Aches and Gains

Three year old triathletes? Elite sports and early specialization for 7 year olds? Are we harming our kids with our obsession with youth sports, and putting them at risk for a lifetime of pain? Mark Hyman, author (Until it Hurts: America’s Obsession with Youth Sports and how It harms our Kids) and sports writer for Business Week, and Dr. Lyle Micheli, Harvard orthopedist and leading authority on the care of young athletes answer these questions in this episode.

Electrical stimulation for the treatment of pain has been around in every culture for thousands of years. In this episode, we talk about neurostimulation, a technique that uses electric impulses to relieve chronic pain. We’ll hear a riveting story from Adam Hammond, a former member of the US Army Golden Nights Parachute Team. He describes how a nerve stimulator restored his life after hitting the earth at 45 miles/hour during a skydiving accident. One of the world’s leaders in neurostimulation, Dr. Giancarlo Barolat will then shed light on how these “pain pacemakers for the spinal cord” actually work.

Naomi Judd, a 6 time grammy award winner, humanitarian, and spokesperson for Partners Against Pain reveals her tips for engaging the mind/body/spirit connection in managing pain. Dr. David Mount, Director of Community Outreach, Partnerships, and Advocacy at the Maya Angelou Center for Health Equity at Wake Forest Medical School shares his methods for holistic wellness and pain relief.

The National Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society reports that 50% of all people with MS suffer from chronic pain. Country music star, Clay Walker shares his triumphs over MS pain, and Dr. Adam Kaplin, medical and scientific advisor to the Montel Williams and Nancy Davis Foundations provides details of the disease and useful techniques for alleviating the discomfort.

Pain is the #1 complaint of soldiers fighting for our country. Derek McGinnis, a young military veteran and recipient of the Purple Heart will trace the events that lead to his leg amputation, and describe how a simple nerve block became a lifesaver. Dr. Trip Buckenmaier from the Walter Reed Army Medical Center will share some exciting new methods of controlling pain soon after a warrior is injured.

We’ll delve into the causes and symptoms of this puzzling and life-altering pain disorder. Cynthia Toussaint, ballerina shares her unbelievable story about how a minor thigh injury resulted in a complete transformation of her life, and then what she did to regain it. Dr. Robert Schwartzman, CRPS specialist from Drexel University will unravel the mystery behind some of the treatments, including a controversial therapy known as ketamine coma.

Jennifer Jett will provide insight into the ways she moved beyond a life filled with debilitating migraines, and then Dr. Jason Rosenberg, Johns Hopkins headache specialist will discuss effective pain-relieving strategies for headaches.

We examine how sports injuries including knee and shoulder pain are relieved. Olympic Gold Medalist and figure skater, Peggy Fleming, former Baltimore Ravens defensive end, Michael McCreary, and Baltimore Orioles team orthopedic surgeon, Dr. John Wilckens all share their expertise in managing the pain..

Get a glimpse into “Aches and Gains.” Three condensed shows are featured: Holistic Approaches for Pain Relief with Naomi Judd and Dr. David Mount; Sexual Pain with Jessica and Dr. Deborah Coady; and Medical Marijuana, Pain, and Controversy with Montel Williams and Dr. Ryan Vandrey.