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X> I Still Have Pain! Now What?
http://www.spineuniverse.com/displayarticle.php/article1483.html * Does the following sound familiar?
* Multidisciplinary Approach
* Understanding Pain
" A specialized nerve ending senses this pain and sends a message to our spinal cord and up to our brain where we then realize the pain. After all, isn’t this why we need pain? So that we can tell when we are injuring ourselves or when we are about to injure ourselves. However this simplistic view of pain does not explain why -- when your doctor has told you there is nothing they can find wrong -- and the surgery has removed what has been causing damage -- and you are all healed and -- yet you still have pain."
* Pain and Neurotransmitters
"This view of pain also does not explain why when we are frustrated or angry our pain seems to be much worse. And when we are distracted, such as watching a movie or engrossed in good conversation our pain may be somewhat less. A new concept of pain is emerging that can explain these things. This concept is based on the fact that there are naturally occurring chemicals used by our nervous system to transmit pain messages. These things are called ‘neurotransmitters’ and there are many different types. Some of these neurotransmitters such as endorphins, which you may have heard of, can help decrease pain. There are other neurotransmitters that may increase pain."
* Effects of Behavior and Emotions
" Our behaviors as well as our emotional state changes the chemistry in our nervous system thus either enhancing or diminishing our pain. With this new, much more complex concept of what pain is, we can then understand that there are many other approaches that may help manage the chronic pain that you may be suffering from."
* Complementary Interventions
* Emotional Consequences of Pain
* Feeling Better