance, but some doctors such as Dr. Santo offer a cash option for treatment. Dr. Santo charges $60 for each treatment, a price that is, for some, worth every penny. Lisa Knott, one of Dr. Santo’s patients, suffered from hip and back pain since high school until trying MLS laser therapy treatments. She found pain relief and increased mobility on the same day of the treatment.

All of these benefits sound impressive, but there is very little scientific evidence to support the claims made by both patients and doctors. This does not necessarily mean that the treatment is ineffective, but rather that patients should proceed with caution and pay very close attention to the way their pain responds. They should also always talk to their primary pain doctors before trying any new therapies or treatments.

MLS laser treatments may vary, from one treatment a week for six weeks to several treatments a week for a shorter period of time. Side effects are virtually non-existent as the laser is non-invasive and not designed to physically pierce the skin.

It is difficult to say definitively whether or not MLS laser therapy is a viable treatment option for chronic pain. The best way to approach this treatment is in conversation with your doctor. If you or someone you love has suffered from refractory chronic pain with little relief regardless of treatment, it may be worth it to give MLS laser therapy a try.

https://paindoctor.com/what-is-mls-laser-therapy-and-does-it-work/

Exercise Therapy For Neuropathy

Today's post from portlandtribune.com (see link below) is yet another article promoting exercise therapy as being important for neuropathy patients. It's a message nobody with neuropathy wants to hear but is nevertheless an important one. The key is finding a therapy that is tailored to your own symptoms and for that you need a therapist/doctor/specialist who knows what they're doing and what they're talking about. An ordinary physical therapist is sometimes just not good enough because their general medical knowledge often doesn't take into account the peculiarities of neuropathy and nerve damage. First, you need to accept that exercise will help you; then you need to talk to your doctor and finally you need to do your own research and together with your health professional, develop a course of exercises appropriate to your condition and capabilities. This can be as soft or hard as you wish but doing nothing is a much worse option.

New research shows exercise therapy helps diabetic peripheral neuropathy
Created on Wednesday, 15 October 2014 10:36 | Written by Colin Hoobler |

Focus on Fitness

I’m 54 years old and have had Type 2 diabetes for 10 years, but now it’s worse because I also have pain, numbness and tingling going down my legs. My doctor says this is common in people with diabetes and prescribed medication along with a series of injections, which have helped. But I don’t like the side effects. Can physical therapy help? – Gwen from Vancouver

The answer is yes, but it should be a certain type of physical therapy if you want to address both your leg pain and diabetes, which is the likely cause of your leg pain.

You get Type 2 diabetes from eating a poor diet and inadequate exercise over an extended period. In Type 2 diabetes, your body’s cells aren’t effectively processing insulin, the hormone from your pancreas that controls blood sugar. Consequently, blood sugar is isn’t absorbed from the bloodstream well and remains chronically higher.

The pain, numbness and tingling you’re having is called diabetic peripheral neuropathy, which occurs in about 33 percent of American diabetics over 40 years old and is the result of nerve degeneration. Many people with peripheral neuropathy eventually have problems with walking, maintaining balance and lower leg injury

Extensive research has shown the importance of regular exercise accompanied by a sound diet in managing diabetes. Peripheral neuropathy, however, is another story. Only recently has research shown the importance of exercise therapy for people with diabetic peripheral neuropathy; where those who followed a 10-week supervised endurance and strengthening program yielded dramatic reductions in pain and nerve pain and symptoms, while increasing new nerve growth. This is a big deal, because it offers a new, cost-effective physical therapy that you can use in addition to medication and/or injections to expedite recovery.

Physical therapy can help, but it should be in the form of exercise therapy as opposed to “traditional” methods (e.g., manual therapy, ultrasound, modalities) so you start to address the cause of your diabetes. Many physician and physical therapy offices are recognizing the need for an exercise therapy emphasis in the medical treatment of diabetes and peripheral neuropathy. Health insurance companies (including Medicare) are also recognizing the importance of this medical model, as they are covering physical therapy services for exercise therapy to treat diabetic peripheral neuropathy, back pain, osteoarthritis and many other costly lifestyle-related conditions.

Specifically, your exercise therapy program should help you learn how to exercise safely and effectively on your own with whatever equipment you have available. A skilled physical therapist can show you how to strengthen, stretch and improve endurance of your muscles. Note that your muscles are like “blood sugar sponges;” the stronger they are, the more blood sugar they can absorb and therefore control your blood sugar.

The use of exercise therapy to help treat peripheral neuropathy is relatively new, so you may have to suggest it to your doctor to get the proper physical therapy referral for insurance coverage. Regardless, you have more control over your recovery than previously thought.

Colin Hoobler is a certified physical therapist and writes a regular column

http://portlandtribune.com/nbg/144-features/237048-102974-new-research-shows-exercise-therapy-helps-diabetic-peripheral-neuropathy

RADIATION THERAPY FOR CERVICAL CANCER INCREASES RISK FOR COLO RECTAL CANCER

Researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston are the first to recommend that young women treated with radiation for cervical cancer should begin colorectal cancer screening earlier than traditionally recommended.

The UTMB researchers, finding a high incidence of secondary colorectal cancers among cervical cancer survivors treated with radiation, offer new recommendations that the younger women in this group begin colorectal cancer screening about eight years after their initial cervical cancer diagnosis instead of waiting until age 50. The study is now online in the journal Medical Oncology.

An estimated 18 percent of malignancies in the United States are secondary cancers that develop in cancer survivors. Previous studies have indicated that cervical cancer survivors treated with radiation have an increased risk for second primary malignancies, yet no preventive recommendations have been established.

The UTMB study analyzed 64,507 cervical cancer cases collected from 1973-2009 by the National Cancer Institute Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results program. Among cervical cancer survivors studied, colon, rectum and anus tumors were found to be two to four times more frequent in the group treated with radiation than in the group not treated with radiation. A breakdown of the findings include:

More than half (52.6 percent) the cervical cancer patients studied received radiation treatment. Colon cancer among those treated with radiation began appearing at significantly higher rates approximately eight years later.

After eight years, the risk for developing colon cancer was double for women who received radiation compared to those who had not.

Their risk of rectal cancer quadrupled after 15 years.

After 35 years, women who had received cervical cancer radiation therapy were three to four times more likely to have developed colorectal cancers than women who had not.

"We are confident from our study that it is time to consider new colorectal cancer screening strategies for cervical cancer survivors," said UTMB's Dr. Ana M. Rodriguez, assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology and lead author of the study.

"As more people are surviving their cancer diagnosis, we need to learn more about the outcomes 10, 20, 30, even 40 years later and how to take care of their long-term medical needs."

Stem Cell Therapy For Neuropathy

Today's article from medicalexpress.com (see link below) discusses advances in the study of the potential use of stem cells to block pain signals and inflammation for neuropathy sufferers. It's not a new idea and has been seen in articles for some time now but it does seem that research progress is being made. The average neuropathy patient can be forgiven for saying; 'That's all well and good but when will our doctors be able to begin this sort of therapy with us?' It's true; the internet is littered with possibilities for the future but that's how it works and these days, we can follow developments as they happen. It's worth reminding ourselves that knowledge is a sort of power over the disease.

A step forward for stem cell therapy
July 11, 2012

Aline Betancourt, research associate professor with the Tulane Center for Stem Cell Research and Regenerative Medicine, developed a technique to produce standardized stem cells that will turn off the body’s inflammatory response. Credit: Paula Burch-Celentano (Medical Xpress) -- A new study shows the potential of a method to prepare stem cells that may provide relief from a painful diabetes complication. Aline Betancourt of the Tulane University Center for Stem Cell Research and Regenerative Medicine, with colleagues at Tulane and the Ochsner Clinic Foundation, developed a new treatment using modified stem cells to control inflammation.   

The study results released on Monday (July 9) in the journal Stem Cells Translational Medicine suggest that the use of stem cells specially prepared to turn off the body’s inflammatory response represent a promising new therapeutic strategy for diabetic peripheral neuropathy that should be further investigated. About 70 percent of diabetics have neuropathy (nerve damage) resulting from the disease, according to the National Institutes of Health. Severe peripheral neuropathy causes excruciating pain in the toes, feet, legs, hands or arms. Even a tiny amount of external pressure can be excruciating. Inflammation is considered a major culprit. Previous studies have proven mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are safe and effective in treating inflammatory diseases. MSCs, which are taken from adult donors, can give rise to a large number of tissue types such as bone, fat and cartilage.“The problem,” Betancourt explains, “is that the current methods for preparing these cells yield a mixed pool of undefined cells that aren’t consistently effective in the clinic. Our laboratory developed a new method that results in a consistent, uniform MSC population and optimizes their anti-inflammatory effects. We call these cells MSC2s.”When the researchers tested the MSC2 cells on mice with peripheral neuropathy, they saw a significant improvement in inflammation and other symptoms — as much as 40 percent for the MSC2 group over the mice that received no treatment. At best, there was only 14 percent improvement in those administered conventional MSCs. Provided by Tulane University

http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-07-stem-cell-therapy.html