When pain is treated solely with medications, only part of the problem has been addressed. Meanwhile, patients may receive too little of another kind of pain care, one that teaches them self-management techniques for treating pain. Our scientific research in the growing area of pain psychology shows that pain relief is more effective when you address the body and the mind.
—The secret to overcoming the opioid crisis may lie partly in the mind
The article is about research being done at Stanford University, and I’m glad they are looking into it. But the suggestions aren’t new — I taught them in my stress management classes twenty years ago. If you’re looking for ideas, read the article or WebMD’s Stress Relaxation and Natural Pain Relief or Google stress reduction and pain management.
I’m a great believer in research, but in this area we’re not suffering from a lack of knowledge, we’re suffering from a lack of practice.
“we’re suffering from a lack of practice.”
it’s true.
they knew about it when my husband bob had cancer back in 1979.
we learned about it taking a course that the hospital recommended.
it helped him greatly. until it became even too bad for that to work.
but for everyday aches and pains and even everyday chronic pain it helps.
I struggle with self discipline and consistency. my nemesis in everything!
mind over matter has always fascinated me. thanks for the link.
I suppose it goes as far back as sister mary baker eddy in the forming of the church of christian science.
1979 was when Jon Kabat-Zinn started his mind-body clinic at the University of Massachusetts medical center. I love his Full Catastrophe Living and am listening to it again as an audiobook.
My threshold for tolerating pain is naturally high and I have not felt the need for any additional therapy to manage when I had to undergo other forms of therapy. I also believe that my general attitude towards the impermanence of the body helps.
Good for you!
First off: I like WebMD for dependable, research based articles. I’ve been reading up on the opioid crisis, especially as it pertains to older people’s over use of painkillers, and how dangerous that has become. Seems that not being able to read fine print contributes to seniors overdosing. That’s worrisome!
According to the New York Times, there are less addictive and risky pain killers but they’re not as available because they cost so much. Amid Opioid Crisis,
Insurers Restrict Pricey, Less Addictive Painkillers. What a mess.
I rarely take any medication, even for pain.
Sometimes I’ll take ibuprofen but that’s more about inflammation.
Today my Achilles is very painful
And unfortunately I’ve now done something to my elbow!
Lol!
(Yep, getting older is grand.)
Anyway, I’m considering popping a couple right now
But thinking hard about just ignoring it all instead.
😉
I really think I’m not taking anything because if anything comes along that’s too bad, I want pills to kick my ass.
😀
I’m with you — I very seldom take painkillers. Except for Novocaine at the dentist! I think you are wise if you can manage the pain without them.
my main go-2-ideas are based on 1/ heat i.e. a wheat bag 2/ rest in the most comfortable position (3/ one small a pain pill, sometimes only a 1/2)
last night and again this morning a upper leg/hip pain that just niggled on and on…I finally gave in and did my 1 & 2 above.
I heated up the wheatbag and dived into bed and lay at first on one side with bag pressed to painful arena – then realised best to lie basically on said bag…I dropped off to sleep at some point.
I got up and had no problems then whammy it was back again – so i retired to bed until it subsided with said bag and me curled up (not asleep but thinking good thoughts…it wouldn’t have mattered if I had gone back to sleep) – I did however, this morning take one small painkiller dose (not opiod)…
no further pain today, but then again I did just decide to wander away from the ranch…so I was out enjoying life.
I do this kind of treatment for all kinds of mini/mild pain – the sort of pain that says “time out my friend” but also until I got on top of food issues…I was regularly using my wheat bag/rest model
That sounds like a great method. The main thing is to have some tools/techniques that work for us.