Shingles, a painful disease that usually impacts people over 50, is showing up in younger adults. Microbiologist Jennifer Moffat discusses the relationship of chickenpox to shingles, some possible reasons for the increased incidence of shingles, and the value of the shingles vaccine on this week's "HealthLink on Air." Moffat is an associate professor of microbiology and immunology at Upstate, and she has studied the Varicella zoster virus, which causes both chickenpox and shingles, for 30 years.
Also this week, low back pain can often be treated with movement, contrary to some people's desire to just rest up. Steven Lounsbury, a doctor of physical therapy at Upstate, explains physical therapy for low back pain and why he says, "Movement is medicine." Lounsbury specializes in strength and conditioning.
And, daily cannabis use for medical reasons may worsen chronic pain over time by reducing pain tolerance, according to recent research in the American Journal on Addictions. Explaining this are Drs. Brian Johnson and Yanli Zhang-James, who note that people who use cannabis daily may be risking addiction without a long-term benefit for chronic pain.
Further, medical cannabis is currently used as an “off-label” pain treatment without Food and Drug Administration approval, and many people feel that as a natural herb, marijuana is safe to use. Johnson is a clinical professor emeritus of psychiatry and behavioral sciences and the recently retired director of addiction medicine at Upstate, and Zhang-James is a research associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences.
Listen to Healthlink on Air every Sunday at 6 a.m. on WRVO.