1. < Chronic Pain

AARP says...

Posted by blue717 @blue717, Jun 14 11:20am

Has anyone seen the article in AARP on chronic pain? I quote, It states that the goal of treatment is to reduce not necessarily cure completely, your pain as much as possible. What we know is that chronic pain can not be cured with medication, especially opioids. Experts no longer look at them as a panacea and we know they can cause a lot of harm. These drugs aren't just addictive, they actually ratchet up your nervous system responses, so pain threshold decreases while pain sensitivity increases. Here are the primary nonsurgical approaches to pain management. 1 Treat Depression and Anxiety. People with pain are 5 times more common to have anxiety and depression than in those without. 2. Seek out a Sleep Specialist, This includes diagnosing and treating Sleep Apnea. 3. UNLEARN your pain, Pain Reprocessing Therapy, PRT for short, is a new type of cognitive behavior specifically geared towards rewiring your brains experience with pain. "PRT" involves being aware of pain in your body and reminding yourself that your brain may be sending out a false signal. You can develop a understanding of pain, so you can say, "Actually this pain is safe pain and I can explore and test it". 4. Master Mindfulness, Emotional reactions turn the volume up on pain and make it more intense. When we learn how to use mindfulness to see our pain as pure sensation rather than emotional anguish, it can be easier to cope and manage. Sometimes the brain becomes overprotective and amplifies and prolongs pain when tissue damage is healed. 5. Change You Inner Monologue, Instead of saying, "This still hurts", Say "It hurts but that means I'm alive". Instead of, "theres something wrong with my body", say, Pain is an alarm that protects me, but sometimes my body is too sensitive". End Quote. I promise I didn't make any of this up!

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Chronic Pain Support Group.

christine5 | @christine5 | Jun 15 9:16am

What a load of garbage!
I would love For the?
Author of that piece to go through what many of us go through and say you need to treat your Anxiety and depression, Or fix it with your head.It's just in your head.You need to rewire your brain. People are insane. My brother.
Has cerebral palsy and they are threatening to take away his pain medication.He has spastic cerebral palsy and is in a wheelchair for the last twenty five years. It's out of hand they don't want to give pain medicine for anything anymore. Just take tylenol.

It infuriates me.

REPLY
2 replies
blue717 | @blue717 | Jun 16 10:50am
In reply to @christine5 "What a load of garbage! I would love For the? Author of that piece to go..." + (show)
@christine5

What a load of garbage!
I would love For the?
Author of that piece to go through what many of us go through and say you need to treat your Anxiety and depression, Or fix it with your head.It's just in your head.You need to rewire your brain. People are insane. My brother.
Has cerebral palsy and they are threatening to take away his pain medication.He has spastic cerebral palsy and is in a wheelchair for the last twenty five years. It's out of hand they don't want to give pain medicine for anything anymore. Just take tylenol.

It infuriates me.

Jump to this post

Thank you, someone finally understood the article! I could not believe the trash they are trying to get us to believe. Unlearn your pain?? Its a safe pain??? Who are they kidding!!!! My favorite crock in this article was "at least I'm alive"! My feeling is they are trying to not take responsibilty for all the addiction they caused and are now trying to tell us its all in our head. Its more than infuriating, its insulting and dangerous! So sorry to hear about your brother. Its just not right.

REPLY
jennabelle143 | @jennabelle143 | Jun 16 12:42pm
In reply to @christine5 "What a load of garbage! I would love For the? Author of that piece to go..." + (show)
@christine5

What a load of garbage!
I would love For the?
Author of that piece to go through what many of us go through and say you need to treat your Anxiety and depression, Or fix it with your head.It's just in your head.You need to rewire your brain. People are insane. My brother.
Has cerebral palsy and they are threatening to take away his pain medication.He has spastic cerebral palsy and is in a wheelchair for the last twenty five years. It's out of hand they don't want to give pain medicine for anything anymore. Just take tylenol.

It infuriates me.

Jump to this post

This is astonishing that AARP would agree with PRT. What I’m even more concerned with is that the Mayo Clinic is co sighing this delusional nonsense! If any facility or doctor mentions PRT, run. They are trying to tell you, your pain is in your head! Some of these places will put you through chemo, radiation or painful surgeries and then tell you to think your pain away. Think about this? How did you know you where hurt or sick? Right. Your brain. Your body alerts you. This is dangerous, if we try and ignore our natural pain mechanism, our outcome could be fatal. This is an attack on pain patients. They are saying opiates are bad now when they have worked for years. Yet, many refer their pain patients to suboxone clinics. Go do your research on Suboxone and the maker. Take notice to the law suit as well. Just say NO to this, and bring your research with you to your appointment. You might want to contact a pain advocate, ex. Claudia A. Merandi.

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Mentor
Sue, Volunteer Mentor | @sueinmn | Jun 16 3:58pm

I'm not exactly sure how to participate in this discussion. Let me begin by saying that in 90% of medicine there is no absolute right or wrong answer.

I am a graduate and permanent member of a pain management clinic. It did change my life.

Here are some things I learned, in no particular order.

There is acute pain like from surgery or an injury, that is appropriately treated with medication to "get through it".

There is chronic pain, from a disease process, that worsens over time. Pain meds may or may not help it.

There is chronic pain that is part physical and part mental. This is where PMR can help.
In PMR or PMT we learn to recognize the different kinds of pain and treat each one appropriately.
For example, fibromyalgia pain and spine pain are a combination of pain, sensitivity, fatigue and other factors. NO ONE medication or strategy can manage it. So imagery, exercise, PT,and some medication is combined.

Pain from metastatic cancer is a whole different thing. Controlling the primary pain becomes the first goal, but many PMR strategies may be added to reduce the amount of meds required so one remains able to participate in life.

Some time ago big pharma "sold" the theory that "all pain can be managed with enough of the right drugs".
We now know that is not true, and as usually happens, instead of alkowing doctors to make a knowledgeable case by case decision, regulators jumped off a cliff to say "all opioids are bad".
Now there needs to be a middle ground.
But PLEASE don't say all pain management clinics are bad/wrong/worthless. That is equally incorrect as saying "all pain can be managed by drugs"

Work with your providers to find that middle ground. Work with your legislators turn medical decisions back to the professionals.

And keep an open mind about alternative approaches.

REPLY
2 replies
blue717 | @blue717 | Jun 16 8:54pm
In reply to @sueinmn "I'm not exactly sure how to participate in this discussion. Let me begin by saying that..." + (show)
@sueinmn

I'm not exactly sure how to participate in this discussion. Let me begin by saying that in 90% of medicine there is no absolute right or wrong answer.

I am a graduate and permanent member of a pain management clinic. It did change my life.

Here are some things I learned, in no particular order.

There is acute pain like from surgery or an injury, that is appropriately treated with medication to "get through it".

There is chronic pain, from a disease process, that worsens over time. Pain meds may or may not help it.

There is chronic pain that is part physical and part mental. This is where PMR can help.
In PMR or PMT we learn to recognize the different kinds of pain and treat each one appropriately.
For example, fibromyalgia pain and spine pain are a combination of pain, sensitivity, fatigue and other factors. NO ONE medication or strategy can manage it. So imagery, exercise, PT,and some medication is combined.

Pain from metastatic cancer is a whole different thing. Controlling the primary pain becomes the first goal, but many PMR strategies may be added to reduce the amount of meds required so one remains able to participate in life.

Some time ago big pharma "sold" the theory that "all pain can be managed with enough of the right drugs".
We now know that is not true, and as usually happens, instead of alkowing doctors to make a knowledgeable case by case decision, regulators jumped off a cliff to say "all opioids are bad".
Now there needs to be a middle ground.
But PLEASE don't say all pain management clinics are bad/wrong/worthless. That is equally incorrect as saying "all pain can be managed by drugs"

Work with your providers to find that middle ground. Work with your legislators turn medical decisions back to the professionals.

And keep an open mind about alternative approaches.

Jump to this post

Thanks for your input!

REPLY
misssuezq | @misssuezq | Jun 17 5:18am

I read the aarp article and I completed an intensive residential chronic pain program. I went in thinking they were going to be able to fix me. I was in a wheelchair and could use a walker for shorter distances. On the first day they said “if you are here because you think we have a way or a magical pill that will make you better, we don’t.” Boy was I bummed I honestly thought about getting up and leaving but instead I thought I had to retire due to my pain I can hear them out. Each day I recommitted to going and keeping an open mind and I really did learn a lot. I started out in so much pain that worsened in the first week because of all the exercise we did. I approached instructors saying “i think I have done something terribly wrong to my thighs.” But by the beginning of the next week, the new pain was gone and I was learning to live a better quality of life with my chronic pain. I could workout in the gym, do pool exercise, yoga, tai chi actually enjoy myself. It is using CBT, mindfulness and other alternative metrologies but it is worth trying. When I was done with the program I continued using the exercises I started and still needed assistance in walking. Surgery on my back in January gave me back the ability to walk without assistance. I still need pain meds on occasion just not as often. It is not a one or the other mentality it is in addition to what we are already doing. Yes I still have chronic pain I have just learned how to put it in the background and focus on other things at least for part of my day.

REPLY
1 reply
christine5 | @christine5 | Jun 17 6:39am
In reply to @sueinmn "I'm not exactly sure how to participate in this discussion. Let me begin by saying that..." + (show)
@sueinmn

I'm not exactly sure how to participate in this discussion. Let me begin by saying that in 90% of medicine there is no absolute right or wrong answer.

I am a graduate and permanent member of a pain management clinic. It did change my life.

Here are some things I learned, in no particular order.

There is acute pain like from surgery or an injury, that is appropriately treated with medication to "get through it".

There is chronic pain, from a disease process, that worsens over time. Pain meds may or may not help it.

There is chronic pain that is part physical and part mental. This is where PMR can help.
In PMR or PMT we learn to recognize the different kinds of pain and treat each one appropriately.
For example, fibromyalgia pain and spine pain are a combination of pain, sensitivity, fatigue and other factors. NO ONE medication or strategy can manage it. So imagery, exercise, PT,and some medication is combined.

Pain from metastatic cancer is a whole different thing. Controlling the primary pain becomes the first goal, but many PMR strategies may be added to reduce the amount of meds required so one remains able to participate in life.

Some time ago big pharma "sold" the theory that "all pain can be managed with enough of the right drugs".
We now know that is not true, and as usually happens, instead of alkowing doctors to make a knowledgeable case by case decision, regulators jumped off a cliff to say "all opioids are bad".
Now there needs to be a middle ground.
But PLEASE don't say all pain management clinics are bad/wrong/worthless. That is equally incorrect as saying "all pain can be managed by drugs"

Work with your providers to find that middle ground. Work with your legislators turn medical decisions back to the professionals.

And keep an open mind about alternative approaches.

Jump to this post

I understand What you're saying but I have a problem with it. I have chronic pain from having my chest.Cracked twice in five months. I also have.
Pain from having marfan syndrome and having my ligaments be very lax, causing a lot of joint issues. I have had over twenty surgeries and I don't believe that the pain is in my head.

They have made it so if you ask for pain medicine they write you up like you're Some kind of junkie.

I'm not saying it should be handed out like candy but the people who need it, need it.

I also don't believe that the pain is in your head.
I have found over the years.That pain cannot be controlled by your head. Physical pain is physical pain.

I appreciate your input greatly, But I am in physical pain every single day. No one can tell me it's all in my head.

REPLY
1 reply
blue717 | @blue717 | Jun 17 8:24am
In reply to @misssuezq "I read the aarp article and I completed an intensive residential chronic pain program. I went..." + (show)
@misssuezq

I read the aarp article and I completed an intensive residential chronic pain program. I went in thinking they were going to be able to fix me. I was in a wheelchair and could use a walker for shorter distances. On the first day they said “if you are here because you think we have a way or a magical pill that will make you better, we don’t.” Boy was I bummed I honestly thought about getting up and leaving but instead I thought I had to retire due to my pain I can hear them out. Each day I recommitted to going and keeping an open mind and I really did learn a lot. I started out in so much pain that worsened in the first week because of all the exercise we did. I approached instructors saying “i think I have done something terribly wrong to my thighs.” But by the beginning of the next week, the new pain was gone and I was learning to live a better quality of life with my chronic pain. I could workout in the gym, do pool exercise, yoga, tai chi actually enjoy myself. It is using CBT, mindfulness and other alternative metrologies but it is worth trying. When I was done with the program I continued using the exercises I started and still needed assistance in walking. Surgery on my back in January gave me back the ability to walk without assistance. I still need pain meds on occasion just not as often. It is not a one or the other mentality it is in addition to what we are already doing. Yes I still have chronic pain I have just learned how to put it in the background and focus on other things at least for part of my day.

Jump to this post

Sincerely glad it is working for you.

REPLY
blue717 | @blue717 | Jun 17 8:27am
In reply to @christine5 "I understand What you're saying but I have a problem with it. I have chronic pain..." + (show)
@christine5

I understand What you're saying but I have a problem with it. I have chronic pain from having my chest.Cracked twice in five months. I also have.
Pain from having marfan syndrome and having my ligaments be very lax, causing a lot of joint issues. I have had over twenty surgeries and I don't believe that the pain is in my head.

They have made it so if you ask for pain medicine they write you up like you're Some kind of junkie.

I'm not saying it should be handed out like candy but the people who need it, need it.

I also don't believe that the pain is in your head.
I have found over the years.That pain cannot be controlled by your head. Physical pain is physical pain.

I appreciate your input greatly, But I am in physical pain every single day. No one can tell me it's all in my head.

Jump to this post

So unfortunate that you have to live like that. I too, dont believe that you just have to change your inner thoughts. Mind over matter can work to an extent but I agree there is no safe or good pain. I was always taught that pain is your body letting you know that something is wrong.

REPLY
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