People in the United States are living in a world of pain and they are popping pills at an alarming rate to cope with it.

The amount of five major pain killers sold at retail establishments rose 90% between 1997 and 2005 according to an Associated Press analysis of statistics from the Drug Enforcement Administration.

More than 200,000 pounds of codeine, morphine, oxycodone, hydrocodone and meperidine were purchased at retail stores during the most recent year represented in the data. That total is enough to give more than 300 milligrams of painkillers to every person in the country.

Oxycodone, the chemical used in OxyContin, is responsible for the most of the increase. Oxycodone use jumped nearly six-fold between 1997 and 2005. The drug gained notoriety as "hillbilly heroin" often bought and sold illegally in Appalachia. But its highest rates of sale now occur in places such as suburban St. Louis; Columbus, Ohio; and Fort Lauderdale, FL.

The world of pain extends beyond big cities and involves more than Oxycodone. In Appalachia, retail sales of hydrocodone-sold mostly as Vicodin- are the highest in the nation. Nine of the 10 areas with the highest per-capita sales are in mostly rural parts of West Virginia, Kentucky or Tennessee.

While retail sales of codeine have fallen by one-quarter since 1997, some of the highest rates are in communities around Kansas City, MO., and Nashville, Tenn., and on New York's Long Island.

An AP investigation found these reasons for the increase:

· The population is getting older. As age increases, so does the need for pain medications. In 2000, there were 35 million people older than 65 in the US. By 2020, the Census Bureau estimates the number will reach 54 million.

· Drug makers have embarked on unprecedented marketing campaigns. Spending on drug marketing has gone from $11 billion in 1997, to nearly $30 billion in 2005, congressional investigators found. Profit margins among the leading companies routinely have been three and four times higher than in other Fortune 500 industries.

· A major change in pain management philosophy is now in its third decade. Doctors who once advised patients that pain is apart of the healing process began reversing course in the early 1980s; most now see pain management as an important ingredient in overcoming illness.

Though the use of prescription medications may be needed at times, there are also alternatives to treating pain and symptoms that do not have to include taking pills.

Some of these more conservative methods will not only minimize side-effects, but will bring about other benefits that medications cannot.

Taking time to de-stress. 85% of illnesses are stress induced! In this busy life we live, there is very little time to "catch our breaths" so to speak. Stress induced illnesses can be significantly reduced by taking time for ourselves to do things that make us feel good, or at times, just to do absolutely nothing at all! What a concept?!?

Twelve Steps to De-Stress

1. Eat Properly. Start your day with a balanced breakfast and drink plenty of water since the body sometimes misinterprets dehydration as fatigue. While caffeine and sugar will briefly accelerate your energy, the crash and hour later won't make it worth your while.

2. Take a walk. Aim for 30 minutes a day of regular exercise, but don't negate the benefits of three 10 minute work outs.

3. Resist the allure of drama. Bored at work? Getting involved in the conflicts of others is a great way to spice up your life -and suffer unnecessary stress.

4. Laugh it up. Remember that comedy is tragedy, ten years removed. Take the time to see the humor in a situation. It will help you place it in its proper perspective.

5. Just say "No." This powerful word can give you the permission to relax and perform more productively. Know your limits and stick to them.

6. Change your thinking. Try, "I do a lot of things well I'll get better at this with practice," instead of, "I can't do anything right."

7. Accentuate the positive. What's right about you? Your work? Your life? The more you focus on what's right and good, the more you'll find it's coming your way.

8. Messy desk, messy mind. Clearing the clutter off your desk will help clear the maelstrom in your mind.

9. Have a talk. The support of an understanding supervisor or coworker can make a huge difference in your stress level.

10. Take a Break every two hours. Drink a cup of herbal tea or get some sun on your face. When it's lunch time eat away from your work area.

11. Do you want to be right or happy? Give yourself permission to be wrong. Be open to another's point of view. Try not to personalize conflicts.

12. Your job is not your life. Make plenty of room in your life for your family, friends, hobbies and interests. While work seems to go on forever, life is truly short and precious. Don't spend your behind a desk!

The city of Orlando Florida will be better off, but we are losing a very talented therapist.

Elizabeth is moving to open her own clinic and will continue to provide excellent care - just not HERE. While we regret the loss, we are very happy for her and this growth opportunity!

For the clinic, this means we are searching for a Physical Therapist with Barnes MFR experience. Elizabeth will be hard to replace. While we search, scheduling appointments will be interesting! Please be patient with us as we look for the right person, not just any PT.

In the mean time, we will have some 'guest therapists' for our Wellness Program in order to meet scheduling needs. They both have had multiple Barnes Myofascial Release courses and are at least at the "intermediate" to "advanced-intermediate" level.