Healing Our Pain Pandemic (w/Dr. Rachel Zoffness)

Chronic pain is a complex biopsychosocial illness that needs broader and wiser treatment than JUST medications and surgery. UCSF pain psychologist Rachel Zoffness shows us the how and why.
Links to her book, audio podcast, transcript, and more: zdoggmd.com/ra...
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Show, podcast, music, support, shop, social media, and email: lnk.bio/zdoggmd

[@TheLunaPulvia]

Love this woman. Please have her back for another video !!

[@jewelzbtully4934]

Suffer from fibro(no narcotics but MANY other meds) excited to listen & am very interested in the book! It pisses me off that so many lack the empathy to understand CONSTANT pain vs. occasional pain!!

[@Nan-59]

Hi Friend! 🙋🏼‍♀️ Fibro here, too. And osteoarthritis arthritis in nearly every joint. I've had two hip replacements and revision and I need my knees replaced. My first replacement went south after 11 months...The surgeon didn't believe me because the x-rays were "perfect." He said I was there looking for drugs!! That was the very first time a physician had spoken to me like that, and I was unaware that people in chronic pain get regularly treated like shit.

[@meeks4756]

Ditto!

[@amberlauderbaugh2736]

Same!!! Fibro suuuuuucks!!

[@kimphelps2955]

Fibro here too. ♥️

[@epapa217]

Fibro here as well 😔

[@billhiggins-ha4all795]

Thank you Zubin and Rachel for the phenomenal discussion. I always enjoy how you bring reality to a level for others to understand. I would love to learn more from her during a longer discussion.

[@philiparny3178]

I've had friends with chronic pain. One of the hardest things was handling the moral judgement they got from medical people: you're on opioids, you're a bad person, you're just a drug seeker, go away before I call the cops on you. And/or no, I don't believe you about your pain so I'm reducing your prescription because you don't really need it even though you've been taking it for years. Finding a Doctor who would help manage pain -- medically or otherwise -- was really hard when they had to change Doctors for some reason.

[@chronicallylivinghope4224]

Love this!! At 23 I was failure to thrive/severe pain after years of decline and referred to palliative care. First time having team focused on quality of life, mental, emotional and spiritual health as well as the physical aspect of medicine. Life changing....ultimately lead to an underlying diagnosis(rare disease) and surgical treatment, which completely changed my life! Almost 25 and have an entirely new lease on life!🙌🏻💜

[@shaunnajw]

Congratulations!!!! I hope you seize every moment and wring every drop of pleasure out of life that you can! And definitely keep sharing your story of hope.

[@karrisscott4639]

Love this discussion, thank you! But also, I would love to see a discussion on how far the pendulum has swung and the problems it is causing. I’m an orthopedic nurse and I think our surgeons are doing a good job balancing, but my husband had a horrible experience when he donated half his liver last year. They refused to give him opioids for days. He had only a nerve block (that never worked well the 4 days he had it), one small dose of fentanyl he had to beg for, and oral tylenol (that he immediately vomited) during the first 3 hours following major abdominal surgery. He was in agony, sobbing and becoming psychologically unstable. Then the NP tried to tell me that because his heart rate was less than 100 he knew that his pain wasn’t “actually that bad.” To top it off I couldn’t even stay to comfort him because of a city-wide covid regulation on visiting hours (11-8 which idiotically makes it near impossible for family members to speak with a doctor during rounds). They started toradol, but he didn’t get decent relief until he was able to tolerate orals and take oxy 2 days later. Why oh why oh why would they be ok with oxy 2 days post-op, but not IV narcotics immediately after surgery? I was appalled. We would never treat our orthopedic patients that way- whether they’re having an elective fusion or an ORIF after a trauma, they all get enough opioids to stabilize their pain before leaving the PACU. I only hope he never has to have another surgery because he was so traumatized by this.

[@kaylabryson1932]

This is horrible! My medical environment has the theory that immediate pain and adequate control helps the healing process. We’ve success over and over and patience end up needing less pain med in the long run . B

[@chocojavachip]

I was actually in pain (not chronic pain, but recently acute) when I started watching this...I’d say a 7 out of 10. By the time it was over, my pain level was about a 3! Wow!

[@dant3967]

This is the most enlightening discussion on pain I've ever heard. Well done!

[@nancymueller6206]

After more than 60 years of pain, I’m getting Dr Zoffness’s book.

[@lauraarcher3025]

Thank you both! I was told years ago your mind will overcome the pain but until now I did not realize the power of what I was being told!

[@janeenerbaneener]

I can't wait for the next time she's on!! Excellent podcast. I've had fibromyalgia and Myofascial Pain Syndrome for almost 30 years and wholeheartedly agree with everything said.

[@Golgibaby]

Thank you for having her back to talk about CRPS and fibromyalgia! This was an awesome episode.

[@steveop123]

AS always Awesome show Z great guest great topic great discussion

[@jennibean71]

I have been taking norco for a very long time, but only 1 a day if need to get through my 8-11 hour days on my feet. I decided to to stop taking it even though it was such a small amount but nobody ever offered this kind of solution. I can’t wait to get her book.

[@lindaward5338]

WOW! This explains so much.

[@randolphwilliams2365]

I have been in pain for 40 years. Autoimmune and everything along with it and now severe Covid-19 about 9 weeks ago. I think I have long haul covid-19 now. I've tried to live with the pain.

[@johnm7451]

Physical Therapists do an excellent job helping to manage chronic pain through movement and exercise!

[@k-botvideo3716]

Physical Therapists are miracle workers!! My DPT is an incredible human and I am so happy to see this video on pain management without all the drugs.

[@karenbartley8880]

Tearing up over "I am broken" Thank you for bringing her to us

[@zengirl43]

I love this. I want to share an experience I had back in the late 60's. I'm 78 now. I was at crossroads of my life and was trying to decide whether to move to California or join a commune. For my two week vacation from my job I decided to go to a deserted island off of Falmouth, Ma. I was always curious about what it would be like to be in solitary confinement. What did they go through. I knew it would be different because I would have the ocean and the island instead of a 5' x 5' hole. However, no one to talk to, no ciggs, no pen and paper, no books, no phone. Nothing except what I needed to survive for two weeks. I brought a tent, matches, rice cakes, plums, water, carrots. I dug for clams and steamed them on rocks. My friend dropped me off and we agreed he would pick me up 12 days later. First day was wonderful. Took a walk down the island. A mile long and 1/2 mile wide. The Kennedy's had bought it for a landing strip, but never used it. At the end of the island was an army tank 1/2 buried. The second day the silence was getting to me. Then I started to notice I wasn't thinking complete thoughts. Now I was getting nervous. My mind was running a mile a minute with no complete sentences. On the third day my mind was out of control. I thought I was going crazy, but there was nothing I could do. I had no phone, no way of hailing anybody. There was no one to hail. I was terrified I'd walk into the ocean not knowing I was doing it. It was the most terrifying experience I had every had until I realized my mind was throwing out all information I didn't need living in solitude. So I felt a little less crazy. I went to sleep that night not knowing how I would be in the morning. I was at the mercy of the powers that be and closed my eyes and let go. When I woke up I felt completely different. I was sane but MORE than sane. A feeling I knew I had never felt before. I went for that mile walk and a flock of sparrows went with me. As a unit they flew from one tree to another as I walked past them. The whole mile up and back and then they flew away. When I tell you I was one with the Universe, it is all I can say. My mind was completely blown. Zdogg you wanted to know if it was possible to become the state of mind on LSD, naturally. I can tell you it is. But it is much more, because the difference was the purity of it. When I left the island I tried so hard to hang in there and not let go of the place, that delicate place I was in, but it was too hard. After about 5 days of being bombarded with the noise of the world, it left me. But to this day I can still feel the difference. I too am a firm believer that guided LDS trips should not only be legal but should become a run of the mill choice, like a massage. BTW...I joined the commune!

[@daveogilbee]

Zdogg, soooo glad you had an episode on this. (Physical Therapist here). My organization I previously worked for developed a pilot program for multi-disciplinary team management and treatment of pain (Primary Care, PT, Dietitian, Behavioral Health clinicians to name a few). We used Dr. Zoffness' book as a tool to work with patients. PTs have been in the frontline of this, mostly due to the increased time we get per episode of care with a patient. I too echo the challenges with the model currently in place, but the concept of Biopsychosocial model is key because there are blind spots there besides the old musculoskeletal injuries that they are referred to me for. Other sources I'd suggest: Explain Pain (and vol. 2) by Dave Butler and Lorimer Mosley, Pain Neuroscience Education by Adriaan Louw (and the patient friendly "Why Do I Hurt?"). That was a lot of text, sorry, I'm done.

[@feelgoodfitness82]

Have you been to the san diego pain summit ?

[@daveogilbee]

@@feelgoodfitness82 I've not, but I know there are a lot of domestic and international pain summits taking place now than previously with some very smart neurobiologists who are finding some amazing things with regards to the brain and perception of environmental stimuli.

[@feelgoodfitness82]

@@daveogilbee so glad to hear this and It sounds like you work in an amazing place 💯 I mentioned San Diego cause a lot of your colleagues in physical therapy come to that pain conference . I figured you would enjoy the conference , the tacos( world class) and the environment .

[@leslienurton7634]

Thank you for the references! My mom has chronic pain and has been fighting it for twenty years. I'll be looking into these...

[@mlcarey1000]

Thank you . I can't wait for her next show with you to discuss CRPS. I've had it for 20 yrs. I was the Queen of Catastrophic thinking. The integrative Stanford Pain Clinic appointment was life changing. Desensitization, reoccurring multi joint nerve ablations and Jonathan Haight have provided me a new path to cope with the smugging of my humunculus and hyper algesia. I am ordering her book to continue my PM education.

[@metasin6020]

Top level PTs have been using this model for years. Imagine our frustrations that no one gets any education regarding this prior to their visit. I feel like PTs should be the main provider of this information in the future

[@erepiaddict]

This is great info. Thank you!

[@mikepatyk2719]

I’ve been a chronic pain patient since 2003. Opioids 8 spine surgeries spinal cord stimulator implant and two artificial disc replacement. I know pain and I know serious pain which requires medical care or intervention. After over a dozen surgeries by age 61 I can say everything discussed here is dead on accurate and true. I’ve withdrawn from opioids and recovered from surgeries. As we age we naturally are susceptible to arthritis and some require joint replacements. You can control your pain by noting ordinary aches from something that definitely does not feel normal to your body. Great show. Thank you

[@BilboCameron]

Absolutely phenomenal conversation. Enlightening and so informative!!! Thank you. The "catch it, check it, change it" process of managing one's inner pain voice is simply brilliant. My voice is a parrot 🦜!

[@Margaux.]

Very interesting. Can’t wait to dive into her book and podcast. Loved the video!

[@lesliebrown6045]

Dr Z (both of you) this is the BEST PODCAST! Thank you for taking a deep dive on something that effects all of us.

[@SilverDraco]

This was very interesting and I'll definitely get her book. I've had chronic back pain for over a decade and am on opioids. I feel helpless and like my life is over at 56.

[@ladyfotoartist]

I searched out this talk after hearing the 2nd one. Again I cried because I felt understood and that there is hope after living with chronic pain since I was 16, I'm now 62...

[@mauimarianne]

Got her book, and it is fantastic!!! I recommend it anyone and everyone. She is, as he said, SO WOKE! Z, thank you so much bringing us this amazing gift of a woman!!!!

[@jennibean71]

This was excellent. How intriguing. I feel like I’m listening to male and female ZDoggs.😂 Your thinking and verbiage are so alike. I really enjoyed this and I’m ordering her book.

[@Jencala11]

This is Soo Good! I needed to hear this. Chronic pain has been a part of my life for 10 years... ordering her book asap!!!!

[@bigrottie]

Love her! She has helped me so much. Forever grateful.

[@Mercurychyld1]

Z&Z…both of you are soooo awesome! Thank you for this podcast. God bless you both. ☺️🌹

[@katecompton5103]

I will never miss an opportunity to share this conversation with people. One of my favorite shows in your collection.

[@blameitonben]

Being alone is not unpleasant when I'm outdoors. Inside it is.

[@DanielWSonntag]

Yes! Being in an environment that just keeps triggering inside issues can make that happen!

[@terristripstipsandtalk]

Yes!!! I notice the same!!! Nature is healing.

[@Deba7777]

Currently using her workbook, wow, it's really informative and helpful!

[@ZolaZsun]

YES! spread the truth! \o/ ...

[@gabyramos7722]

HOLY SHEET THIS WAS GENIUS!!! TOTALLY FORWARDING THIS

[@gabyramos7722]

Z I bought her book on pain and I am THRILLED I did. As a therapist and woman it is very important to address mind, body & soul. THANK A BAZILLION for this episode. Ive already run the word and forwarded. Worth every penny! GOD BLESS YA BOTH for the work you do helping pple and taking the BS out of it and giving straight into. 🙏👏🙏👏🤗

[@lilithacacia]

I truly believe that living with chronic pain can and does cause trauma up to the point of dissociation. I have had chronic pain for over a decade, and a very high pain tolerance but when I hit the threshold of pain I do dissociate and feel nothing.

[@lj32920]

I'm a recluse, hardly ever leave my home, because I have PTSD, and am safer or feel safer alone as many vets do. But I like being alone, have always been sort of introverted, don't have radio or television on all the time, don't have friends, am fine by myself, have lots of hobbies. Then came the pandemic and isolation due to being in a vulnerable category. I'd go weeks without ever talking to or even seeing or touching another human being, because I am not geeky at all and also can't talk on the phone. I discovered I am actually a social being. Before, just a few words with a store clerk a couple times a week was sufficient. But when that stopped, I got, eventually, kind of crazy. Especially, my family was afraid of infecting me so never visited. I couldn't hug or touch my kids or grandkids. What an awakening for me. I thought I was fine alone. Actually, I was fine ALMOST alone. Fortunately the pandemic got better in our country, I got vaccinated, and now I can hug my grandkids and did not go totally crazy. But I feel sorry for all the kids, especially little kids, who tried to learn without contact. I feel sorry for the countries still struggling with covid.. And I now know everybody is a social being.

[@mollygallivan1662]

Just to finally hear one educated person disagree with the saying that , Pain isn’t a choice, but suffering is optional.” made it all worthwhile to listen to. As someone who suffers every minute from acute chronic pain, I’ve always considered it rude and dismissive that so many people say it to me. THANK YOU! 🙏🏼

[@SladeOb]

I've been in constant moderate to severe pain since i was 12. Every single second. Mainly back and neck, but no joint has been spared at one point or another. I'm about to be 34. I have tried CBT and i have tried a loooong laundry list of other things. Everytime I don't listen to 'pain voice' I end up with a new injury or exacerbation of an existing problem. So i listen. Occasionally the voice is wrong, but that has been exceedingly rare in my experience. It's still worth interrogating what the voice says, but if you've been in pain long enough, the pain is as much a part of you as anything else and that voice is generally quite accurate.

[@Max-the-doggy]

This was very interesting and eye opening. Can she come back and discuss anxiety and depression?

[@gwillis01]

hello friends I have chronic pelvic pain. I have a not-yet-curable female plumbing dysfunction. I think that [ not yet curable ] sounds more hopeful than incurable. I need all the hope I can get. I feel like someone is hitting me with a hammer all the time. It's really fun when the pain spreads backwards and then upwards to my lower back.

[@prestigegovernmentrelation3024]

Love this take, it reminds me so much of IFS approach to treating pain but with trauma CBT. :)

[@lisawillis3]

Hi! Appreciate your videos and info!

[@rebeccajones9757]

Endometriosis doesn't show on scans, but it causes a lot of pain. Thank you for acknowledging how discouraging it is when doctors assume it is all mental.

[@Deba7777]

Thank you, incredibly helpful. I'm getting her workbook!

[@lindaelarde2692]

Illuminating conversation...tha k you!

[@BlueNaru9]

As a person with chronic pain from multiple factors I loved how you guys covered this very sensitive and complex issue. I have just hit the decade mark with these issues (some of which are still progressing) and was on 5/325 percocet for 7 years before the VA went full steam on yanking this medication from all of us chronic pain patients. They gave us no alternative therapies and it really took away our lives. There is definitely no one size fits all and we must tackle it from the 3 angles you covered. I personally could make 30 day supply of percocet last for 3-6 months by using techniques like CBT and things I knew from my previous career as a massage therapist before I joined the Army but there still are times when I need a medication that works for my body to kind of hit the rest button on the pain dial because the other complementary treatments just aren't getting the pain down enough where it doesn't overwhelm me. I'm realistic I don't need to medicate out of pain but I do need a moments break to let my body rest and recuperate, this breather in my experience allowed complementary and alternative care to be more effective. I really wish that the VA covered a wider variety of complementary and alternative care so we didn't need to rely on pills but could use pharmaceutical care more ethically and efficiently. I can't wait for your follow up video.

[@andycastro9697]

V.S. Ramachandran explains in exquisite detail the idea behind phantom limb pain.

[@bittesys]

These are words of wisdom ❤️

[@vickypatout5361]

So, so great! Can't wait for part 2 so I can hear her recommendations for fibromyalgia. Love these 2 Zs together! Thank you Doctor.

[@spookyencounters9392]

Has there been a part 2 on fibromyalgia yet, did it happen? Can't find it

[@vickypatout5361]

@@spookyencounters9392 never saw one so I'm not sure 😕

[@ckennard73]

Great discussion & information.

[@deniseb2571]

🤯🤯🤯 wow thank you both so much!

[@LilCraftyNook]

That voice is also called “The Saboteur” according to Dr. Susan Pierce Thompson. (relating to dieting and nutrition-our addiction to junk) Just like threats-perceived and real? (Aside-I think the higher the carat the softer the gold.) I’m convinced my pain goes hand in hand with my crazy sleep schedule. (I work nights) This was SO excellent!! Thank you!!

[@gwillis01]

The reason most gold jewelry is 18k or below is that gold is squishy and soft compared to other metals and stones often used in jewelry. It has to be alloyed with something else so that the gold jewelry will not dent or scratch easily.

[@LilCraftyNook]

@@gwillis01 Thanks! That’s what I thought!

[@paulwilson816]

I love you both, thank you so much!! You’ve helped me more than you’ll ever know. I pray you two are blessed beyond belief.

[@omar-fy7cr]

yeah constant pain vs occasional pain.. two very different things.. I wish people could empathize... I've been bullied by family members who just don't understand the personality changes from pain and want to dismiss it... I'm writing this with a migraine and have PTSD which is really tough to deal with

[@shaunnajw]

Dr. Z (or anyone else with a thought-out position), I would love your thoughts on management of acute trauma pain, and how it affects long term healing and future pain experiences. As a Paramedic, I often am first to intervene after traumatic injuries.

[@Hibernia2324]

www.lakeburienpt.com/wp/transcript-the-connection-between-trauma-and-chronic-pain/ I will look for the source, but I also came across the statement that the state of mind, stress level and health a person is in at the time of trauma, dictates whether their pain becomes chronic or not.

[@johnmartin1809]

Great information. Thanks to both of you. I suffer from chronic myofascial pain. It's empowering to know that I have some control over my "pain dial".

[@jsouthall9912]

Dr Schubiner has done a lot of work on this and I think his quote "your pain is real" is really helpful.

[@karenginther6110]

I have chronic pain and to take care of my emotion health (which of course ties into my pain) I don't deal with anything stressful like school, work, problems like the tv not working, dishes needing to be cleaned, etc, after 6pm. I keep a diary, take a bath every evening and keep a routine I can stick to. When I do have a flare I do nothing but the bare minimum like eating, showering, and laundry. I was extremely nervous at the beginning with the word psychology being used because when I first got sick one doctor said I was psychotic and it was hard for me to find a doctor that actually wanted to investigate my health. I was 12. At 22 now, I know that I have chronic pain CNS, fibromyalgia and endometriosis (and something autoimmune. Still investigating.)

[@carl13579]

A transformative view I have taken (a bit different than the elephant) is that my body is like a loyal dog. It simply wants to serve me, but if I don't treat it right, it will still try to serve me, harming itself if necessary to do so. This helps me to do the behavioral changes that are needed, to treat my loyal "dog" right.

[@meeks4756]

Ohhhhhh...RELEVANT! Saved to watch later!

[@Fladydoc]

Fantastic interview

[@fongerh]

What an excellent resource. Look forward to getting the workbook and hearing more from Dr Zoffness.

[@klarity1111]

Attitudes can change when an individual gets stricken with serious chronic pain for themselves. Opioids have been effective long term for me. I do occasional little tapers to help keep the tolerance down. This can be hard to do because of the pain that pops up to torture you, but not doing it means that the meds eventually won't work.

[@MIKELPN]

i have the same chronic left neck pain. ( nurse which i love job trying to get back ) just strained my neck and just turned into a circus scans shows nothing cheating...therapy pill etc just shows athritis and stenosis ...anxiety exacerbates my pain....this classic me..ordering the book. i love the cussing

[@myverycraftylife]

So what do you feel about people with patients who have real nerve and tissue damaged? I’m not saying it’s not both but you do have to treat the real physical pain as well.

[@JanineMKartist]

Yes or when the spine pinches or compresses nerves. But maybe she means it’s out mindset about our pain that affects how pain affects us so to speak. Also stress makes pain worse. There are long hailers who had covid who now suffer with pain due to damage from Inflammation . But this video makes me wonder too if the psychological impact getting sick with covid influences the degree of suffering and pain long haulers experience. It’s a curious question and will be interesting to see what researchers learn about it .

[@myverycraftylife]

@@JanineMKartist oh I’m sure it’s both and I get this was mostly about the psychological side of it. I suffer chronic pain after 7 very long and painful ankle surgeries. I have nerve, tissue and bone damage that definitely isn’t psychological. But I agree when life gets stressful or sucky my pain is worse! I’ve noticed that for a long time.

[@Saitama62181]

I remember Mrs. Beasley! She was a doll on "A Family Affair". Yes, I'm old. lol

[@sherbert8921]

My cats name is Miss Beasley.

[@jennibean71]

Also, Mrs. Beasley is an old doll I had and was also the little girl’s doll on the old TV show Family Affair. Just a fun fact and she looked like a teacher.😂

[@JanineMKartist]

I have been dealing with increasingly worse lower back pain affecting how much substitute teaching I can accept and I took 15 weeks off and went on e.i. I’ve been getting physio and just had an MRI last Friday - waiting for results. I’m in varying degrees of pain and soreness all the time. I’m so tired of it and o hope something can be done for it .

[@jzen1455]

Have you tried CBD?

[@michellew3932]

Ya I’m emotionally scarred from kidney stones, feel like I’m a ticking time bomb and fear ever feeling that again! Might have to get this book.

[@mollytremblay8031]

This is not new information but it is sadly very very slow to make its way into mainstream health care. Prior to my retirement (physical therapy) I worked for more than a decade with Martin Cheatle, PhD in psychology with chronic pain patients. We had an OT in the dept as well. Our program taught all this information. We were able to help many patients but many doctors only sent us patients as a last resort.

[@Hibernia2324]

Bronnie Lennox Thompson is an OT in NZ, I believe, specializing in chronic pain. She also has chronic pain. She writes about the value of OT in pain management. I recall reading that she also gets patients as a last resort.

[@jzen1455]

In what ways does trauma of infant circumcision manifest itself throughout the life of a male?

[@JaneAtwellRobinson1825NY]

And WHY are medical providers doing this to perfectly healthy children who have no religious connection to the procedure? I'm sure no one would DARE come out and say they would circumcise a girl in hospital based on parent preference!

[@jzen1455]

@@JaneAtwellRobinson1825NY In the case of the US, I think it’s a byproduct of profit-driven medicine and vestiges of a culture that stubbornly persists. Americans tend to be slow with cultural change and hold onto the past for too long. Everything needs to be debated from “both sides” ad infinitum as progress moves at a snail’s pace. Then there are monied interests who delude themselves and others that circumcision is a necessary medical procedure. Money is the root of much psychosis and delusion in the world. Money helps people justify things like war, being treated like sh!t, polluting the world, compromising your mind/body/spirit, and circumcision. States in which circumcision is not covered by Medicaid have some of the lowest circumcision rates in the US. This is but one example showing how the profit motive in medicine leads to f@cked up practices to continually be practiced, as people profiting from such procedures will fight tooth and nail to keep the revenue flowing.

[@shawnagannonwalker7243]

Thanks for the helpful discussion! I'm looking forward to hearing more from Rachel Zoffness, especially about fibromyalgia.

[@calirox1613]

Thank you so very much doctors! Makes so much sense! Looking forward to hearing your take on fibromyalgia/centralized pain syndrome, I hope it’s soon! I could listen to you two everyday!!

[@falconcarwash435]

@ZdoggMd. This was great man. I’ve loved your composure, open mindedness and advocacy this last year. This is just another great book on your shelf

[@peled1000]

There was a case here in Israel. ( was showing on TV on Mar-15-2021) A woman with Chronic pain in her hand. No one new what is the source of the pain, decided to Amputate the lower her hand. The pain was gone, and she is happy. The weird thing about it , is that she is a Sheff.

[@honeygoseyney2421]

Im not an expert but just from my experience, it is NOT EASY to use psychology / meditation to help people deal with pain because it takes years and years of knowledge and practice for most people. See, I come from a very spiritual upbringing and I have learn to deal with pain using meditation since a child. And i must say , when i was experiencing pain from arthritis, i meditated a lot and stay positve while trying to change my lifestyle . It also helps that since a child, my parents were anti painkillers and even when i had period pain we were told to exhaust all other natural remedies and NOT depend on painkillers. But see, we are talking about years of training and upbringing of my very spiritual parents teaching me meditation and conditioning me to withstand pain. So today, when i am able to use meditation to help me manage pain, i really thank all the years of conditioning and practice of meditation. But its really not easy to practice because i relapsed so many times and there were points in my life where i was about to give up. See, theory alone, reading a book is not enough. Its years of practice , it is regular therapy. I can understand why there are so many sceptics because until you do it long enough, you wont be able to heal

[@BeingMeRV]

Great episode!!!!!

[@nicoledcarroll]

Thank you for sharing this information. It was excellent ❤

[@sunnyla2835]

This is brilliant! Many thanks 🙏❤️

[@DaveSomething]

the VA is really good at just ripping people off their opiods... I was on long term opiod pain treatment and I followed the prescription exactly, one day they decided I was abusing them and just simply stopped it. luckily I didn't have much as far as withdrawal from the shock, but my pain levels went way the hell up. now I don't really have anything to deal with the chronic pain, when I can't do things I just don't.

[@pat2562]

Every month I steel myself for a pharmacist refusing me. My doctor isn't, but docs can't overrule a pharmacist.

[@wherethewildthingsarenot]

Great content.

[@sherrymeacham7822]

Hey I really got a lot of information from you guys. I could talk all day about this subject. I've suffered from pain for years. Now I've am considered having chronic pain. Been taking opioids off and on for years. I do meditate and have a long talk with my brain.. I learned something new here about pain. I never knew they say part of pain comes from early childhood drama.I think I need to think on this more. Thanks so much you two. .I wish I knew this 25 years ago.

[@TheAdhdGardener]

I knew it from the beginning of the podcast it's all about mindset and attitude😮‍💨. MSer here and you bet your bottom dollar I have severe chronic pain from it.(I have MRIs and had testing done so I know for a FACT I have issues that would def cause physical pain). That being said I also agree that mind body are connected. Before when I was practicing R.N. I'd see this all the time! When I became the patient I def had to learn the hard way its about attitude, self perception and def MINDFULNESS! Pra tice what I preached. Not saying we're not in pain but a negative defeating attitude will make everything worse! Oh yea btw that depression can def hold ya back. Now my life's mission?! Getting people to see that very same thing that I do about it- attitude and self awareness. If you truly have legit pain alright but let's not make the situation worse by not working on ourselves. Do you work out? Mobile? Do you have a hobby? Coping mechanisms in place? Religious/spiritual? Support? A positive mindset? Diet? We can build these up!!! Dammit I wish I was on that podcast from a patient perspective. We'd be having good conversations

[@barbarawarner1442]

Loved you Zs joking around.

[@lisasteiner101]

Every fay I cannot help but wonder if I had not been d/c into the pandemic and isolation if my day to day pain would be this bad.

[@sdjohnston67]

Such an important topic.

[@ronaldjones996]

Good to know about the pain dial! I have low risk for chronic pain bio-psycho-socially. Having practiced medicine for decades I also found the more you like your job, the quicker you get over injuries and pain!

[@jonstein9581]

Thanks Z, west Philly in the house bro Ive had 8 surgeries just on my left leg alone,,18years later I just found out it's time for a knee replacement I fear surgery every time it's like repeating a bad trip!!

[@DocH1405]

I’m already missing both my legs, so adding a “pirate pain voice” can’t possibly hurt. Now I just need to change my prosthetics to peg legs. I think you’re both onto something here...

[@gwillis01]

I often do not want to be alone with my thoughts because I have frequent periods of intense self criticism and self doubt. Sometimes I watch mediocre tv merely to have something to listen to instead of my own negative, self critical thoughts.

[@t.c.s.7724]

God bless you, Gwin. I am also haunted, especially late at night.

[@DJDolmaMaria]

Excellent episode. Completely agree and relate, forceful isolation is so damaging to overall health. Love the message pain is interconnected, and pain pills don’t address root cause. I’ve known this principle for some time, but public has been mis-informed. Thank you, thank you.

[@pixielove2000]

I would love to have her talk about fibro.

[@toddpa-c3826]

Doc Z - was wondering how the MDs are allowing pain Pts to actually suffer because they maybe afraid to Rx opioids. They as well as you say the 90s pain as a 6th sense caused so many ODs but now since Pain Rxs are DOWN 70% yet Over doses that everyone is trying to correlate that ODs are even Higher then ever B4. Yet my Dad with Cancer, been on a successful level of Oxycontin- yet since it was above 2016 Recommendations of max 90mg of morphine a day. - he was cut down to not even live the life he was able to b4

[@jipsees1908]

Very sorry to hear of your father. These cd/c guidelines have hurt so many. You're right prescribing has gone way down but ODs continue to rise!

[@kathybrady4033]

The ODs are due to illegally imported fentanyl.

[@toddpa-c3826]

@@jipsees1908 absolutely so so wrong, even their own hypothesis is thrown out the window- yet making true pain pts suffer. Its time to retract these guidelines and so called peer reviewed studies that where published by PHd’s and some MDs that where not in the specialty of treating pain. Its unreal

[@toddpa-c3826]

The ods are coming from illicit fentanyl and heroine- NOT pain Pts that actually follow the rules, use it ligit, and more so NOT THROWN out on the street from some doctors just stopping over night rxing and no tapers ...

[@toddpa-c3826]

@@kathybrady4033 exactly- not the pain management pt that has been successful on a particular rx and actually being able to function in society.... the suicide rates of pain pts has also sky rocketed due in most part Doctors caring more about their pocket books with pushing Injections or spinal implants..... this falls onto their shoulders just as much as the FDA and DEA...

[@robadkins6541]

I love her. I hope she guest stars more! (And she’s gorgeous) and she’s more than welcome to drop the F-bomb all she likes. (If my opinion matters)

[@deborahd4310]

Years ago I started looking at what my pain felt like and then broke it down into what smaller sensations I was feeling. Such as does it feel hot, does it feel swollen, does it feel achy from being swollen. Things like that but definitely can go beyond that. Anyway once I broke down the pain I could handle it a lot better, at least for me, it was no longer painful. Then I went on the keto diet and after I was in ketosis my pain level was basically almost zero.

[@robertparsons313]

US doctors don't "throw" opioids at your pain anymore. They recommend Tylenol as the magic pill for everything, even broken bones and dental bone graphs.