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5A Thursday, June 6, 2013 – Daily News FEATURES Pain tells brain where, how much it hurts out the body conDEAR DOCnect to the spinal TOR K: Let's say I cord. (If the pain stub my toe. How is in your head, does my brain nerve fibers conknow where it nect directly to hurts and how your brain.) In the bad? spinal cord, DEAR READincoming mesER: Pain serves as Dr. K sages can be the body's warnamplified, damping system. It by Anthony L. alerts you to an Komaroff, M.D. ened or blocked altogether. injury or when Pain signals reach difsomething, such as an infection, has gone wrong ferent parts of the brain. inside your body. Pain can Some signals reach the also help in healing. It part of the brain that contells you to avoid touching trols spatial awareness. It a wound or using a joint tells us where in the body that's damaged. But in a pain signal is coming order to respond appropri- from. Other signals travel ately, your brain must to the part of the brain that identify the location and generates and controls emotion. Pain signals also severity of your pain. Pain that stems from reach the hypothalamus, a injury to body tissue is part of the brain that conknown as nociceptive trols sleep and temperapain. Examples include ture regulation. The pain we feel can burns, sprains, broken bones and inflammation be modified by chemical from an infection or signals in the spinal cord arthritis. Pain from such and in the brain. We know injury is triggered by about some of them, but damage to little structures there are probably others called nociceptors that are that we haven't discovpart of the nerve endings ered yet. Indeed, little in the injured area. A more than 100 years ago pain-sensitive area of the we didn't really know body such as your finger- anything about how we tip or tongue has thou- felt pain. Human beings sands of nociceptors in a have been on Earth for tiny fraction of a square 40,000 years, yet all we knew until 100 years ago inch. If you suffer a paper- was that sometimes we cut, for example, the noci- hurt. Scientific research has ceptors in the nerve endings in the skin of your taught us many things fingers are stimulated by about how we feel pain, the injury. They send a and some of that underpain signal that starts at standing has translated the point of the injury and into new treatments. Still, travels up the nerve to the we have a great deal more spinal cord. Then the pain to learn, particularly about signal travels up another chronic pain — and how nerve in the spinal cord to to better relieve the suffervarious parts of the brain. ing of so many people (I've put an illustration of who live with it. the pain pathway on Dr. Komaroff is a AskDoctorK.com.) Pain signals are carried physician and professor Harvard Medical by two types of nerve at To send fibers. The A-delta fibers School. go to carry the first, sharp pain questions, AskDoctorK.com, or you feel. The C fibers carry the dull, throbbing write: Ask Doctor K, 10 Shattuck St., Second pain that follows. Nerve fibers through- Floor, Boston, MA 02115. Military husband treated like a child might also be adding to his Dear Annie: My husstress because your reaction band is a high-ranking offiis one of anger and embarcer in the military. He has rassment. worked hard to achieve his Ask your husband current position and is whether he wants you to talk highly respected. to his parents. If he says no, The problem is, his famwe urge you to separate their ily treats him like a child. In behavior from your husa few months, there will be a formal ceremony to mark Annie's band's reputation. His patient tolerance of their his change of command. inappropriateness says many My in-laws will be in attendance, and they are certain by Kathy Mitchell positive things about the to embarrass him. They and Marcy Sugar strength of his character. Dear Annie: My nephew, insist on calling him by his unusual childhood nickname (he ''Joe Smith,'' has a Ph.D. He is marcringes every time). They talk down rying ''Jane Doe,'' who will soon to him and give him gifts meant for have her M.D. What is the proper form of children, such as books for teen boys (last Christmas), a small address for her? Would she be Dr. child's backpack (last birthday) and Jane Doe-Smith or Ms. Jane Doenow a child's piggy bank, which Smith or something else? When I they intend to present to him in address an envelope to both of front of his unit at the ceremony. them, do I write Dr. and Dr. Joe These gifts are not intended as Smith or Dr. and Mrs. Joe Smith or jokes. My husband is always gra- The Doctors Joe and Jane Smith? It cious on the outside but horrified on is difficult to be politically correct these days. — S. the inside. Dear S.: It's complicated, but Is there some way to remind his family that he is indeed an adult and not impossible. When introducing has certainly earned the right to be either of them, always use ''Dr.'' If treated like one? — Proud Military you are using titles when addressing an envelope, it would depend on Spouse Dear Spouse: It is difficult to whether it is formal (''Dr. Jane change ingrained behavior without Smith and Dr. Joe Smith'') or inforthe cooperation of all the people mal (''The Doctors Smith''), and involved. Your husband apparently whether she is retaining her maiden has determined that the best way to name (''Dr. Jane Doe'' and ''Dr. Joe handle his parents is to leave things Smith'' on separate lines). If she is as they are. That is his choice. hyphenating her name, find out While we appreciate your desire to whether she prefers ''Dr. Jane Doebe supportive and protective, you Smith'' or ''Dr. Jane Smith-Doe'' Mailbox Sierra Sound Tony & Carmen Kelley NEW & USED CD's 530-824-2195 Special Orders Avail. Car Stereo Sales - Service Installation We make house calls! Fax: 226 So. Main St., Red Bluff 22679 Moran Road Corning, Ca 96021 530-824-0748 527-3735 Annie's Mailbox is written by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar, longtime editors of the Ann Landers column. Please email your questions to anniesmailboxcomcast.net, or write to: Annie's Mailbox, c/o Creators Syndicate, 737 3rd Street, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254. Lassen Park annual pass photo contest property of the U. S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service. The $25 Lassen Annual Pass is valid for one year from the month of purchase and is also honored at Whiskeytown National Recreation Area. As part of the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act passed by Congress, the park will retain 80 percent of the fees collected to pay for needed repairs and projects to improve visitor services and facilities. For more information, contact the park fee manager at (530) 5956120 or visit the park website at www.nps.gov/lavo. Tehama County High School ATHLETES OF THE WEEK "The V's" Awards Dinner Tell them why you're smiling – Social Security By Jennifer Cooper Social Security Manager in Redding, CA June 15 is Smile Power Day. Smack dab in the middle of the month — in the middle of the year, in fact — is a holiday dedicated to the power of smiling. Smiling has many benefits. It can actually make you feel better, relieve stress, and add years to your life. Smiles are contagious, and you can put other people at ease and make them feel happier. Most people can probably agree that there are a lot of good reasons to make yourself smile. Here's something that will put a smile on your face. Open an online my Social Security account so you can do business with Social Security the easiest, fastest, and most convenient way. This year, we've had more than five million smiling customers register online for a my Social Security account and use it to easily get the information or service needed — without the need to visit an office or make a phone call. For example, once you create your online account, you can use my Social Security to obtain a copy of your Social Security Statement to check your earnings record and see estimates of the retirement, disability, and survivor benefits you and your family may receive. We expanded my Social Security so that if you get Social Security benefits, you now can use your account to view, save, and print a benefit verification letter, check your benefit payment information, and even change your address and your phone number as recorded in our records. You also can start or change your direct deposit information. So whether you are currently getting Social Security benefits, or you are planning for that day in the future when you do, you can easily access all your important Social Security information by creating a my Social Security account. Just visit www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount. Open your online account today, and find out how we've put smiles on more than five million faces this year — and counting. And when someone catches your smile, be sure to tell them why you're smiling. and use that. When in doubt, ask what the preference is. Dear Annie: I could identify with the letter from ''California,'' who found out after 40 years of marriage that her husband had been cheating on her with prostitutes for the past two decades. She was unsure of what to do next. I, too, had a husband who cheated on me for 20 years. His conquests were also often prostitutes. After 35 years of marriage and five kids, I gathered up all of my courage and filed for divorce. It was the most difficult thing I have ever done. Fast-forward four years. I am a gainfully employed, personally fulfilled and happy community volunteer who is dating a sweet, kind 65year-old widower. This man loves, cherishes and respects me in ways I never thought possible. I feel like a queen! I may live three more years or 30, but I will never regret making the change I did. Remember that no one can go back and make a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending. — Heart Full of Joy in Pennsylvania 2012-2013 School Year Sponsored by DAILY NEWS RED BLUFF TEHAMA COUNTY Red Bluff VFW Hall 735 Oak Street, Red Bluff Wednesday, June 12 MINERAL - Do you have a favorite photo taken in Lassen Volcanic National Park? Would you like to join the ranks of photo contest winners that have their photo on the annual park pass? Now is the time to look through your collection of photos or plan your trip to the park to take the perfect image. "You may have the opportunity to share your Lassen Volcanic National Park experience, captured on camera, with thousands of other park visitors," stated Superintendent Darlene M. Koontz. Photos may be submitted for the Lassen Volcanic Annual Park Pass photo contest now through Sept. 9. Images submitted will be judged by employees and volunteers of Lassen Volcanic National Park. The selected image will be printed on the 2014 Lassen Volcanic Annual Pass. The winner will receive photo credit and a $50 gift certificate compliments of the Lassen Association. • Photos should be submitted by mail to Lassen Volcanic National Park, Attn: Fee Staff (Photo Contest), P.O. Box 100, Mineral, CA 96063. • Photo sizes accepted can be no larger than 5x7 inches. • For each photo submitted, include in your email, name, address, phone number, subject and location of each photo. • Limit of two photos per household. • Entries must be received no later than 5 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 9. Photos will become the Entertainment news? Email to clerk@redbluffdailynews.com 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM Reservations required (see below!) DEADLINE: Saturday, June 8 at 6 PM The V's have dinner for FREE, courtesy of the Daily News, St. Elizabeth Community Hospital and Sponsors for this school year's high school athletes of the week program Family, friends, coaches, fans: $10.00 for dinner (Cash or Check, pay at the door.) Spaghetti w/meat sauce, green salad, french bread, beverage & dessert. Check in/Meet & Greet 6:00 PM Dinner at 6:30 PM SPECIAL KEYNOTE SPEAKER John Growney Life lessons from "The Challenge of Champions" Awards Ceremony at 7:30 Presentation of Certificates to the V's Presentation of Special Annual Awards Boys and Girls Scholar Athlete Awards Boys and Girls Sportsmanship Awards Boys and Girls Athletes of the Year RESERVATIONS: Call 527-2151 ext 120 • Leave your name • Number of people in your party • If one or more V's will be with you • Phone number in case we have questions Hope to See You There! DAILY NEWS RED BLUFF TEHAMA COUNTY