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.  

Sneak Peek - Broken Body, Wounded Spirit: Balancing the See-Saw of Chronic Pain, Winter Devotions by Celeste Cooper, RN and Jeff Miller, PhD

On Launch Broken Body, Wounded Spirit: Balancing the See-Saw of Chronic Pain, Winter Devotions was #1 in Kindle Store, Pain Medicine and #3 Nonfiction, Science.

ImPress Media 13: 978-0615924052

ISBN: 978-0615924052

Here is a sneak peek!

"Vision without action is a daydream.

Action without vision is a nightmare."  

~Japanese Proverb

eWinter f

Day Fifty-six

The Pain Experience: When We Are Trying to Be Still

It’s healthy to let our mental faculties have a vacation from daily stressors and productivity. But, what can we do to calm down this process when it wants to take on a mind of its own?

There will be times when pain wants to be boss no matter what we do to ignore it, but there are times when we do have the power as negotiator.

Here are some tips:

•          It takes practice to be mindful.
•          Diversion works so pick up a hobby.
•          Guided imagery and meditation are helpful.

You will find that being mindful of your pain, and giving it the tender loving care that it deserves is useful. Negative thoughts regarding pain ramp up parts of our brain that enhance and amplify the pain experience.

How can I redirect pain when it gets bossy?

Available:

AMAZON

Kindle 

Amazon UK

Amazon Canada

Inside-the-Cover

“This lovely book of devotions is rich with insight and practical suggestions for any one with chronic pain. It is filled with inspirational and healing words dealing with topics from nutrition, exercise and sleep to relating successfully to your doctor.”

Susan E. Opper, MD, Medical Director of Saint Luke’s Pain Management Services, Saint Luke’s Hospital of Kansas City.

“I love the very idea of “Winter Devotions”.   The struggle of living with chronic pain is compounded for many by the winter months when it is cold, damp, and often gloomy.  Bones ache, joints hurts, and the spirit sometimes become depressed. This wonderful book provides a tool to help with those issues.  The quotes, photography and motivation of authors Celeste Cooper and Jeff Miller all bring much needed hope and relief.”

~Myra J. Christopher, Kathleen M. Foley Chair in Pain and Palliative Care at the Center for Practical Bioethics (practicalbioethics.org/) and Principal Investigator of the Pain Action Alliance to Implement a National Strategy (PAINSproject.org/ )

“Chronic pain is a tyrant that seeks to control every aspect of a person's life—body, mind, and spirit. Broken Body, Wounded Spirit offers pain sufferers’ guidance in fending off the tyrant and regaining control over their lives. Celeste and Jeff do a beautiful job of blending practical suggestions, inspirational quotes, and delightful seasonal images into daily nuggets of wisdom that uplift and fortify the body, mind, and spirit.”

Karen Lee Richards, Fibromyalgia Editor, ProHealth, prohealth.com/, and Chronic Pain Health Guide, HealthCentral, healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/.

“Broken Body, Wounded Spirit is a warm and thoughtful prescription to honor oneself in the face of challenge, not just chronic pain. It is perfectly sprinkled with invaluable wisdom to address every aspect of wellbeing. This is a laugh out loud toolkit with humorous sayings, photos and lessons for lifestyle change bundled into a special 90-day guide to celebrate health.”

Lisa Marianni, RN, MBA, Consultant and previous Senior Director, Sharecare Provider Solutions in Atlanta, GA

Dealing with chronic pain can make us feel robbed of many choices.  We can succumb to ‘woe is me’ or we can work on self-management skills.  This book offers tips and tools which can be utilized to enable us to ‘participate in life’ rather than ‘watch it go by’ from the sidelines.  What will you choose?”

Orvie Prewitt, Program Coordinator – Kansas City Regional Arthritis Center, and a person living with chronic pain.

“As welcome as a spring breeze, this inspiring book series gently encourages fresh perspectives for living well with chronic pain or illness.  Whether pondering one day at a time or dancing between the pages, the insightful prose leads the reader to feelings of peaceful dignity.  A unique celebration of living harmoniously with the seasons of the year while rejuvenating ourselves physically and spiritually.  Thanks Celeste for sharing your sparkling love for life!”

Jan Favero Chambers, President/Founder of the National Fibromyalgia & Chronic Pain Association, fmcpaware.org. "Your partner in tackling fibromyalgia and chronic pain."

"Anyone with chronic pain can and will be helped by reading and using this book as a tool. It is the perfect blend of inspiration and helpful information to guide people on their pain journey, in fact, as a person with pain; I have learned some important techniques that have helped me."

Paul Gileno, Founder/President, US Pain Foundation Inc. uspainfoundation.org 

Guest Blog: The Truth about Pain and Your Diet by Lynn Webster, MD , a leading physician and researcher in the pain community.

The Truth about Pain and Your Diet

A simple online search for “pain relieving diet” will result in listings from hundreds of companies and organizations, claiming to have cracked the code for a nutritional solution to chronic pain. While this would certainly be an ideal option for chronic pain sufferers, unfortunately, science doesn’t back the theory that diet alone can relieve chronic pain symptoms.

Where does this idea come from?

Part of the support backing diet change for chronic pain relief is the belief that if you “eat well you’ll feel well.” In addition to this, many of the foods included in these pain relieving diets contain nutrients that are said to have natural anti-inflammatory properties. While these aspects of a healthier diet can help patients in pain, their ability to do so is limited. Research doesn’t support the idea that diet alone can relive chronic pain, but a healthy diet can certainly aid in process of finding relief. As with anyone, the cleaner their diet, the better a pain patient will feel. That being said, it would only make sense that feeding your body a diet of nutritious foods during your battle with chronic pain would boost your overall well-being a bit. However, diet change alone will not relieve the pain.

What are the best solutions for chronic pain?

The best solution for your chronic pain will depend on the severity, duration and complexity of your symptoms. Making an appointment with a skilled pain specialist in your area will yield the best results, as they will be able to create a treatment plan that is tailored to your unique needs for pain relief. Once you have received a personalized treatment plan for your pain, it is important that you follow it carefully to find optimal relief.

Should you still take diet into consideration?

While diet is not effective as a sole treatment for chronic pain, it is certainly a great supplement to a larger treatment process. Once you’ve consulted with a pain physician and developed a treatment program, talk to your physician about your current diet to see where improvement could be made. During this visit, you will also want to discuss your options for a safe and consistent exercise routine.  In summary, although working with a physician to create a complete pain relief program should be your first step, developing a healthier lifestyle overall will help you build necessary strength for your fight against chronic pain.

About Dr. Webster

Lynn Webster, MD is a leading physician and researcher in the pain community. As Medical Director of CRI Lifetree and President of the American Academy of Pain Medicine, Dr. Webster dedicates his work to the development of safer and more effective therapies for chronic pain and addiction prevention. He is best known for developing the Opioid Risk Tool (ORT) and for his public campaign to reduce overdose deaths from prescription medications.

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

Celeste Cooper is a retired RN, educator, fibromyalgia patient, and lead author of the Broken Body Wounded Spirit: Balancing the See Saw of Chronic Pain devotional series (coauthor, Jeff Miller PhD), and Integrative Therapies for Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Myofascial Pain: The Mind-Body Connection (coauthor, Jeff Miller PhD) She is a fibromyalgia expert for Dr. Oz, et al., at Sharecare.com, here, and she advocates for all chronic pain patients as a participant in the Pain Action Alliance to Implement a National Strategy, here. You can read more educational information and about her books on her website, http://TheseThree.com

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) by Celeste Cooper

I was recently asked about three supplements specifically. Going with my rule, "If one person has a question, someone else probably does too."  I will try to periodically post information on questions that have been asked.

From Integrative Therapies for Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and Myofascial Pain: The Mind-Body Connection. by Celeste Cooper, RN and Jeffrey Miller, PhD. 434 pages (8 ½ X 11). Vermont: Healing Arts Press, 2010.

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10)

Coenzyme Q10 is a natural compound produced by the body. In addition to a staggering number of proposed benefits, there are anecdotal reports that it helps with brain fog.

On a cellular chemistry level, this antioxidant helps convert food into energy. Doctors who emphasize nutritional complementary medicine believe that supplemental use of CoQ10 may play a role in keeping cholesterol lowering statin drugs from depleting natural CoQ10. Studies are underway regarding its effect as a supplement and its usefulness in tandem with cholesterol lowering drugs.

A recent study suggests that both vitamin E and CoQ10 could improve free radical ability to clean and protect basic cellular oxidative reactions. Such reactions include the process that makes energy in food available for cellular metabolism.51 Beneficial effects, prolonged use, and appropriate dosing are questions that still need to be answered.

51. R. Staud and M. Spaeth, “Psychophysical and neurochemical abnormalities of pain processing in fibromyalgia,” CNS Spectrums 13, no. 3, suppl. no. 5 (2008): 12–17.

Available from publisher:

INNER TRADITIONS, Bear and Company here.

Also available at all major outlets.

Amazon here.

Barnes and Nobel here.

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

Celeste Cooper is a retired RN, educator, fibromyalgia patient, and lead author of the Broken Body Wounded Spirit: Balancing the See Saw of Chronic Pain devotional series (coauthor, Jeff Miller PhD), and Integrative Therapies for Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Myofascial Pain: The Mind-Body Connection (coauthor, Jeff Miller PhD) She is a fibromyalgia expert for Dr. Oz, et al., at Sharecare.com, here, and she advocates for all chronic pain patients as a participant in the Pain Action Alliance to Implement a National Strategy, here. You can read more educational information and about her books on her website, http://TheseThree.com

Pain Action Alliance to Implement a National Strategy - Sitting Down in DC

This meeting is by INVITATION ONLY!

As patients and as advocates with and for chronic pain issues, it is important to know that we are supported and that others are moving forward in an effort to improve the way pain is perceived, judged, and treated.  Following is the agenda for the Pain Action Alliance to Implement a National Strategy  for the upcoming meeting January 26 - 28, 2014 in Washington DC. People representing organizations that support  IOM report "Relieving Pain in America"will be traveling great distances as they come together for this collaborative effort.

Pain Action Alliance to Implement a National Strategy (PAINS)

2^nd Annual  Meeting

January 26-28, 2014

One Washington Circle Hotel, Washington, DC

Meeting purpose:  Gather those involved in PAINS, leaders at HHS, other policy makers, funders and other key stakeholders to review and discuss the state of pain, importance of a public health approach, promising innovations/projects, and what it will take to establish chronic pain as a major public health issue.

Date/Time	Activity and Speakers/Presenters	Room
Sunday, January 26
6 – 7:30 pm	Welcome Dinner – Myra Christopher, PAINS Director Dr. Kathy Foley, Society of Memorial Sloan-Kettering                              Cancer Center Chair	Meridian
Monday, January 27
7:45 – 8:30 am	Breakfast and Networking	Lounge
8:45 – 9:00	Welcome and overview of the day – Richard Payne, PAINS Medical Director	Meridian
9:00 – 9:45	The state of pain – a post IOM report update – Anand Parekh, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health (Science and Medicine)	“
9:45 – 10:45	Why a public health approach to pain – Jim Burdine, School of Rural Public Health, Texas A & M Michael Felix, PAINS Community Health Network Development Director	“
10:45 – 11:00	Break
11:00 – 11:20	HHS Health Literate Care Model  – Linda Harris, HHS	“
11:20 – 11:45	Innovations in patient-centered outcomes research – Suzanne Schrandt, PCORI Kim Kimminau, PAINS Research Consultant	“
11:45 am – 12:45 pm	Lunch and remarks – Phil Pizzo, Chair of IOM Task Force:  Relieving Pain in America	Lounge
12:45 – 2:15	Promising Community Practice Innovations/Projects ·         Oregon’s statewide efforts to  transform pain care – Jennifer Wagner, Western Pain Society ·         Successful chronic disease self-management focused on pain - Orvie Prewitt, Regional Arthritis Center ·         Community based practice guidelines for a biopsychosocial approach to pain management – Dr. Vikas  Agarwal , Heartland Health Center, St. Joseph, Missouri	Meridian
2:15 – 2:30 pm	Break
Monday, January 27	Continued
2:30 – 4:00	Discussion of current efforts to “transform the way pain is perceived, judged and treated”, including the work of PAINS and that of others ·         Progress ·         Trends ·         Opportunities and challenges Myra Christopher, PAINS Director	Meridian
4:00	Adjourn and break until reception
5:30 – 7:00	Reception - A Nation in Pain: Healing our Biggest Health Problem – Remarks and book sale and signing by Judy Foreman, author and nationally syndicated health columnist	Lounge
Tuesday, January 28
7:30 – 8:45 am	Breakfast   Note:   Lounge space will be open until              10 am for networking opportunities	Lounge
8:00 – 10:00	PAINS Steering Committee Meeting	Meridian
10:30 am – 12:30 pm	HHS efforts to develop an interactive educational video focused on strategies for effective chronic back pain management and informed patients based on the Health Literate Care Model and discussion on how to maximize the tool’s effectiveness and impact – Linda Harris, HHS and Yael Harris, HHS	“
12:30 – 1:30	Lunch	Meridian
1:30 – 3:30	Facilitated discussion on the potential unintended consequences of opioid control programs, and recommendations for policy research or action at state and federal level  - Katie Horton George Washington University School of Public Health & Health Service’s  Department of Health Policy and Kima Taylor, Open Society Foundation	Meridian
3:30	2nd Annual PAINS meeting adjourns – safe travels home!

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

Celeste Cooper is a retired RN, educator, fibromyalgia patient, and lead author of the Broken Body Wounded Spirit: Balancing the See Saw of Chronic Pain devotional series (coauthor, Jeff Miller PhD), and Integrative Therapies for Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Myofascial Pain: The Mind-Body Connection (coauthor, Jeff Miller PhD) She is a fibromyalgia expert for Dr. Oz, et al., at Sharecare.com, here, and she advocates for all chronic pain patients as a participant in the Pain Action Alliance to Implement a National Strategy, here. You can read more educational information and about her books on her website, http://TheseThree.com

Is there a therapy for you? The role of treatments in chronic pain by Celeste Cooper

Body-work is important to the health of muscles that are dysfunctional, such as seen in myofascial pain syndrome. Myofascial pain syndrome  (MPS) is thought by many experts to be a main peripheral pain generator in most chronic pain conditions.  Chronic myofascial pain from sustained, untreated, or undertreated myofascial trigger points (knotted up pieces of muscle fiber that can be easily felt unless the muscle involved is too tight, too deep, or behind bone) is thought to be kept in perpetuity by the metabolic and autonomic effects of both FM and ME/CFS, meaning it makes treatment more difficult to sustain than it does in other patient populations.

Until myofascial trigger points are treated and muscle fiber is returned to its normal resting length, a sustained hold of the muscles involved, whether it be through Yoga or prescribed by a physical therapist, will not only discondition the muscle, it can create more pain and further development of MTrPs.  This is because the muscle has already reached its maximal capacity of stretch when trigger points are involved. More pain and dysfunction should not be the goal of therapies, but some do not realize they are doing more harm than good because they do not understand the pathophysiology behind trigger points. These same recommended therapies are helpful on down the road AFTER the muscle is returned to its normal state. We must educate those who treat us. We talk more about this in the next edition of Broken Body Wounded Spirit: Balancing the See-Saw of Chronic Pain, Spring Devotions, and our BIG book (here)  is devoted to understanding the role of chronic myofascial pain from trigger points in both FM and ME/CFS.  

Optimally, we need someone standing beside us using trigger point pressure and stroking the MTrPs as we move the muscle through its range of motion in order to coax the muscle back to its normal resting length. This is the theory behind Active Release Therapy, and though MTrPs are not addressed specifically in Feldenkrais Movement Therapy,  Alexander Technique, and Craniosacral Therapy, these therapies do help with restrictions found in skeletal muscle and connective tissue.  Spray and Stretch, Myofascial Release, and Myofascial Trigger Point Therapies are massage-like therapies .  

Addressing perpetuating factors with body work is done in Ashton Patterning, and Trager Work and an important part of prevention. Therapies for addressing the mechanical and emotional aspects of body-work are Hellerwork, T'ai Chi, Yoga, and Rosen Method.  The success or failure of each therapy is dependent upon patient dedication, education, and a therapist who is skilled in communicating with our body.  

All these therapies, including self treatment, are discussed at length in Integrative Therapies for Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and Myofascial Pain and throughout the Broken Body, Wounded Spirit series. Read more about the books here. 

My New Year’s resolution is to educate others on the myofascial and its role in chronic pain. Many of these therapies are not covered by insurance. However,we have evidence based research to show that body-work treatments are more effective than medications and other invasive treatments in treatment of soft tissue dysfunction as the result of a musculoskeletal problem. We need  to move integrative therapies into mainstream. If we can convince Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance companies that therapies such as these are more cost effective, we have a chance.

For now, some of the therapies can be costly. Most of us with disabling chronic pain have limited financial resources, myself included. For this reason, I believe self care through the use of tennis balls, a Theracane, mechanical massagers, rolling pins, swim noodles, Yoga balls and practicing gentle movement and stretch therapies are good alternatives. 

You can find helpful links on my website here. 

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

Celeste Cooper is a retired RN, educator, fibromyalgia patient, and lead author of the Broken Body Wounded Spirit: Balancing the See Saw of Chronic Pain devotional series (coauthor, Jeff Miller PhD), and Integrative Therapies for Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Myofascial Pain: The Mind-Body Connection (coauthor, Jeff Miller PhD) She is a fibromyalgia expert for Dr. Oz, et al., at Sharecare.com, here, and she advocates for all chronic pain patients as a participant in the Pain Action Alliance to Implement a National Strategy, here. You can read more educational information and about her books on her website, http://TheseThree.com

Guest Blog. Can Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Kill You? By Melissa Swanson

My neighbor lived with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome for 34 years, but despite it, she still enjoyed the outside; planting flowers, feeding the birds, fishing, and going to the casino. However, the past three years she stopped.  Her chair became her home.  She stopped cooking “real meals.”  She spent day and night in her chair. Little by little she lost her ability and her will to do the things she loved.  Her body began to wither; she lost all muscle tone and strength.  She succumbed to her pain and disabilities; she had lost her will to fight.

She too experienced the cycle ~we all know so well ~ pain, no sleep, depression; more pain, less sleeping.  This pain that I am experiencing today, she was experienced every day. I understand why she felt like giving up. I know that when I hit a flare, I don’t want to move or eat. I forget and let the anxiety of the fog and pain take over my mind and body. It takes sleep, food and physical movement to help me get through it.

What do you suppose is on my friend’s death certificate? Despite her long history, do you think it reads complications due to fibromyalgia, CFS, or depression?

Cause of death “myocardial infarction,” HEART ATTACK.

Could her death have been prevented? Maybe not, but her final years could have been spent with hope, not despair. Depression is a side effect of living with chronic pain and illness, and in my friend’s case, the biggest obstacle, the least understood, fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.

We must raise awareness; we must not let one more person succumb because of ignorance that threatens to rob one of their self esteem including, family and friends, and even healthcare providers.

Can we make it our New Year’s resolution to do that? Can we encourage one more person not to give up the fight? Yes we can, it’s called hope.

Will you join me today? 

You can follow Melissa here: 
Melissa's blog here. Http://survivingwithfibro.wordpress.com 
Facebook page here.   
Twitter here.

~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~

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

Celeste Cooper is a retired RN, educator, fibromyalgia patient, and lead author of the Broken Body Wounded Spirit: Balancing the See Saw of Chronic Pain devotional series (coauthor, Jeff Miller PhD), and Integrative Therapies for Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Myofascial Pain: The Mind-Body Connection (coauthor, Jeff Miller PhD) She is a fibromyalgia expert for Dr. Oz, et al., at Sharecare.com, here, and she advocates for all chronic pain patients as a participant in the Pain Action Alliance to Implement a National Strategy, here. You can read more educational information and about her books on her website, http://TheseThree.com