Skip to main content

Using your mind to control your pain: Think positive!

"Optimism is the madness of insisting that all is well when we are miserable."  Voltaire


A recent edition of  "The Journal of Pain" reports that  Positive activities, such as increasing supportive emotions, can reduce body discomfort in adults with mild to moderate chronic pain. A multi-center study led by the Pittsburgh VA Healthcare system randomized subjects to complete two, four, or six positive activities over the course of six weeks.  Examples of the recommended positive activities included identifying three good things that went well each day and dwelling on them, focusing intensely on positive experiences two to three times a day, and practicing how to respond positively to good news shared by others. At the end of the six week period, those who were assigned four positive activities or more reported reductions in bodily pain that lasted six months or more following program completion.

There is an important lesson here for all of us, especially those who suffer from chronic pain. It's not all that difficult or expensive to create your own positivity program. This might mean keeping a journal and writing regularly about the good things that happen  every day.  Perhaps it's about sharing the joy when good things are happening in the life of family and friends.  Maybe it's just about counting the blessings, not the tears!




Sources: wikimedia,newswise,brainyquote
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Living with Chronic pain hits the big screen!

Been to the movies lately?  Jennifer Aniston is on the big screen in a recent release titled "Cake." Her character, Claire is a victim of chronic pain...she belongs to a support group, where all of the members are coming to terms with the suicide of one of their members.  Of course, she also takes pain medication and addiction is another of her problems...and of course there's more! I guess I am writing this post just to bring readers' attention to the fact that Hollywood has become aware of the crisis that is chronic pain.  This movie is a testament to that. People that don't have to live with this kind of pain don't fully understand the whole story.  Maybe this movie will shed some light on the issues. Here is the official trailer for the movie: Sources: prweb;NorthJersey.com;YouTube
Post a Comment
Read more

The Multimodal Approach to Pain Management

OK..so if you've been following this blog you will notice that there are a good number of ideas to help manage chronic pain.  You might ask yourself, "Which one of these ideas is best for me ?" I would suggest that you might try any number of these things, depending on your level of ability/disability, health care team recommendations, and your personal interests.  There are a number of reasons for doing this: 1) The patient is in control..with few exceptions, it is your decision what to try/not try and how many different things you want to experiment with at any time. 2) Non drug pain management ideas do not have any of the drug interactions or side effects that medications have.  You may have to set limits or modify activity according to personal circumstances, but usually it does not hurt to try any of them. 3)You usually do not need a prescription for most of the ideas I have described.  There are a few exceptions, such as physical therapy.  There ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Beware Of The Tick!

It's tick season, everyone! And while we all know about Lyme Disease and its lingering effects, a new problem has entered the scene. According to the CDC, the Powassan virus is another tick-borne disease that has recently been recognized. The CDC says symptoms become apparent anywhere from one week to one month after infection. Symptoms include vomiting, weakness, confusion, loss of coordination, problems with speech and seizures. Approximately half of those infected by this virus have permanent neurological symptoms, which can include muscle wasting, problems with memory, and recurrent headaches. Many people who have been infected with Powassan virus required hospitalization and sometimes even respiratory support (i.e., a respirator). Treatment is focused on supportive measures. In the meantime, preventive measures are the best way to avoid Lyme disease, Powassan virus , or any other tick-borne virus.  You can read more about preventive measures by clicking here . Sour...
Post a Comment
Read more