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By Dr. Conway McLean, FAPWHc, DABFAS ESCANABA — Pain is a common sensation, experienced by most of us at some point in our lives. When the discomfort lasts more than 12 weeks, it is classified as chronic, experienced by about 20 percent of the population. 50 million US citizens live with it…..but how much do we really know about chronic pain? The answer may lie in how well we (don’t) deal with it. Most people when asked will say pain is an undesirable sensation, which is an understandable sentiment. Yet, this is not always the case: pain has numerous functions in the human body. ...

Health Matters: Ball of foot pain is sometimes a mystery

ESCANABA — There is an abundance of unexplained medical conditions in the world, although our understanding has advanced tremendously. There is much we don’t know about the human body and don’t let anyone pretend otherwise. How about an explanation for “Stiff Person Syndrome” or Morgellon’s with the strange skin fibers? We don’t even understand something as common as migraine headaches. Schizophrenia and many disorders of the brain remain a mystery. How about the one where an adolescent suddenly develops pain in the ball of the foot for no reason and without injury? In ...

Health Matters: Nuts and the battle against chronic disease

By Dr. Conway McLean, DABFAS, FAPWHc ESCANABA — You are what you eat…..or so goes the often cited platitude. But this isn’t just a meaningless cliché: every second of every day, the cells of your body are working to maintain their viability, to run the body, repair the damage of daily life. To perform these tasks, you need energy as well as the materials to build new tissue. Foodstuffs are needed for these tasks since humans can’t live on air and water. Although the role diet plays in our health is extremely complex, the human body has certain basic requirements. To put it ...

Health Matters: A tale of two sesamoids

By Dr. Conway McLean, DABFAS, FAPWHc It is too common an occurrence, people living with foot pain. They perform their job ably, spend time with their family, participate in the usual activities. But chronic pain detracts from quality of life and interferes with our enjoyment of life. Recurrent foot pain can even serve to impair our health since increased pain as a result of increased activity will function to reduce activity. Being less active isn t good for cardiovascular health, our metabolism, muscle fitness, etc. The human body needs to move. One particularly troublesome area ...

Plantar wart treatment not always painful

ESCANABA — I don’t like causing pain. Maybe it’s a psychological thing…..but, regardless, I dislike hurting people. And yet, as a physician, there are some situations where it is unavoidable. (I’m hoping this sentiment is true for most healthcare providers but I’ve read no survey on the topic.) Because of this aversion, I’ve sought out ways to minimize the discomfort associated with many invasive procedures. Early on, I had the opportunity to use a device which employed air pressure to insert a tiny amount of local anesthetic. Prior to performing an injection, the ...

Health Matters: The mystery of the foot bone bridge

ESCANABA — Being a parent is challenging these days, with our offspring exposed to all manner of dangerous germs and internet dangers. Our children’s health is understandably important and when they have problems, most parents want to resolve the issue. But what if it’s a mystery? The sudden development of a painful foot can lead a parent to desperation. Why would a 10 year old suddenly be unable to run without pain? This is exemplified by the story of William, an active and energetic young man who loved to run and play, enjoying sports of all sorts. You know the type; he was ...