Could Biofeedback Be On Your Chronic Pain Gift List?

A study on the effects of mindfulness (a type of meditation focusing on the present without judgment) looked at changes in the brain and pain sensitivity. The results showed that those of us with higher innate mindfulness report less pain. Higher mindfulness was also associated with greater deactivation of a brain region involved in attention and subjective emotional responses to sensations, which means it promotes cognition and enables us to improve our reactions to pain and other symptoms. A recent study  published November 5, 2018 in NeuroImage suggests neurofeedback could be a cost effective way of helping improve fibromyalgia pain and sleep. This is consistent with the findings of other studies on the benefits of mindful exercises and neurofeedback in chronic pain from many sources.

That’s great news, but some of my readers tell me they can’t get a handle on any type of meditation to minimize their experience with chronic pain. My response is based on my personal experiences, keep practicing—until. I have practiced meditation for over fifty years. That’s how long I have lived with migraine disease. I also learned the value of focused breathing during 24 hours of labor with each of my two children. But, it would be nearly three decades later before I learned the value of biofeedback. I had objective evidence of how my thoughts affect the vital signs of my life. And, now you can too.

Technology has brought us to a new place. We can monitor and react to our meditation practices at home. We don’t have to wonder if what we are thinking is right or helpful. So, I asked an expert about biofeedback a few questions. The expert was once my therapist and now he is my co-author, Dr. Jeff Miller, PhD.

Q:  Is the program I used in your office still available?

Jeff:

Wild Divine's Journey to Wild Divine, the program you are familiar with, is no longer available. About six programs used the fingertip sensors for both heart rate variability (HRV) and galvanic skin resistance (GSR), also called skin conductivity level (SCL). As new programs were developed, the company quit supporting the sensors and went to a wired ear clip that only measures heart rate.

Q: What is available now?

Jeff:

Lightstone (Wild Divine) was bought out by Unyte™, which developed the Bluetooth version of the ear clip for HRV. This is a plus, because the wired ear clips often fail if the wire moves.

Unyte™ IOM2 is working on a GSR sensor, and they are selling subscriptions now rather than software. 

Muse™ is a wireless neurofeedback device that tracks your brain signals. I use daily and I love it. You wear it like a headband across the forehead and you Bluetooth it to a device. 

Q: Why do you love Muse so much?

Jeff:

·        It reads your brainwaves and rewards you for increased alpha and gamma wave production by altering the sound environment on the device such as, rainforest, beach, ambient music etc.

·        You get real-time feedback on your mental state to help you meditate.

·        It is very dependable and entertaining. 

·        It is very intuitive and simple to learn.

·        You can wear it anywhere and use it in any situation that allows the sensors to stay in contact with forehead and ears.

·        Muse keeps your stats like a Fitbit™ does.

·        It issues challenges and encouragement. 

·        There's an expanding library of device accessible guided meditations and discussions (Deepak does some!).

·        It is well supported. 

·        They have a very good monthly Museletter.

·        At $199 Muse™ is affordable for a home neurofeedback device.

* You can receive a 15% discount at https://choosemuse.com/ by using Jeff’s sponsor code AMBASSADOR15-20180911. The discount code is applied at checkout. My total was $169.15 and shipping is free. In full disclosure, as a sponsor Jeff receives 10%.  

Am I promoting biofeedback? You bet I am, and can hardly wait to see the Muse in my stocking this year. I realize meditation isn’t going to cure the illness that causes my pain and other symptoms, but I know it will help me cope in a positive way and bring balance to the mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual balance we talk about in our books. It will give me some control!

Additional Reading:

A Brain Under Siege: Centralization, Chronic Pain, And Fibromyalgia

In healing,

Celeste Cooper, RN / Author, Freelancer, Advocate

Think adversity?-See opportunity!

http://www.CelesteCooper.com

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Learn more about Celeste’s books here. Subscribe to posts by using the information in the upper right hand corner or use the share buttons to share with others. 

Casting Light on the Shadow of Fibromyalgia: Finding the cause

Radiating the Shadow of Light

As suggested in my article for ProHealth, there is a problem with research on fibromyalgia. It is all over the place. The reason for this is partly due to how research is funded—sad, but true.

Drug Research

Several drugs have been suggested for treating fibromyalgia  but are they helping?

The FDA *Voice of the Patient (October 2014) said:

“According to the polling, nearly all in-person and web participants reported taking or having taken a prescription medication to treat their fibromyalgia symptoms. Prescription drug therapies were described as having widely varying degrees of effectiveness, and many participants noted limited benefits or decreased benefit over time. Additionally, even if effective, many participants described that they could not sustain treatment because they were unable to tolerate their side effects.”

*A polling of FDA approved Lyrica®, Cymbalta®, Savella® and other commonly prescribed medications.

 

Also in 2014, The Cochran Library database said while it seems helpful in those who tolerate it, the number who benefit from Pregabalin (Lyrica) is very small. Only one person in ten will have any benefits. (Pregabalin for pain in fibromyalgia in adults, accessed April 29, 2017) That is underwhelming evidence compared to the reported clinical trials on which the FDA based their approval.

Getting Unstuck

In our books I write about the importance of critical thinking and problem solving, i.e. determining what we think we want or need then go about finding ways to achieve it. But, when we change the goal, or even our interpretation of the goal, so changes the way we get there. Simply masking our symptoms so we can learn to live with it isn’t a lofty goal to me. Instead, we should be looking at the cause, the necessary step to finding a cure. That said, I support any medication, treatment, or therapy you and your doctor work together to find, but we can’t get stuck in thinking that’s all there is. We need to know how to treat fibromyalgia as a disease and manage it as we do diabetes, thyroid disease, etc.

The Biology of Body Matter

I began reviewing research, commentaries, and reports on fibromyalgia in 2001 when I first started writing our book, Integrative Therapies for Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Myofascial Pain: The Mind-Body Connection, 2010. And, I have seen evidence in small studies and large that fibromyalgia is biological.

As years pass by, we see a recurring theme regarding the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis involvement in fibromyalgia. And as we advance, we learn more about how this might work. You see, the HPA axis is constantly recalculating based on stress signals from the mind or body. For instance, if it receives feedback that there is an imbalance in the immune system this intricate system activates to restore order. 

Immune Cells

Behm FG, et al. found specific immune cells in FM using a specific method. That is what led to the FM/a® blood test. This finding doesn't necessarily negate previous studies on the HPA response in fibromyalgia. Instead, this and other “Peer-reviewed Medical Publications” (below), support immune system involvement in fibromyalgia, which could be upsetting the body's ability to achieve balance. When we treat the root cause in any disease, it makes the job of the HPA much easier.

Newsworthy Hope for the Future

Dynamic, well-respected scientists and medical research institutions will be collecting data from those of us who have tested positive with the FM/a® blood test. 

“We seek a potential set of explanations for why FM patients have their immunological abnormalities and that is why we have contracted with the genomic facilities at two major university medical centers(University of Illinois and UCLA) so we utilize their immense expertise and databases.” (Dr. Bruce Gillis, personal correspondence)

It’s important that you know this will “Take Time”. This is the first step to help scientists find treatment that is specific to the cause of fibromyalgia.

“Things Take Time (TTT).

Get this engraved on your watch crystal or the back of your cell phone.

The Grand Canyon started as a run-off problem.”

~Jeff Miller, PhD (My co-author)

You can read about the BREAKING NEWS shared in my blog, EpicGenetics Announces Major Clinical Study to Locate Genetic Markers Unique to People with Fibromyalgia and Explore New Treatment Approaches.

Participation 

The FM/a® test “Campaign 250” is devoted to answering the basic three questions: Do I have it? What caused it? How do I treat it? If you would like to be one of the 250,0000 participates in this important research, you first need to have the FM/a® test. Start the process at http://fmtest.com/ and contact them if you can’t find answers to any of your questions. They are a wonderful bunch of folks. And, you can read my blog, FM/a® Blood Test – “How To” and My Results, which clearly explains my experience. 

In hope and healing,,Celeste

Related reading:

·        FM/a® Blood Test – “How To” and My Results.

·        EpicGenetics Announces Major Clinical Study to Locate Genetic Markers Unique to People with Fibromyalgia and Explore New Treatment Approaches.

Following are downloadable peer-reviewed medical publications: (accessed, 2017)

BMC Clinical Pathology-Unique immunologic patterns in fibromyalgia

Rheumatology International-Cytokine and chemokine profiles in fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus: a potentially useful tool in differential diagnosis

Journal of Innate Immunity-Long-Lasting Effects of BCG Vaccination on Both Heterologous Th1/Th17 Responses and Innate Trained Immunity

Molecular Immunology-Induction of transcription factors, miRNAs and cytokines involved in T lymphocyte differentiation in BCG-vaccinated subjects

PNAS-Bacille Calmette-Guérin induces NOD2-dependent nonspecific protection from reinfection via epigenetic reprogramming of monocytes

The Journal of Immunology-Bacillus Calmette-Guérien (BCG) Revaccination of Adults with Latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection Induces Long-Lived BCG-Reactive NK Cell Responses

Vaccine-Complex cytokine profiles induced by BCG vaccination in UK infants

Vaccine-Interferon-gamma production by mononuclear cells in BacilleCalmette-Guérin-revaccinated healthy volunteers predicted long-termantimycobacterial responses in a randomized controlled trial

"Adversity is only an obstacle if we fail to see opportunity."

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Celeste Cooper, RN

Author—Patient—Freelance Writer at Health Central & ProHealth —Advocate

Celeste’s Website: http://CelesteCooper.com

Learn more about Celeste’s books at her website or find links here on Celeste's  blog. Subscribe to posts by using the information in the upper right hand corner or use the share buttons to share with others.

All blogs and comments are based on the author's opinions and are not meant to replace medical advice.  

Is Chronic Pain a Disease? My Interview with Pain Specialist, Dr. Karl Hurst-Wicker, MD

To kick off this interview, I asked Dr. Hurst-Wicker this predominant question among the scientific community,

Is Chronic Pain a Disease?

Here is what Dr. Hurst-Wicker had to say.

Pain is a symptom of some other underlying problem, much like a runny nose is a symptom of a cold or allergies. The key to solving a problem is identifying the problem and figuring out how to fix it. If we invest all our time and energies in treating only the symptom, pain, without diagnosing the cause, we risk missing the chance to fix the problem and remove the symptom. We miss the opportunity to get the patient the right treatment, right away.

People experience chronic pain for many reasons, and many patients can be treated with injections, medication, surgery, or other modalities. The tough thing for both patients and physicians is realizing that human bodies are complex organisms. We are in the process of learning and understanding this intricate machine, but we don’t have all the answers to the problems we face readily available. This means that for some patients pain could be caused by something we don’t fully understand and therefore don’t have great treatments. Eventually we will get there. But if we started saying, “Oh, the problem is just chronic pain and we need to treat only the pain,” we’d miss the opportunity to find real causes, and we would miss opportunities to develop treatments that could truly help people, instead of only masking the symptoms.

Q. How important is a history and physical?

Take chronic myofascial pain as an example. Myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) is a common cause of chronic pain. It can be the primary peripheral pain generator and at the same time, it may flare up as an indicator of other pain generator in the same area. That’s why a big part of evaluating a patient with pain is getting a good history and physical exam. 

Q. Why does pain become chronic in some people and not others?

The transition from acute to chronic pain has a variety of contributing factors. Sometimes the problem is that the underlying problem can’t be fixed, like a bad joint that can’t be replaced because the patient is too sick for surgery. In other cases, people can develop the changes to central sensitization thus perpetuating pain even after the initial problem is fixed.

Some studies indicate genetic factors play a role and may explain why some people experience chronic pain and others don’t, and other studies indicate certain pain medications could initiate the process of central sensitization.

I’m not sure we will ever develop a quick or simple way to figure out what patient will develop or experience chronic pain. There are many factors at play and I think it is too complex to determine right away. But, we continue to learn more year after year.

Q. Are there other factors that contribute to chronic pain?

MRI of amygdala and hippocampus

Stress and sleep can certainly have an effect on pain. Stress alone can change the levels of neurological hormones in our central nervous system and thus, amplify chronic pain. We discussed a study in a separate interview on centralization in fibromyalgia. In this study, they used the MRI to evaluate the size of the hippocampus in fibromyalgia patients [the region of the brain responsible for with memory and spatial navigation]. One of the things they discussed was whether the hippocampus was small due to the stress of chronic pain in fibromyalgia, or if patients maybe had higher stress levels that shrunk their hippocampus and thus got fibromyalgia. Sleep, more specifically the lack of sleep, is known to worsen pain. The restorative process of sleep allows our bodies to refresh, regenerate, and heal. So when we don’t sleep, we not only miss out on restoration, we also have a concomitant increase in both the physical and mental stress that our bodies must endure.

Patients can help themselves by being more aware of stress in their life, take time to eliminate those that they can, and find better ways to deal with the ones they must. It may mean setting aside time to take a nap in the middle of the day, or other things to care for themselves. Regular exercise has shown it reduces stress and promote better sleep habits.

Stay tuned for more answers from Dr. Hurst-Wicker about what happens when our brain perceives chronic pain as a threat.

In healing,,Celeste

"Adversity is only an obstacle if we fail to see opportunity."  

Karl S. Hurst-Wicker, MD, is a board certified anesthesiologist practicing pain management at the Desert Pain Institute. He graduated from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and completed his residency in anesthesiology at the University of Utah.

Other contributing articles written for you:

Q and A on Chronic Pain - Health Central

TheCentralization of Pain - Health Central

Rolfing®and Chronic Pain – ProHealth

The Ins And Outs Of Chronic Myofascial Pain (updated Feb., 2020)

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Celeste Cooper, RN

Author—Patient—Freelance Writer at Health Central & ProHealth —Advocate

Celeste’s Website: http://CelesteCooper.com

Learn more about Celeste’s books at her website or find links here on Celeste's  blog. Subscribe to posts by using the information in the upper right hand corner or use the share buttons to share with others.

All answers and blogs are based on the author's opinions and writing and are not meant to replace medical advice.  

A Message of Hope from My Guest, Clarissa Shepherd

 “There is no medicine like hope, no incentive so great, and no tonic so powerful as expectation of something better tomorrow.” 

~Orison Swett Marden, 1850 - 1924

Did you know that March is “Brain Awareness” month? We know the brain is a very complex organ, many people, with many disorders could have many things to say to raise awareness. Being one with a fibro-migrainus brain, I also know how important a message of hope can be for anyone who shares this journey with us. I am truly blessed to be able to share with you a message of hope written for you by my friend, Clarissa Shepherd, the, leader of the Facebook Group, Fellow Travelers. 

Get ready to face illness with courage, a sense of renewal and hope.

Renewing in Hope by Clarissa Shepherd

For those of us who face chronic illness each day, thinking positive is not an easy task. It's not as if we dwell on the negative, yet it finds us. We not only deal with daily pain and many other symptoms – we also deal with all of life's difficulties. I feel we do a magnificent job surviving a long list of daunting symptoms. Following is what you mean to me.

Learning to live within your limitations is not a negative thing; it’s a way to rearrange your life so you can live to your fullest potential. Finding new ways of doing daily tasks is a very creative thing. I find it amazing that you manage so well. You find new ways of healing, new ways of coping, new ways to entertain yourself, new talents that you didn't know you had.

Your journey may be very difficult. It may be very long and tiresome, yet you do it with such grace. A grace like I've never seen before. You're learning a new way to live, a new way of thinking, and ways of doing it soulfully. You've learned how to rethink what being productive means to you now, and you acknowledge that everyone's yardstick for measuring what’s productive isn't the same, and that's OK. You're still alive and moving ever forward as you learn to maneuver this new way of life. You've accepted the challenge and looked it right in the face. I call you—courageous.

You are a vital human being. This illness is not of your own making, and it does not define you. It just is. You show your strength and courage with each breath you take, every obstacle you overcome, and every new way you learn to cope. You are fearless, even in your pain.

Now I want you to take this truth into each day. Allow it to cover your entire being. There will be those in your life that don't, or won't, understand what you face each day. Chronic illness has taught me this…

Some people will fill you up,

Others will drain you of energy better spent,

So, choose wisely.

The reality is you are wonderful—just as you are. Your bravery is unparalleled, because you live it in solitude. Believe in yourself, as you renew in hope. Just as the season's change, so does your strength. Hope, courage, and renewal define you. They are in you, beside you, in front of you. Know this, and let the beacon, your bright light, guide you, hold you, and sustain you. You are brave. I applaud the person you are.

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I am constantly encouraged by Clarissa and her generous spirit. Following is perhaps one of my favorite affirmations from her, which is included in one of our books.

"Be kind to yourself.

Respect who you are.

Walk in the light of your fearlessness."

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"Adversity is only an obstacle if we fail to see opportunity."  

Celeste Cooper, RN

Author—Patient—Health Central Chronic Pain Pro —Advocate

Celeste’s Website: http://CelesteCooper.com

"Finding Pleasure in Being Present." by Celeste Cooper

 “There is a pleasure in the pathless woods,

There is a rapture on the lonely shore,

There is society, where none intrudes,

By the deep sea, and music in its roar:

I love not man the less, but Nature more.” 

~ Lord Byron

Spring 

Day Twenty-three

Finding Pleasure in Being Present

It comes as no surprise that when we are sedentary, our mind shifts on its own, and the first place it targets is our pain source. This makes it difficult for us, so let's allow our mind to take a vacation from daily stressors and productivity. Our brain needs calm just like our body.

We should acknowledge our pain because it too deserves tender loving care. Body awareness through mindfulness allows an unbiased assessment. We acknowledge pain's presence, but we step back from it by relinquishing our role as a critic. When we are able to do this, the parts of our brain that are normally ramped up from negative pain dialogue begin to experience neutral feelings about pain.

There is a plethora of information on the techniques of mindfulness. Books by Jon Kabat-Zinn, Bernie Seigel, Neville Goddard, Martha Beck, Thich Nhat Hanh, Deepak Chopra, Wayne Dyer, and other mind-body experts can be helpful. Find information on prayer and meditation practice in the Winter Devotions of the series.  Today, I will recognize my pain without judging it, understanding it takes practice.

Excerpt from Broken Body, Wounded Spirit: Balancing the See-Saw of Chronic Pain, SPRING DEVOTIONS found here.  

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"Adversity is only an obstacle if we fail to see opportunity."  

Celeste Cooper, RN

Author—Patient—Health Central Chronic Pain Pro —Advocate

NEW Website: http://CelesteCooper.com

The Brain in Pain: Garbage or Dessert? by Celeste Cooper, RN

Neuroscience suggests that the conversation we have with our pain affects how our brain reacts to it. Of course, we can't get a grip on positive thinking when in the throes of intractable migraine, nor can we expect to have the where-with-all when we are having a significant flare of any chronic pain condition. However, we might want to reconsider the unnecessary garbage we throw at our brain when our pain is treated sufficiently.

In all the cerebral glory it can muster, the brain tries to tend to pain in the usual ways. Whether pain is acute or chronic, the brain is affected by our judgments and feelings. There is a structure in the brain called the limbic system, which is in charge of this phenomenon. As an emergency room nurse, I have witnessed the differences in patient's reactions to injuries. Those who do not catastrophize their wound tend to do better. When we personally experience an injury, we resist the temptation to look because once we do; we know we will actualize the pain associated with it.

What choice do you think our brain would make if it had the option of communicating with Debbie or Dog Downer compared to Mahatma Gandhi, Maya Angelou, or Helen Keller? Already bombarded by pain messages, the last thing our brain wants to hear is a negative dialogue about how awful something has become. We have the opportunity to reprogram our feelings and our brain. It's as simple, and as complicated, as that.

Great care must be extended to the patient in pain. Pain is very real to those of us experiencing it and there are times when pain is the boss, no matter how much we wish otherwise. Sometimes, healthcare providers become part of the emotional conundrum so many patients in pain experience. It is a legitimate expectation to have our pain validated; it is just as important as our own personal experience and reactions to living with chronic pain. When we feel that we are mistrusted or that we can think away the problem that is causing our pain in the first place, then the negative dialogue begins. We must not let that happen; explore new relationships. We all deserve to be treated with the same kindness I am suggesting we give our body.

I will embrace a considerate dialogue with my body because "it can't hurt." What a metaphor. Watch out brain, here comes dessert.

Updated Post Script

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"Adversity is only an obstacle if we fail to see opportunity."  

Celeste Cooper, RN

Author—Patient—Health Central Chronic Pain Pro —Advocate

NEW Website: http://CelesteCooper.com

Learn more about what you can do to help your body function to its potential in the books you can find here on Celeste's  blog. 

All answers and blogs are based on the author's opinions and writing and are not meant to replace medical advice.