The opiod epidemic - a personal perspective

July 17, 2018 by Sian Smale

It has been hard to ignore the surge in media and articles published in 2018 through professional platforms/bodies around the opioid epidemic. Curious to know more about what our suggested role is to play in this opioid epidemic, I began reading some of the latest reviews. This problem has been growing for several decades now and does not begin with our profession. Yet, our profession is being drawn into the conversation more strongly as time continues.

The Neuromatrix of pain overlaps with the functional neuroanatomy of sleep

September 17, 2015 by Sian Smale

The previous blog explored the research showing how the relationship between pain and sleep is bidirectional. What explains this two-way relationship? Many of the articles suggested it is due to the multiple functions of neurotransmitters. Curious to know more about the overlap in functional areas of the brain involved in sleep and pain, I decided to compare the regions of the brain involved in wake and sleep and the neuromatrix.

The bidirectional relationship between sleep disorders and pain conditions

September 15, 2015 by Sian Smale

The primary problem I treat as a Physiotherapist is pain. Despite the link between pain and sleep being extensively studied over the past few decades, I know little about what the research has found. What I've come to understand is that the bidirectional relationship between sleep and medical conditions such as cardiovascular disease also extends to pain disorders. I'm curious about how many people suffer from chronic pain conditions and concurrent sleep disorders? This blog looks more closely at what we currently know from research about sleep and pain.