For those of you yet to come across the Grands Rounds phenomenom, Grand Rounds is the the weekly rotating carnival of the best of the medical blogosphere. Each week, a different medical blog hosts Grand Rounds, posting what they think are the best articles in the medical blogosphere. This week, GR is hosted by Prudence MD and I’m loving the selection!

 Not only are my two favourite sites - ButYouDontLookSick.com and Chronic Babe - included in the list, but it has also introduced me to others that are joining my feed list. The Chronic Babe article ‘I am one resilient Babe! And I bet you are, too’ by Chronic babe founder Jenni Prokopy is listed, as is the article from ButYouDontLookSick.com founder Christine Donato (nee Miserandino), ‘“My Secret is safe with ME” -what I wish people knew about me.’. I’ll be discussing both of these more later on.

The How to Cope With Pain blog has recently re-joined my feed list and Prudence MD has featured the article ‘Reader Question: Can Hypnosis Help Chronic Pain?‘ which is a good summary article, particularly with the list of cautions. As well as the usual “Be sure to find someone reputable and experienced”, it lists such cautions as ”Hypnosis should be part of an overall treatment plan”, “If you try it, be aware of your own expectations” and “The person using hypnosis should teach you how to use it, rather than something only they do to you.” Useful reading if you are considering trying hypnosis for pain management (which I have done and recommend as something to try, taking into account all the cautions listed in the article - including whether it is suitable for you).

GR at Prudence MD has introduced me to the ‘In Sickness and In Health’ blog, which describes itself as being “a place for couples going though an illness experience - to find resources and advice, hear stories, and discover support. Whether the illness is chronic or acute, the result of disease or accident, couples can learn strategies for coping with the changes illness brings into our relationships and our worlds.” Prudence MD chose to list the article ‘Pet Therapy or Sometimes A Human Is Just Not Enough ‘ in which Barbara Kivowitz describes how her dog helped anchor her when no human could. Having experienced that myself, the article touched a chord.

Prudence MD also also introcued me to the Own Your Health blog, listing the article ‘Sorry You Stroked, but Heart-wise You’re Fine’ as one of the GR Host’s Picks For the Week. This article discusses the comprehensive, holistic health approach patients need, but rarely get from conventional doctors.

 That’s all I’m picking out for now, but do go check out the Grand Rounds at Prudence MD as all the posted articles are worth checking out.