By Page H. Gifford
Correspondent
On August 29, Cynthia Moore presented another wellness program in her monthly series at Lake Monticello. Susanne Murtha, a certified health and wellness coach, discussed how to live with chronic pain.
“Chronic pain gets in the way of being fully present with a partner, kids or grandkids, staying focused on a career, favorite pastimes and travel. One can feel broken and not feel like themselves when they cannot do what they love,” said Murtha.
She discussed the extensive information studied for the last 50 years at the International Association for the Study of Pain. The terminology covers a wide range of pain sensations caused by various triggers in the nervous system.
“Understanding the latest science of pain and how chronic pain is a protection,” is key, she said. “It’s also important to have skills for self-comfort when times are tough because pain is communicated by the nervous system. Calming strategies can be unique to each person.”
Today, the cost of chronic pain is a major physical and mental health care problem in the United States. As a result, there has been a recent increase in research on chronic pain, with significant advances in understanding its causes, assessment, and treatment. She discussed proven methods for managing pain and the three models of study. The biopsychosocial model is now widely accepted as the trial-and-error approach to chronic pain. With this model in mind, a review of the basic neuroscience processes of pain and psychosocial factors is presented. The research shows how psychological and social factors can interact with brain processes to influence health and illness.
The Fit-for-Purpose Model focuses on chronic nonspecific low back pain (LBP) which is considered a complex, multifaceted problem. It is the model for the development and maintenance of persistent LBP. Chronic nonspecific LBP represents a state in which the person in pain holds strong and relatively intransient internalization of an unalterably damaged, fragile, and unhealthy back.
“The information that supports these models is more available and trustworthy than information that counters them,” she said. This model proposes a corresponding treatment for persistent pain that aims to shift the internalization of a fragile, damaged, unhealthy, and unchangeable self toward the back as healthy, strong, adaptable, and fit for purpose.”
The third model she talked about was the Pain Reprocessing Therapy. Recent neuroscience shows that some chronic pain results from the brain misinterpreting safe messages from the body as if they were dangerous. Research has found that the brain has the power to generate pain even in the absence of physical damage. Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT) is a system of psychological techniques that retrains the brain to accurately interpret and respond to signals from the body, breaking the cycle of chronic pain.
“The approach is to look for signs of modifiable pain. Take active steps to improve health, mindset, and healthy habits. Use pacing to gradually and progressively increase meaningful activities,” she said.
She believes that those suffering from needless pain can overcome it.
“Being inactive and avoiding social and other meaningful activities can make one’s life small.”
For more information on pain management, visit https://livingwellcoaching.com/.
