Starting today, I’m going to maintain a list of the ten biggest secrets in the Mental Health field. I humbly request that anyone who feels something is missing (or should be elevated or demoted), please post your opinion. If you have time, please give the rationale. I’ll be writing about... Read more →

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) affects 10 to 15 percent of the U.S. population, predominately women, and can produce severe abdominal pain, bloating, and changes in bowel habits. No physical abnormalities can be identified on examination, and patients are often left with suboptimal symptomatic treatments... Read more →

Welcome to the thirty-third edition of Encephalon. We at Brain Blogger are honored to host this neuroscience blogging carnival. We received many quality posts that we have included below. Enjoy your readings; you will certainly learn a great deal! Read more →  Read More →

The reason why chronic pain is chronic appears to be linked to its persistent memory in the prefrontal cortex. A new study by Dr. Vania Apkarian, professor of physiology and anesthesiology at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, shows that treatment with a drug called D-cycloserine,... Read more →

Can the mind cure the mind, working on itself? Well, although the entire self-help psychology industry survives on an assumption that it does — with various techniques, young and old, aimed at self-therapy, scientific research on the subject is still in its early stage. Mindfulness meditation,... Read more →

In medicine, we often see patients with chronic neck and back pain. I previously posted about patients who present with neuropathic pain and how they can be some of the most difficult patients to treat. Often, the etiology of their pain is unknown and treatment often involves a long trial and error approach. Health... Read more →

In my work as a physician, one thing that has always bothered me is the patient with “neuropathic pain”. Here is the typical scenario: A patient with a history of chronic pain (usually back pain) and pain medication use comes to the hospital for surgery. Post operatively, the patient’s... Read more →

The doctor-patient relationship is sacrosanct in modern medicine and forms the foundation of contemporary medical ethics. Universities teach medical students from the beginning, even before they set foot in hospitals, to maintain a professional rapport with patients, uphold patients’ dignity, and... Read more →

There are several pathways to becoming health psychologist; however, those wishing to undergo board certification should consult the American Board of Clinical Health Psychology. There are two lines of graduate programs available: masters and doctoral programs. They include courses in research methods,... Read more →