Aging Untold: Chronic pain doesn’t have to be a choice between suffering and strong medication

(Aging Untold) — On this episode of Aging Untold, we explore life-changing health and savings strategies.

We explore opioid-free options to manage chronic pain.

Then we offer practical tips to cut your monthly prescription costs.

Plus, learn how a free genetic test can reveal hidden cancer risks before symptoms start.

Chronic pain doesn’t have to be a choice between suffering and strong medication

If you have chronic pain, you might have more options than toughing it out or taking strong medication.

Finding out what will work for you starts with finding the root cause of the pain, Dr. Rhea Rogers, a board-certified physician, says.

“Your treatment is going to depend on why you have the pain,” Rogers said.

She said the cause also leads to other options, such as movement and stretching.

The Aging Untold experts are sharing tips and what has worked for them.

Read the full article here.

How to lower prescription costs and still get the medication you need

If your prescription costs are high, there are options to explore that could bring them down.

One place to start is with the doctor or pharmacist.

They might have free prescription drug programs, samples or cards that can reduce medication costs.

Are you on Medicare? Aging expert Amy O’Rourke recommends reviewing Medicare Part D coverage every year to see if the premium can be lowered.

Want more tips? Read the full article here.

Woman credits free BRCA gene study with catching her cancer risk early

A nurse practitioner and mother of four in Nebraska with little family history of cancer says a free genetic research study likely saved her life after she learned she carries a BRCA2 gene mutation.

Erin Thoman’s sister participated in the Genetic Insights Project at Nebraska Medicine and learned she had the BRCA2 gene mutation. When Thoman and her mother were tested through the same study, they both learned they also carry the mutation.

Thoman has met with a breast surgeon at Nebraska Medicine and a double mastectomy is expected to drop her breast cancer risk from around 60% to less than 10%.

Dr. Doug Stoller, a cardiologist involved in the study, said the goal is early detection. Researchers want to enroll up to 100,000 people in Nebraska and 3 million nationwide.

Read the full article here.

A familiar face and a helping hand: Grocery store employee marks 30 years

For 30 years, Kenny Minor has greeted customers at his Food Lion.

Minor has worked at the store since high school, walking to work in all kinds of weather, and customers look forward to seeing him.

Along with cleaning the aisles, store manager Jack Glass said Minor regularly helps shoppers locate items and carries groceries to their cars.

What drives Minor to go above and beyond? Read the full article here.

This program is provided for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute providing medical advice or professional services. The information provided should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, and those seeking personal medical advice should consult with a licensed physician. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health provider regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have seen on this program. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room immediately. No physician-patient relationship is created by this program or its use. Aging Untold/Gray Media, nor its employees, contractors or agents, nor any contributor to this program, makes any representations, express or implied, with respect to the information provided herein or to its use.