DISCOVER PAIN PAGES

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"Do not go where the path may lead. Instead, go where there is no path and leave a trail"

Ralph Waldo Emerson

PURPOSE

Our goal is to provide a variety of resources, including informational lectures, resources, and a blog to address issues that confront patients in chronic intractable pain

THE COURSE

Pain Physiology and Psychology

We will be providing course materials in a variety of forms, discussing a series of topics - including pain physiology, pain psychology, major pain syndromes, medications for pain, and alternative medical techniques for addressing pain. We will also provide contact information so you can get more information as needed.

Questions

Addressing specific questions you may have about your pain and treatment program

While we cannot offer medical advice presently, because of our extensive training in pain physiology, psychology of pain, and interdisciplinary pain management, we will make an effort to address specific questions that you might have about your own pain issues. We also offer consultations on how to increase physician activity levels in an effort to improve pain.

Send your questions via chat! If we feel other people can benefit from your question, we will post on the blog as well!

THE BLOG

The House of Pain

Our intention is to build a community of persons who either are experiencing pain or have loved ones in pain, to allow those people to share information in the form of resources and educational materials to empower folks to reach their personal goals in dealing with their pain

PAIN MANAGEMENT FOR PERSONS EXPERIENCING CHRONIC PAIN

Basics of Pain Physiology and Psychology for Patients in Pain

Introduction to Pain

What is pain?

Pain and Suffering

What is the purpose of the pain system?

Evolution of pain - nature versus nurture

Sensation versus perception - can what you don’t know really hurt you?

Plato and the cave

Chronic pain

Physiology of pain
1. Nociceptors
  1. A fiber pain
  2. C fiber pain
  3. Multimodal nociceptors
  4. What kinds of stimuli can cause pain?
    1. Pain as an early warning system
    2. Stimuli that are not in tissue damaging range can produce pain
    3. Pain can be present even if nothing is wrong
2. Nociceptive pathways
  1. Ascending pathways
    1. Spinothalamic tract
    2. Spinoreticular Tract
  2. Descending pathways
    1. Periaqueductal gray
    2. Nucleus raphe magnus
3. Brain areas dedicated to pain perception
  1. Thalamus
  2. Primary somatosensory cortex
  3. Frontal cortex
  4. Limbic system (emotional regulation)
4. The pain “gate”- role of attention in pain perception
Types of pain - duration
1. Acute pain
2. Chronic pain
Psychology of pain
1. Psychological factors that influence pain
2. Depression and anxiety in pain disorders - chicken and egg?
3. Coping strategies and pain
  1. Associative coping
    1. Focusing on the pain stimulus
    2. Minimizing pain
  2. Dissociative coping
    1. Distraction
    2. Shifting attention away from the pain
  3. Catastrophizing
    1. How to stop making it worse
    2. Blowing things out of proportion
4. How can use use psychological strategies to improve pain?
5. Psychological treatments for pain
  1. Cognitive behavioral therapy
  2. Stress reduction techniques
    1. Biofeedback
    2. Relaxation therapies