How to Hack Your Brain When You're in Pain | Amy Baxter | TED

Have we misunderstood pain? Researcher and physician Amy Baxter unravels the symphony of connections that send pain from your body to your brain, explaining practical neuroscience hacks to quickly block those signals. Her groundbreaking research offers alternatives for immediate pain relief -- without the need for addictive opioids. (Followed by a Q&A with TED current affairs curator Whitney Pennington Rodgers)
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[@Tirani2]

I live in chronic nerve pain. The pushback against opiates has gotten so severe that the people who actually need home care with opiates can't get it. I agree there are a lot of techniques that can help manage pain, and I don't personally ever expect to be completely out of pain. I just would like to be in not enough pain that I can get out of bed and get dressed, instead of curled up in a ball wanting to literally die. The fight against opiate addiction has gone too far, and it's now actively harming people who need access to those medications.

[@raysapaw]

AGREED!

[@LL2-Light]

Yes, it is inhumane what the “war on opiates” did to chronic pain patients. I know through a friend who had advanced rheumatoid arthritis as well as personal experience. I’m so sorry that you were caught in the middle of such a gross miss handling of patient care. I hope that you have been able to find a pain clinic or other doctor to help you.❤

[@rubychurch3466]

Absolutely. I’m in the same position as you. My life quality is shocking due to rheumatoid arthritis and several other conditions. But the medical system denies us.

[@mrlovely2008]

I agree! I have 12 herniated discs and my definition of a good day is “I am upright and breathing” - anything beyond that is a bonus! Getting opiates nowadays is downright impossible- my new pain doctor refuses to give me anymore opiates and wants to take me off the rest of my medications because “they are NOT supposed to be taken long term”. This new attitude about chronic pain treatment is beyond ridiculous - over the last ten years I have never doctor shopped or exceeded my prescribed dosage(didn’t even try to get the maximum dosage). I cannot get OxyContin anymore (20 mg 3X/day allowed me to get out of the house regularly) and rarely leave the house anymore because Lortab just doesn’t cut it, which I can’t get anymore either! What Life I have has become that much more challenging!

[@user-rm2rq8fq1l]

If you live in a state that allows medical cannabis, try it !!!!! I have fibromyalgia and was on up to 5 narcotics including fentanyl, OxyContin, and morphine. However, when I tried medical cannabis it was like night and day. Under the narcotics I was in a narcotic coma; when I tried medical cannabis I was more like myself. It does not take away all of the pain but it does help; it also helps with my anxiety, depression, sleep, and appetite all in one product!!!! Can Big Pharma say the same??????

[@ajh3301]

As a chronic pain sufferer for over 30 years I find the delivery here a bit flippant. I have five autoimmune diseases that cause severe inflammation, pain and disfigurement. I’ve had 22 surgeries. Without my pain management, using opioids, I wouldn’t want to live. Managing my pain allows me some quality of life. I agree that it’s unrealistic to think any medication will erase your pain without putting you in a coma and that pharma was highly negligent pushing oxy but let’s not swing all the way to the other side. I also find the mocking of certain truths like “staying ahead of your pain“ to be highly disagreeable. I’d like folks to be able to spend a week in my body and experience what it’s like and then see what they have to say. That said, I’m all for new non medication alternatives.

[@rubychurch3466]

Exactly.

[@meglukes]

Yeah this kinda pissed me off tbh. I want good alternatives but are we really supposed to just accept that ibuprofen is as good as an opioid?

[@lourias]

You got me at "chronic pain sufferer", "a bit flippant ", and "autoimmune disease." Really, suffer is a real experience. I get ya, 100% along the way. I will not even bother listening to this video because the actions of addicts have altered the course real chronic pain sufferers must endure.

[@ThePawsOfDeception]

And more than a little patronising too. This woman (I refuse to call her a doctor because she's not acting like one) is clearly only there to flog her product. This belongs on Dragon's Den, not Ted.

[@Arulane]

Understood. I have a chronic pain condition and if the nature of the pain hadn’t changed and caused me to have to find another response to it, I would be still be where you are. Without the option of surgeries since there was nothing overt to fix. She has some good points but I didn’t like the dismissive attitude either. My pain is now controlled a different way than opiates, since the worst of it doesn’t respond to pain meds at all. But my pain isn’t yours and we got into this problem by treating all pain as being the same. I didn’t think these talks were for pushing products.

[@r8chlletters]

Having opioid pain medication helped me handle my surgical recovery. I didn’t need to take it til I needed to but simply having it on hand meant I had a level of reassurance that was very important for me to get through something excruciatingly painful. I cannot imagine how awful it is for people to suffer chronic pain and have no treatment option today. We shouldn’t allow people to suffer this way and we shouldn’t allow addicts to dictate pain relief for the truly sick and injured who need and deserve pain relief as a patient right. No one is “coaching” patients and no doctor has five minutes to relate anything near what you are describing. Advil isn’t good enough but that’s exactly what people enduring recovery from major surgery are relegated to. I hope one day we have a true solution to pain that is safe and effective regardless of how it works. For now, however, we have drugs and they shouldn’t be withheld just because of a fear of addiction.

[@marks4058]

Thank you, thank you, thank you! I came here to say this and you have articulated it perfectly. I have experienced pain relief being withheld and watched others go through this additional unnecessary trauma. Experiences like that stay with you forever and also destroy trust in the medical establishment. New understanding of pain treatment is fantastic but there is a moral and ethical imperative to accompany that message with a warning not to withhold pain relief from people experiencing acute pain. Unfortunately the hysteria around opioid addiction is causing an incredible amount of harm as a by-product.

[@angierox6964]

There’s never a black or white situation, but having more options and education is going to save a lot of lives. I’ve had two spinal surgeries and live in chronic uncomfortableness, and I know from experience that there are numerous options to control my pain.

[@BuzzyHelps]

Thank you for watching and for sharing your story. Pain is personal, and different for everyone. The point of Dr. Baxter's talk is to advance pain management techniques to reduce opioids in circulation prescribed after surgery and used to address acute pain. As Dr. Baxter said, “Options Give Power Over Pain”. The intention was to shed light on effective underutilized approaches to pain after surgery. Wishing you comfort, Jen for the team

[@DaniHMcV]

Exactly. I have chronic pain from a genetic collagen disorder and if I could control my pain with an Ibuprofen or acetaminophen and live a life with even a semblance of quality at all, I would. My pain is so severe it requires an opioid and I am so tired of doctors and others outside this situation trying to “convince” me I don’t need it or deserve it. Without this pain control I would have taken myself out a decade ago. It’s hard to take the pain I have that my doctor won’t prescribe an adequate amount of opioids for but I’m thankful for what I have because the pain was so much worse before. I’m sorry there are opioid addicts and overdoses that takes people’s lives but that should not be dictating what is right for me and my pain.

[@TheZeplinfan]

AMEN!!! my pain dr. dropped me6 years ago after seeing him for 8 years. It is nothing bgut cruel and inhumane to not give pain meds to people that have relied on them for years to have a somewhat normal existence. ...and they wonder why people look for relief on the streets. I would never do that, given the fentanyl crap going around, but thankfully i have two friends that have relatives or themselves that are still able to get their scrip every month, and they sell some to me.

[@vigneshnr]

This video landed perfectly in my timeline.. Recovering from a surgery. It has empathy written all over it. This is so impactful for many to lead a better life.

[@BuzzyHelps]

Thank you so much for watching! We wish you the best possible recovery.

[@DarkstarAndrew01]

AI algorithms...

[@icejunki]

Hang in there, I hope your recovery goes well.

[@Tonmoy_Sarkar]

​@@BuzzyHelps😮😮😮

[@Daniula02]

Empathy? She's making people laugh after explaining her son's friend death for drug abuse...

[@CconnieJJ]

I am one of those pain patients. Thank you for this. Got tears streaming. Thank you.

[@SunraeSkatimunggr]

This was a great talk. I am 67 and have dealt with pain my entire life. When I was younger, it was from being abused. Older, from stress, PTSD, and poor diet, all undiagnosed. I KNOW I would love opioids, so I have never touched them. I have told my son, that I reserve opioids for when I am ready to die. Every day I learn more about how to deal with this. I wish I had known all this new science when I was younger, but we know what we know and forgive ourselves for what we don't.

[@BuzzyHelps]

Forgiveness is such a good anti-inflammatory

[@mmjlabs]

Ooh, I also recommend to you Building Resilience to Trauma The Trauma and Community Resiliency Models By Elaine Miller-Karas - It's intended for PTSD reversal from wars, violent trauma, etc. and is so useful for uncoupling the autonomic responses to the trauma of pain itself. This is a training book, not self help, but it is very digestible. Not my field but I found it easy to read and understand and apply. Thank you for your kind words.

[@allthelittlebits]

Great Ted talk! We need so much more research into treating pain without medications. I have Fibromyalgia and something I have learned over the years is fear is the key. If you lesson fear, you gain control. Fear steals control. Like part of what you said, if you can switch it from fear to aggravation, that's huge. Our brain is so powerful. But even though it is so powerful, dealing with chronic pain causes brain fog because so many of its resources are being used to "treat" the pain. Thank you for what you do!

[@gorgthesalty]

I honestly wish I could learn to control this fear and anxiety, but it keeps getting the better of me. I have facial trigeminal nerve chronic pain and the problem is that is causes an effect that I feel I have no control over -- feeling nauseous from pain, even lesser pain. I liken it to a person being poked into the same spot over and over and over and over again, until even the slightest touch there translates into pain, fear, anxiety, nausea. Also, things that manifest as headache, earache, and toothache generally make most people miserable. Somehow, head pains feel worse than, say, pain in my toe. Not sure how that works. Whomever can get control over that has A+ in my book, because I think they even become resilient to certain forms of torture. Do you have any methods to lessen your pain?

[@allthelittlebits]

Keeping in mind that everyone is different and different things may work differently for different people. When my pain starts to get the best of me, I remind myself that my pain has nothing to do with danger, it is not a 'warning' pain but a chronic pain. I'm not too close to a stove or am I injured by something I need to get away from. It is an uncomfortable sensation but does not signify danger.. I turn my focus to other things, TV, a book, music, whatever works that day or night. I sometimes do some stretching because for some reason that seems to help some. I sometimes get what I call face aches. I have no idea if this is the same as your pain but my whole or most of my face aches like a toothache. It isn't sinuses or a regular headache but it isn't a migraine either. My wife sewed me up some small pillows, maybe 5 or 6 inches square, she filled them with regular dry rice. If I put one in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, wrap a thin towel around it and then put it where it hurts most on my face, it eases the pain. Just be careful of how hot it is on your skin. If you notice, I haven't said anything alleviates or stops the pain. Nothing does, ever. But, like what has been discussed here, it makes it more comfortable, easier to bear. The biggest thing is to get your brain to realize that you don't need to be afraid. There is no danger that you need to get away from. If you can head in that direction, then it makes it easier to deal with. Good luck. I pray some comfort for you.@@gorgthesalty

[@WhoAteAllTheEggs]

The brain fog is what gets me the most. I used to be a scientist but I ran into chronic neck pain from the bad posture required to work in laminar flow hoods and anaerobic chambers. I followed that mantra "pain is weakness leaving the body" and made the situation worse over the years. I can't think when the pain gets high but drugs do the same thing, so catch 22. Then my vision goes fuzzy. All I am at that point is a cloud of pain, which really triggers the depression and creates a feedback loop. I found TMJ frozen headbands are quite wonderful when cold is in order. Some days heat, some days cold, some days back and forth. BTW I love rice packs! If you ever need a quick one, just put some rice in a clean tube sock, tie it off, and nuke it for a couple minutes. (Don't eat the rice after)

[@BuzzyHelps]

Thank you for watching and for sharing your story.

[@Bluth53]

Best TED Talk in weeks if not months... - and I watch all of them! Thanks for an amazing LifeHack!

[@BuzzyHelps]

You are too kind - thank you! Wishing you comfort, Jen for the team

[@mmjlabs]

Whew! What a lovely breath of fresh air. Thank you!

[@davetoms1]

Brilliant. Thank you, Amy Baxter. As someone who lives with chronic pain, I am extremely thankful for you sharing this vital information. Hopefully Baxter's TED Talk helps bring about real change in the medical world regarding pain treatment and pain management.

[@BuzzyHelps]

Thanks for watching the video. So glad this information helped. Wishing you strength and relief along your wellness journey.

[@PenelopePitstop888]

God I hope so.

[@shakeyj4523]

Here's the thing. They said pain meds were the miracle, and they lied to us. How do we know that she isn't doing the same to sell her "vibration" bee?

[@davetoms1]

@@shakeyj4523 no one lied. Opiates *are* a miracle specifically with respect to treating severe pain. Leg blown off in war? Inject me with opiates. The unintended consequences were just that: unintended and largely unknown for a while. When it comes to science we never need to _trust_ scientists, because we demand their data be made transparent, for other people to repeat the experiments to confirm the conclusions are legitimate (which is the bare minimum required for science) and then base our decisions on evidence. If a scientist lies, any other scientist (or even you!) can come up with an experiment that, if built well, can attempt to disprove their explanations. It's not about believing or trusting. It's about understanding. If her vibrating product doesn't work, others will demonstrate that fact. And if no one tries to replicate the findings then it's not a legitimate scientific fact.

[@BuzzyHelps]

Amy Baxter here,@@shakeyj4523 . Mmmmm maybe because I very intentionally didn't mention the devices I actually make a profit on? Buzzy is a money loser I keep making reusable, with no disposable "Gillette" model. I neither quit practicing nor took investment for it because greedy capitalists would have hurt children with cancer or diabetes. Even that mention I only added after the TED people asked me to "talk about the bee". The items that could be profitable I refused to mention. We've spent 4 months on our site making resources available for people with pain or opioid use. And, perhaps, because no one ever died from a vibrating pain relieving bee.

[@jackrice2770]

I've lived (if you can call it living) with Chronic Myalgic Encephalitis (Yanks call it 'fibromyalgia') for thirty years and this charming lady is talking about acute pain, which to a person with chronic pain is like a shrink talking about depression to someone who is suicidal. And since there are tens of millions of people living with CME, I think we'd appreciate someone who was a little less entertaining and little more inclined to research what's destroyed our lives, instead of 'owies' from an injection or acute pain from surgery. I will say this about chronic pain....injections, venipuncture, and other unpleasant medical procedures are insignificant now. Yes, when I stub a toe or hit my thumb with the proverbial hammer it hurts like a M-F, but I have very little emotional reaction, since it's only a temporary amplification of what is a permanent state of being. Welcome to my world.

[@BuzzyHelps]

Thank you for watching and for sharing your story. Pain is personal, and different for everyone. The point of Dr. Baxter's talk is to advance pain management techniques to reduce opioids in circulation prescribed after surgery and used to address acute pain. As Dr. Baxter said, “Options Give Power Over Pain”. The intention was to shed light on effective underutilized approaches to pain after surgery. Wishing you comfort, Jen for the team

[@nicolemarieb.7044]

I have fibro and other nerve pain syndromes. Mind-body techniques have helped me a lot to reduce the pain. It's not a cure though, more like a constant management because our nervous systems are more "spicy" than people without chronic pain

[@BuzzyHelps]

Thanks for the perspective,@@nicolemarieb.7044 - this is exactly the frustration - for pain, there rarely is a cure, it's a management marathon. But if we don't expect a cure, but a balance of better days and accomplishing what we love, it's a win. My chronic pain is all from accidents, and sometimes is exhausting, but I'm sure no where as consuming as from a constant internal attack. That said, don't neglect oral magnesium, topical 10% menthol, turmeric, and other inflammatory modulators that can help!

[@philurbaniak1811]

👍👍100% agree that "more comfortable" is a worthy goal! I will probably never experience another pain free day; if I gave up on "more comfortable" I would only have "never comfortable" to fall back on 🤷🏼‍♀️

[@girlsrnotwimps]

I have been dealing with intractable pain for 28 years, sometimes being bedridden. I’ve learned on my own how to deal with my pain. It’s interesting that I often will sit and jiggle my leg/legs and/or arm(s) to help myself feel better and I will often go sit outside in the winter (bundled appropriately, of course) in the ungodly cold and jiggle both legs with my forearms resting on them (or with my elbows resting on my knees, my head on my hands) so my whole body vibrates as I breathe in and meditate. I can alternate the pattern of the jiggling as much as I want to reach any part of my body. It helps more than any pill has. Distraction, focus, grounding-so many other things you wouldn’t expect-have wound up helping. I’ve also recently had stellate ganglion blocks (spinal) for ptsd with pain (they do not work for everyone nor are they covered by insurance for everyone either). I do find medical marijuana helps as well. I know some can’t do that, but I was so anti before I started. Now I think I’d have died if I didn’t agree because I was at my breaking point and couldn’t take being bedridden anymore. It added extra pain on top because I couldn’t move. Having the edge taken away helped me move which helped me jiggle which helped me move…lol And finding something-anything-to laugh about has been beyond helpful. I change my perspective whenever I can! I ask others to help me find a different perspective on something if I’m unable to do so. (Not someone who tells me to just get over it. We’ve parted ways long ago.) It helps tremendously. Just keep going. Please. The depression on top is like being kicked over and over when you’re down. It’s- there’s nothing that can describe what it is. So now you’ll need to address the issue of depression as well because chronic pain causes depression and depression can cause/increase pain. But do address it with your doctor. All the people saying they’ve “been depressed” don’t understand depression. Depression is a chemical response in your brain. Being sad or down isn’t the same as having depression-which is a medical condition that affects your brain in insidious ways. In your ability to think clearly, in the way you care for and carry your body, in your relationships, your school or job, your quality of life, and even possibly, your life. It’s a serious health concern. Please take it as such. You matter. ❤

[@BuzzyHelps]

Thank you for watching and for sharing your story. You have developed a plan that works for you and that is quite empowering!

[@mmjlabs]

I'm sure you're activating a number of helpful physiologic and neuroscience pathways. Sounds sort of like a whole body vibration frequency, which has great data too. Jean-Marie Charcot was a neurologist in the mid 1800’s. He noticed that when his Parkinsons patients would come to appointments, they did better when they traveled by carriage from far away - bumpity bumpity bump - and he saw them upon arrival instead of the next day. It turns out that low frequency, irregular vibration can change the threshold of nerves to fire, which is now being studied at Stanford for re-training the brain to reduce Parkinson symptoms. His student Gilles de Tourette made a vibrating helmet for migraines - turned out, um, not so much. Vibration fell from magic cure into disrepute, until the mid-50s. there was a brief flirtation with a vibrating bed to improve pain and bone healing. It did work, but no further work was done. Perhaps it was the growing age of pharmaceuticals, or just that scientists are terrified of supporting an embarrassing solution. I can imagine the difficulty of pitching a vibrating bed to your phd committee. In the early 80’s a Swedish graduate student, perhaps not warned against embarrassing science, found that vibration helped back pain more than electrical stimulation. Importantly, he published the vibration parameters he used that worked. Unfortunately, various follow up studies - which didn’t mention amplitude, frequency, or torque orientation, so undoubtedly weren't using the right physics, didn’t work.

[@Nachiketa25]

Oh, this talk was so educational as well as entertaining. Loved it. “What you feel is mostly what you expect to feel.” Brilliant!

[@BuzzyHelps]

Thanks for watching!

[@1leadvocal]

Yeah. I always love it when someone who doesn't have chronic pain tells us all about how to ignore pain. (near fatal accident survivor)

[@BuzzyHelps]

So glad you're a survivor! Believe it or not, Amy has had at least 2 near-death accidents.

[@mmjlabs]

I wrote about it in other responses, but TBH my rotator cuff tears were more a source of "grind you down/I'm not me anymore" pain than either time I broke my neck. If you're not trying magnesium and 10 minutes a day of elevated heartrate to get your BDNF up, I guarantee you can feel more comfortable.

[@ashafenn]

Here i have been writing poetry and prose about being content within agony, thinking it was this spiritual journey and what i was doing was hacking my brain like a professional without realizing it. Thank you.

[@BuzzyHelps]

Where can we follow you to read your poetry and prose? Thank you for watching!

[@TheZeplinfan]

I had a doctor tell me 30 years ago that if I was a horse, they'd take me out back and shoot me my back is so bad. add to that it is a degenerative issue and only gets worse with every passing day. but me, who's been denied disability 3 times when i applies over decade ago, is denied any relief at all. i had a pain dr. for 8 years that provided enough meds for me to be able to function halfway and not be in absolute misery 24/7. he dropped me 6 years ago because a pee test showed a trace amount of weed in my system. how dare i go to an indoor concert 3 days before my appointment. so no new pain dr. will even consider taking me on as a patient, and primary care dr. refuse to prescribe any pain meds. so I'm f-cked. It's nothing less than inhumane and cruel to withhold pain meds from chronic severe long-term pain sufferers. period...and they plain don't give a FK.

[@carolynrosser1574]

I have suffered from chronic pain most of my 69 years, the only thing that has ever helped was learning about the true source - the brain NOT the body. Understanding leads to control, reliance on pills just helps the pharmaceutical companies. This is a GREAT explanation! Thank you, I hope more people enduring chronic pain would follow your advice.

[@BuzzyHelps]

Thank you for watching and for sharing! Sorry you have had so much pain. You already know this: All sensation happens in the brain. All pain is conducted on the same pain nerves. Understanding this may help us treat pain more effectively.

[@Rob_TheOne]

Pain is resistance to feeling emotion. All suffering is resistance to the present moment.

[@FlatTireForHire]

This is so much of the information I’ve been needing. Doctors and pain patients alike need to see this.

[@BuzzyHelps]

Thanks for watching!

[@McMomfaceplustwo]

I have CRPS and while this seems great for acute and expected pain situations, I can only go through so much of life essentially distracting my brain with sensations and thoughts. I had untreated pain that likely lead to the chronic intense pain. I do believe this is helpful and has a place, but the huge pendulum swing away from reasonable pain treatment with meds is also harmful.

[@luged]

Thing is, opiods have limited evidence for chronic pain management, and they have a high addiction rate. Many other pain management drugs exist, though they all have risks. You and a doctor need to evaluate the risks and the rewards and decide what is worth the risk. Generally, opioids are proven to work for short term pain management with a significant risk of addiction. Past short term, some combination of chronic pain management drugs and non-drug treatments are found, generally, to be most effective with reduced risks. I have chronic pain in my ankles and my shoulder from previous injuries. The most effective way I have found to manage the pain is celebrex (or other NSAIDs) and distraction (keeping to busy to focus on the pain) with acetaminophen as needed when distraction doesn't work (like if I over exert myself by running to much) . That's not to say my method is perfect (NSAIDs carry risk, so does acetaminophen, ignoring pain carries risks too) but that pain management needs to be individualized, and you need to experiment (with your doctor's advice and approval). Zero pain also shouldn't be a goal, managed pain where the level is okay with you personally should be the goal. I hope you find relief from your pain, and I hope you find that balance between risks and reward that we all are searching for.

[@patientzero5685]

I have a friend who was diagnosed with CRPS after a leg fracture in her early teens. I had total foot reconstruction around the same age due to suddenly developing club feet as a 13/14 year old. Despite multiple visits back to my surgeon with complaints of swelling, redness, intense pain, etc, he put in my chart at every visit that I healed perfectly. My friend believes it’s CRPS but I’m nearly 50 now and figure I’ll never know. Ice and cold are my friend now but for years I just had Raynauds and cold was intensely painful.

[@mmjlabs]

We've had children with CRPS place the cold/vibration proximal to extremities and get relief, which must be some kind of gate control override mechanistically (or they have huge placebo effects). Placing directly, of course, would be excruciating. I'm hoping someone studies this more thoroughly but you can probably approximate the concept with stuff you have (freeze a baggie flat with 2 Tbs water, for example and ace wrap proximally with some vibrating thing) and see if it helps any.

[@patientzero5685]

@@mmjlabs I have neuropathy and myopathy of unknown origin. I get severe pain in my lower legs where I cannot hold still or sleep. I have an oscillating car buffer with a foam lambs wool cover and that works great to alleviate pain. I wiggle or rock my legs and sometimes put them in a bucket of cold water - or my favorite is going into a cold creek up to my thighs - especially in the winter. Gabapentin has helped me a lot but the vibration from the car buffer and ice water is the best!

[@BuzzyHelps]

@@patientzero5685 Amy here - thank you for sharing! Have you also tried magnesium? Many chronic pain patients are deficient, and it's an all-around and specific nerve anti-inflammatory. If skin surface is hypersensitive, the 8% capsaicin patches (prescription) may be worth a try?

[@murphygreen8484]

This talk honestly brought tears to my eyes. I am not in chronic pain, but my wife is. After just binge watching Painkiller, this is a must watch

[@BuzzyHelps]

Thank you for watching. We're sorry your wife is in pain. "Painkiller" was quite compelling and challenging to watch - but so important for people to know how devastating the opioid crisis has been.

[@raysapaw]

I'm from the UK. What is "Painkiller" please?

[@lisemartino1995]

I suffer from a chronic pain condition. But I’m also a doula, so I also have an profound understanding of the difference between pain versus suffering; the human body has its own pain relieving hormones, neo-endorphins. Gate theory methods, such as TENS, (and Buzzy) work really well in these situations; many pharmaceuticals actually inhibit the body’s natural pain response hormones. Opioids are equally only short term options; not necessarily because they are “addictive” in their own right, but because their impact on pain diminishes over time and use. Unfortunately, gate theory options don’t really work for chronic and prolonged pain - it’s not about cost, addiction, tolerance or acceptance. I don’t strive to be pain free, but pain management in order to be able to function and do my job.

[@Rob_TheOne]

You can be pain "free," but it's more acceptance of the pain. Give it a hug you may be so surprised. It's here to teach you something. The suffering is resistance to the present moment. You're looking for Spirit... look inside and you'll find everything you need

[@ronnalinzenmeyer5859]

I have had severe nerve pain for six weeks due to a fall. I have been refused proper pain management and have actually become suicidal at times. I would rather be dependent on opiates than live like this

[@lauraon]

I’m so sorry to hear that and truly hope you get relief. Denying pain medication to those who need it inhumane.

[@fairydogmother2752]

I would have liked her to address back pain from spinal degenerative disease, if we're supposed to stop or continue the gardening for example, when we're stiff, inflamed and really hurting do we stop or carry on? because obviously we don't want to cause more damage.

[@BuzzyHelps]

Next TED Talk? I'll ask Amy to share any insights here. Jen for the team

[@derekyosi]

She mentioned some people with chronic pain still require pain medication

[@yukonjack.]

I've been on that roller coaster since 2010 started with a bulging disc then it herniated which required surgery, by 2015 the degenerative spine turned to instability but I continued to carry on @ only 49yrs old,, and take one for the team so to speak, but it was hard to carry on or even walk for that Matter, I also exhausted all my options therapy, injections, ect and after multiple opinions I had spinal fusion, yet it didn't fix the problem long-term and I was forced to retire early, fast forward to 2020 and I had my 2nd fusion only a longer one this time and I'm still not right I'm sure my upcoming MRI will confirm I need a 3rd surgery but I don't want too even though I can't feel my feet among other problems, meanwhile those experts in the medical field cut off my pain meds several years ago (that we're working btw) and I was functioning fine for the many years I was on them along with a stack of documented medical files to backup my pain claims, it ultimately doesn't matter because too many Americans lack the willpower to police themselves and overdosed. So the FDA s solution it's just cut EVERYBODY OFF, and get a speaker to tell you that it's all in your head, but honestly if it gets much worse maybe I'll just quit the game and check out too before I hit 60, after all I'm sure the suicide rate is less than the overdose rate when you crunch the numbers so what's the big loss right? It's all a numbers game to the powers-that-be. Meanwhile all the sheep are force-fed the notion they need a government-sponsored covid shot along with boosters and forced to wear contaminated face diapers, instead of telling Americans to just stop eating junk food and take vitamin D and zinc to boost your own body's immune system but we all know big pharma doesn't get rich that way it's all about the money. How stupid have we become, answer just look at our own president😴 the biggest Pusher of them all allowing open borders and fentanyl to come rushing in like the sea... Dum dum de DUMB. Common sense just isn't too common anymore!! Butt what do I know? I just graduated from the School of hard knocks.🇺🇲✌️

[@RampinRabit]

I was just about to ask this same question. I have scoliosis and it's really painful doing the smallest of tasks. Hope somebody from ted can answer your question as I'd like to know too.

[@PazLeBon]

@@derekyosi of course tey do. this is just silly imo

[@maggieriley1372]

I hurt to the point I am exhausted everyday. I don’t use opioids but have chronic pain. Kiss my butt with this. I work I have family I don’t have good health insurance. The thing that gets me is she is negating the very real pain someone is in.

[@BuzzyHelps]

Thank you for watching and for sharing your story. Pain is personal, and different for everyone. The point of Dr. Baxter's talk is to advance pain management techniques to reduce opioids in circulation prescribed after surgery and used to address acute pain. As Dr. Baxter said, “Options Give Power Over Pain”. The intention was to shed light on effective underutilized approaches to pain after surgery. Wishing you comfort, Jen for the team

[@missy1806]

Very interesting to watch from someone who suffers chronic back pain. I totally agree it's a survival method to let us know that something is wrong with a certain area of the body, though sadly that area isn't always found. I hope the work you're doing changes the medical field so opioid use is decreased or not needed and perhaps find a way to stop or decrease the pain signals sent through the nerves. Good luck with Duo Therm and thanks for appearing on TED.

[@BuzzyHelps]

Thanks for watching! Sorry you have chronic back pain, hope you are finding interventions that give you comfort.

[@missy1806]

@@BuzzyHelps Thanks for your kind words, but sadly haven't found anything yet that has helped, after all the scans, different specialists and doctor's, physio & chiro's I've seen plus 2 trial stimulators and it's resorted to me constantly having to take pain medication which I hate doing. I'm hoping one day I'll find something that works.

[@Rob_TheOne]

Pain is caused my resistance to emotions and trauma. All suffering is a resistance to the present moment

[@mem1701movies]

@@Rob_TheOnethat’s pseudo intellectual Mumbo jumbo

[@clive0956]

Really good and helpful, thanks. I've endured pain for 44 years and have been battling to get to grips with it in all that time. Your talk will help to unravel the problem and enable me to understand it better. Thank you.

[@BuzzyHelps]

Thanks for watching - we wish you good luck exploring and finding what works for you.

[@faithhansen9565]

Thank you for this! Need to get some of these for my treatments.

[@djn1822]

I’m an Osteoapthic Physician and practice Hospital Medicine. I’m the Pain Committee Subchair on pharmaceutical and therapeutic modification and organizing a corporate order set. All this I learned in my osteopathic manual medicine and osteopathic principles and philosophy classes. If you can understand systems and their relationships, it’s much better for the treatment of patients, especially pain.

[@mmjlabs]

So true! I don't know if the studies that evaluated our pain training looked at DO schools... SMH if not. Or maybe they had a point to make and the superior DO pain education (from what you describe) would have thrown off their hypothesis?

[@user-ti6ts4fg9y]

Most helpful. Thanks much!!

[@fauxjaux]

I want to try this! I am getting bilateral knee replacements next week! I wish I had seen this sooner, BRAVO! BRAVO! You are an inspiration.

[@BuzzyHelps]

Good luck with your new knees! Thank you for watching.

[@amye1642]

What an incredible resource! Grateful for her and this vid

[@shweppes742]

Such a great talk-content wise but also in delivery!

[@markedis5902]

What about long term chronic pain? I’ve had 3 pain free days since 2016.

[@luged]

A combination of therapy, Ling term pain management drugs, and accepting the goal isn't "pain free" but "managed pain below the level where I am unable to be me" is what appears to be the scientific goal in most cases. Must people aren't risky pain free, they just have learned to live with certain pain, either by limiting motion, ignoring it sll together (if mild enough), using drugs (often OTC), or (most likely) a combination not all 3.

[@davidholaday2817]

There is a guy called Wim Hof. You should check him out.

[@dr.gregtalley4049]

Great info Dr. Baxter!! As a chiropractor I totally agree with your "prescription". Thank you for providing this valuable information.!!

[@BuzzyHelps]

Thanks for watching, Dr. Talley!

[@mmjlabs]

Functional chiros absolutely get that movement is medicine, and have for decades. Now we know enough bioscience and neuroscience to know WHY.

[@shield_maiden_]

Loved this talk! Interesting subject engaging for everyone, not too long, and delivered in a clear way with some funny bits. She was great!

[@BuzzyHelps]

Thanks for watching the video and so glad you enjoyed it and found it engaging!

[@mmjlabs]

My son studied philosophy and clowning - he helped with the jokes!

[@susmateja]

Great talk indeed!

[@blacksheepensemble]

Great talk-practical, useful, funny, smart.

[@BuzzyHelps]

Thanks for watching!

[@Dohyin_]

I love this😊 As someone who gets scared alot I overthink things to the point that my body starts reacting to it. But now ill choose to calm down and ignore it

[@BuzzyHelps]

Thanks for watching! Having a plan for how you'll deal with pain is very empowering.

[@kaceykelly7222]

So impressed with this presentation!

[@maartenhappel9014]

Wish I had seen this years ago! Would have been a GREAT help! THNX!!!

[@cherylannebarillartist7453]

Sharing this on my social media! What important information!!! Amy Baxter: if you ever have the opportunity to canvas against the way opioids are ALLOWED to be prescribed, I know you’ll jump on it! I had surgery a few years ago. I REFUSED the meds (I planned to and did manage my pain with ibuprofen and mindset… ) BUT the dr INSISTED I take the meds home with me “in case”. I said no thank you, and they still sent me home with 10!!!!!! After my recovery, I returned them to the pharmacy. Yes, I counted them to be sure no one in my household had decided to try anything, they were all there.

[@BuzzyHelps]

Thank you so much for watching our video and sharing with others. We all know someone who can benefit from know about options and learning how to take control of their health. Bravo to you for choosing to return those meds. If more people took this action, there would be fewer circulating among those who truly don't need them & shouldn't have them.

[@mmjlabs]

I am baffled that no one has put me in charge yet, but yup @cherylannebarillartist7453 if they do I'm ON IT

[@doricetimko5403]

Pharmacies do not accept returns. They will destroy discarded meds

[@lfcbpro]

Breathing is unbelievable pain control, along with definite concentration on mind over matter. With a huge tooth abscess, for 8 hours I practiced this, and although I was in pain, it did help enormously.

[@mmjlabs]

So true! Autonomic control and using your parasympathetic/diaphragm breathing to convince your brain you're safe lowers pain in lots of ways. Great advice, I should have mentioned it more.

[@shoshannafachima1306]

Bravo! Excellent talk

[@7of9.]

You were so great! Wonderful speech

[@BuzzyHelps]

Thank you for watching!

[@louiscervantez1639]

I needed this today - thanks

[@dolphinschild62]

Thank you Ms Baxter, I have done icing, and vibration but not together. I had emergency Appendectomy and I asked for Ibuprofen for my pain, they said no, it would thin my blood, then shot me up with a blood thinner 15 mins later and gave me Dilaudid for my pain. After surgery they over dosed me. I hope you get them all educated. Thank you so much. Love and blessings.

[@georgiedodson2064]

I have shared this with my chronic pain support group and several other support groups. This makes a lot of sense, I find my purring cat when cuddled up to her helps calm & relax me therefore reduce pain, also doing something to divert ourselves can also reduce pain.

[@BuzzyHelps]

Thank you for watching and for sharing with your peers. Cuddling with a purring kitty cat sounds like a great way to focus on something besides pain. ;)

[@Vugen18]

the Egyptians knew that too

[@mmjlabs]

I've heard the cat purr is around 150Hz, getting up to the 180! There is clearly lots to evaluate and learn here.

[@brendamartinez6955]

Brilliant. Thank you,

[@lynnrolaf7422]

Thank you!

[@Kaotiqua]

Achieving "comfortable" for short term, manageable pain issues is one thing. When you're dealing with chronic pain, getting the pain down to a "tolerable" level is often the best that you can do, but in my personal experience, it's the endless, low-grade pain that's "tolerable" but _constant_ that really erodes one emotionally. If there are means to reduce those pains to something that approaches a normal pain-free state at least some of the time, then that can go a long way toward reducing depression and exhaustion of chronic pain sufferers.

[@medic4christ]

Fascinating and challenging. As a doctor of 18 years, I’m grateful to see we are having better, more holistic research into pain. As it happens I’m also recovering from a fracture involving the rotator cuff (shoulder) region. All told this is extremely helpful to understand pain and how we can approach it better. But as many have pointed out, controlling pain won’t remove my fracture, or heal someone’s chronic autoimmune disease etc. being pain-free cannot disminish the severity or seriousness of ongoing conditions. For acute pain, this is fantastic - my 6 year old daughter recently needed stitches after a fall, and had to be sedated because she was so scared. Having options like those mentioned to calm her and help her would have been helpful! Have ordered one of the devices to see if it will help my shoulder, and try it for first aid purposes. We still have more questions than answers - would having better pain control without being sedated by medication alter our views on Euthanasia? Will doctors in places like the US be willing to advise options that perhaps reduce their income? Only time will tell

[@changyone]

such a breakthrough even though we know this for all along onnly never really researched, tested and implemented

[@BuzzyHelps]

Thank you for watching! Paraphrasing a rather cynical joke here, "even if we found a cure for death, the system would not adopt it for 10 years."

[@timkiemdautu]

Great, I really like this show, I love you guys

[@Mira3441]

Awesome! Thanks!

[@KennyMkay88]

Very cool Ted talk Im going to give lower back pain a different view now and how to treat it

[@MountainTopher]

This is amazing. I hope she solves addiction too

[@fiducious]

The best TED Talks ever!!!

[@BuzzyHelps]

Thanks for watching!

[@beverlycrowbars6465]

Fascinating. Especially the part about vibration. Sometimes I have what I can only call a “quivering” sensation just under the skin but only in places where my skin is pressing against a hard surface. I wonder if it’s an indication that nerve endings have been damaged in some way & the quivering vibration is the body’s way of masking nerve pain? Does anyone have any thoughts on this?

[@BuzzyHelps]

Thanks for asking! Neuropathies, post herpetic neuralgia (shingles) and other situations where the nerve damage is causing the pain are not likely to benefit from Pain Care Labs' products. Because the devices are activating touch sensations to override normally transmitted pain nerves, when the nerves are damaged this mechanism isn't likely to be effective.

[@KBoss19]

I've been using buzzy for five years for blood donations (put it in the front of your arm pit "between the brain and the pain"). My mom is disabled from rheumatoid arthritis and she can avoid taking her non opioid pain meds sometimes because applying buzzy right where it hurts takes the edge off. I'm currently trying to get the dental office I work at to start using it for injections. My boss did a notoriously uncomfortable infection on me while I had buzzy on my cheek. I felt absolutely nothing... Not even pressure! This thing is amazing

[@safaiaryu12]

Oh man. I had dental injections yesterday that were so bad I thought I'd rather die than go through that again. And unfortunately I've dealt with a LOT of injections throughout my life. Would love to see this implemented!!

[@BuzzyHelps]

Thank you for using Buzzy and for sharing all the different ways you (and your mom!) use it. And thank you for being a blood donor! The FDA just cleared Buzzy specifically for dental injections, so we're hopeful that more dentists will offer it with procedures. Wishing you continued good health. Jen for the Pain Care Labs team

[@mmjlabs]

Cool! Thank you for sharing! We just got FDA indications for dental injections, actually. When I had a molar pulled, oh, a decade ago when I was experimenting with frequencies, I wanted to do a split-mouth N of 1 trial to see if one helped. Unbenownst to me, the oral surgeon totaly messed up my cross over trial and shot my "buzzy side" palate injection in twice as fast as the non-Buzzy side. He said, "well, I guess it works, cause that should have sent you through the roof". What a jerk.

[@safaiaryu12]

@@mmjlabs 😱😱😱

[@KBoss19]

@@mmjlabs I'm sorry you had such a bad experience at the dentist. Could you send me some info on the FDA clearance? It would go a long way toward convincing the higher ups to adopt Buzzy. The company I work at has 60 locations so I'd love to see this widely implemented. It's made such a difference in my life in the last 5 years. (I found you through Dr Damania)

[@christinebravomom5711]

I know a woman whose doctor took her TENS unit because it had only lowered her pain from an 8 to a 2. She had been happy with the success of the unit and was devastated at losing it.

[@jaybingham3711]

This was (mostly) a trainwreck. Absolutely agree, though, that pusuit of becoming pain-free is not necessary nor reasonable. That is easily understood by recognizing that there are people who can't feel pain...a condition known as CIPA. For such people, they have not won the lottery. Rather than leading great lives, these people are in constant danger. It doesn't take great insight to understand and know that achieving a pain-free state isn't an objective worth having. As for what the video fails with, there are several things. But the biggest misstep was a conflation that pain is a known subject matter and that it is a singular thing. That is decidedly not where modern medical science currently operates from. And the world's leading experts in pain certainly don't support such a contention. All the case examples discussed in this video were about issues related to acute pain. Treatments for acute pain are notoriously ineffectual when tried as modalities for treating chronic pain. By not broaching this distinction, the speaker left listeners in a position to come away drawing improper conclusions. That is a disservice. Not only for the listener. But probably more so for a listener's disposition as it might relate to a loved one's pain. "Science says all you need is some distraction whether by a vibrator or solving a challenging problem." No. Again, medical science has not arrived at that point. Pain is still a very challenging medical conundrum. One expert suggests pain is currently at a point of understanding similar to cancer before it was determined our perspective was way off base. It used to believed that cancer was a singular disease. Then modern science made the huge discovery that it was in fact multiple diseases. Cancers. All different and requiring different approaches of treatment. Until pain research achieves a breakthrough, it will be clamoring for its' cancers moment. With that understanding, you are now better equipped to help yourself and those around you when matters of pain are in play.

[@BuzzyHelps]

Thanks for watching. Pain is personal, and different for everyone. It takes multiple interventions to manage pain, that's part of what Amy emphasizes. The point of Amy's talk is to advance pain management techniques to reduce opioids in circulation prescribed after surgery and used to address acute pain. The intention was to shed light on effective underutilized approaches to pain after surgery.

[@jaybingham3711]

@@BuzzyHelps I am comfortable with believing Amy meant well. It's just the conveyance of the information she provided was done without sufficient nor necessary context. In fact, every medical ailment is personal. Pain is no different. That's an important aspect that wasn't (but should have been) incorporated into the presentation. There hopefully will be a time that we move substantially toward personalized medicine. Once that becomes common, it will undoubtedly be wondered how it was that people ever got better under the scatter shot regime we make use of today.

[@divinefeminineessence]

Ive been suffering for the last 6 years and I have been under medicated since day 1 . To watch this woman who’s probably never spent a day in the kind of pain I go through speak so confidently about a subject she knows nothing about is sickening . Not everyone needs opioids, however to give them like candy to everyone and then now restrict them from those who need them is backwards.

[@gorgthesalty]

I will agree with this as well, assuming it is true. Person who wants to teach others how to control pain must've spent at least 2-3 months in continuous chronic pain, and I'm not talking pain in their toe -- let's say toothaches that no one can fix (not even if they take out the tooth), because it's nerve pain. Or a constant headache that won't go away regardless of NSAIDs one stuffs into themselves. Or perhaps an earache that radiates into half your skull, while ENTs are telling there is nothing there to fix. Stuff like that. When they have experienced a prolonged pain, not knowing it it will ever end, for at least a few months, perhaps they can get a proper perspective on pain. Truth is, some people ARE overmedicated. Some are undermedicated. The solution isn't to go from dolling out codones like candy to now not wanting to give them in any number even for significant pain. The solution is moderation, not a knee-jerk reaction.

[@divinefeminineessence]

@@gorgthesalty this 💯

[@anb2526]

Agreed. She’s indiscriminately talking about different kinds of pain as if they were comparable. I’m always skeptical when people do these talks about managing pain but my mind was open. Until she used her hot tea example as a good illustration of ways to manage chronic low-back pain. That really made me not take her entire talk seriously. Acute pain from an injury like the hot water on the ankle isn’t the same as debilitating, complex, chronic pain that drains you out of your mental and physical energy every second without knowing when it’s going to end.

[@mmjlabs]

One of our primary goals was to make it clear that it's the acute pain circulating opioids that are the scourge, not people managed on chronic opioids. That said - I've broken my spine once, my neck twice, I know how how having your ET Tube suctioned while you're awake feels (and Buzzy really helps that, actually). I've broken ribs twice, leg once, but the two most chronic painful things have been the rotator cuff biceps, labrum, and supraspinatus tears, impingement, and the periodic spasming of my neck that lasts for days. I understand when "pain wakes and exhausts you every day" and you don't know if you will ever do the things you love to do again that make you "you". I know hacks for chronic and acute pain, and I know they work for ME, but we're all different. I also believe without knowing that sickle cell, Ehlers danlos, and fibromyalgia/long covid would be harder to cope with... but I also do KNOW that we can all be more comfortable. I hope you feel better.

[@mmjlabs]

​@@anb2526 so true! the coffee example was a "you can practice dealing with pain" example - there are LOTS of acute on chronic pain situations where I'll use different techniques, but the neurophysiology underpinning practice is applicable to both. Read the response I wrote below- this stuff helps anyone get more comfortable, but chronic pain from any source is work, and ongoing inflammatory diseases ... well, I don't pretend to have anything but respect for people who cope (Melissa v Fibromyalgia is a hero, as is everyone with SCD) and disdain for those who ignore. On our website I have links to a few articles I've written about how to get an emergency doctor (which I am) to take your chronic pain flare seriously. I am hopeful that the work on long covid, mast cell activation, microthrombi and circulating immune complexes will pay off for other chronic autoimmune and neuroinflammatory conditions.

[@priscilla4822]

I had surgery for a badly broken ankle. I observed thay pan comes in waves by watching a clock and timing the waves. It was a lot like timing birthing contractions. While observing this I found the fear of the pain decreased along with the intensity of the pain. I was able to focus my attention on my ankle and kind of show my self that this was uncomfortable but not life threatening. It really helped and I only took a couple if the pain pills. I watched a family member go through opioid addiction so I was more afraid of that.

[@jphillips4509]

Thank you.

[@Theoryofcatsndogs]

I have chronic pain but it is always in a random spot. It can be the right foot, then the left knee, then the right shoulder, then left arm, etc. I really hope I can have something that Mrs Baxter mentioned can help. I just checked Amaron but no luck. But since the pain will usually last for a couple weeks, I don't know a vibration device will help me much.

[@naomihatfield3015]

I battled chronic migraines from the age of 13 through menopause. Given Percocet for a wisdom tooth extraction, and it never felt "amazing." In fact, no pain pill I have ever taken has "felt amazing." They either dull the pain, or make me sleepy, or both, and now I think I understand why I have always been resistant to addiction to narcotics. Whatever "reward" part of my brain that was *supposed* to light up from opioids....didn't? While my mother was just the opposite, heavy duty pain meds made her feel incredible. All this time, I just figured everyone else was lying...but I think the migraines burned out my reward centers. Have any studies been done in regards to chronic migraine and pain med resistance?

[@rebeljustforkicks7312]

GREAT talk!

[@dbwkdidwbsof]

she's really funny I appreciate this style of TED talk

[@stopainclinical4154]

Such an important message on reframing pain and the many safe and effective pain relief strategies and alternatives to opioids. Great job Amy!

[@BuzzyHelps]

Thanks for watching!

[@digiscrappin]

I have degenerative discs in my neck and low back. The best thing I’ve ever done is learn TRE. It is a technique for reducing tension and trapped emotions. I get fewer headaches, I have better range of motion, and the tremors from activating the autonomic nervous system leave me feeling relaxed like I just got a massage. I feel fewer days of pain as well.

[@imogenveneear1935]

I suffer from fybromyalgia, diseased and degenerative discs in my spine, hypermobility pain and osteoarthritis and I found this very interesting as after taking opioids for years they are no longer effective. I did notice that when I slipped one day with an axe and cut and bruised my knee (no stitches) the pain in the rest of my body subsided for many days. I would be very interested in links to this ladies published papers please and where I can get a grown up buzzy.

[@robinr5337]

There is an all black version on Amazon. I'm still looking for some other format of it.

[@grapelike13]

Makes sense, as a child with convulsions we were directed to follow seizure instructions which was submerge in ice bath when symptoms are bad. Even as an adult I seek outdoors in the winter to help maintain episodes. Also my best hangover cure was an icepack on my head and sleep.

[@BuzzyHelps]

Thanks for watching! The powers of ice and vibration are beginning to be understood.

[@mmjlabs]

We know one person who had a traumatic amputation, and lived in the extreme cold for just that reason.

[@spiderliliez]

This is exactly why cats purr even when they are in pain. Because those vibrations relieve those pain.

[@timkiemdautu]

Great, I really like this show, I love you guys❤❤❤

[@BuzzyHelps]

Thanks for watching!

[@tomwilliams8675]

Great lecture. Thank you

[@BuzzyHelps]

Thank you for watching!

[@wesleyfellows8111]

You helped me understand my high tolerance to pain. Strong mind= less pain

[@windfeather.noodiinmiigwan5131]

Thanks

[@phighter]

Nice talk

[@toni4729]

Having suffered Urticaria for six years I've also found that distraction can also take your mind off that too. With Urticaria, (hives) you can sit and tear your skin off or, you can get up and make a quick cup of coffee and your mind will go elsewhere. It's happened to me many times.

[@BuzzyHelps]

Thanks for sharing! So glad you have found something that works for you - pain is personal, and having a plan is empowering.

[@HelenCamile63]

LOL! There’s no way insurance is going to cover this. But I do appreciate the concept and believe in its power. Vibration has been a part of my pain management since I was a kid and still is. People around me know how badly my back is hurting by seeing the intensity of my leg vibrations. I wish everyone here wellness and comfort.

[@melissacritchley5838]

Amy Baxter is my new hero. After living 20 years, over SEVEN THOUSAND days in pain, she has given me hope. I seriously cried when watching this.

[@jimbobaggins209]

Any updates?

[@melissacritchley5838]

@@jimbobaggins209 on what?

[@lauraon]

Is your pain gone?

[@melissacritchley5838]

@@lauraon I was referring to her research. Research takes time to develop solutions.

[@natureisallpowerful]

Observe the pain,don't become the pain. I say " I'm not the body I'm not the mind" over and over.

[@danieljackson4511]

so what are you?

[@aanchaallllllll]

0:26: 💡 Pain is not localized to the area of injury, but is a complex process involving nerves, the spine, and the brain. 3:56: 💡 Vibration and cold can block pain during medical procedures. 7:03: 💡 Distraction can reduce the perception of pain, as pain is a complex network of connections in the brain influenced by expectations and context. 10:33: 💡 The speaker shares a personal experience of using unconventional methods to manage pain and highlights the importance of finding alternative ways to cope with pain. 14:29: 🩹 Amy Baxter discusses the importance of redefining pain and how pain scales have impacted its understanding. Recap by Tammy AI

[@ofirarg]

Just watched "painkiller". That talk hits differently now

[@BuzzyHelps]

We agree - very hard show to watch, especially knowing the reality the "docudrama" depicts.

[@SA-Bean-Bean]

Dude. Ive had total knee reconstruction AND been a oxy/heroin even fent addiction bc of that surgery. I can promise you that knee surgery was THE MOST PAINFUL thing Ive ever experienced and no drug could even touch it. But after a couple days it was basically pain free completely. However, idk if i could go through it again (yes i need a second reconstruction) without pain medication. But i am scared of the situation! Thats why I've avoided it.

[@peterway7867]

Amy, I think you should try Ice Climbing. Ice climbers experience pain so extreme they refer to it as The Screaming Barffies. It is pain so extreme that you desperately want to Scream and Barff at the same time, but of course it is totally impossible to scream and barff at the same time. So you are left in this desperately pain ridden confliction with no option but to endure. Ice climbers are constantly on ice. Ice climbing involves the constant vibration and banging of your ice tools on the ice. Ice climbing, and high angle climbing of any sort, requires total focus and concentration. Complete focus and concentration is required to control fear. I've been ice and mountain climbing for more that 30 years. Ice, vibration and the control of fear have never stopped the pain I feel. I ice climb because of the sense of mental and physical accomplishment I receive from it. The pain is just a part of it that I have to endure.

[@ashleer6298]

I wish I knew about this before my excision surgery! I'm happy to say I only had what they gave me at the hospital and I went through major surgery for stage 3/4 endometriosis. I did use Advil and ibuprofen, I wonder if the person going through knee replacement did as well or was completely drug free?

[@BuzzyHelps]

Thank you for watching and for sharing your story. Hope you have found some comfort and relief.

[@mmjlabs]

Oh, DEFINITELY he used ibuprofen(Advil) and acetaminophen! And hopefully magnesium, 10% menthol topically, and intraoperative opioids, and a nerve block!

[@sunitasaini3149]

I m a high school student n have cervical spondylosis . My life's turned upside down coz of it ,i was a beboyi' dancer n a scholar but since this haven't been able to the bare minimum of what i used to do. My body's ability is not keeping up with my mental ability . I have tried almost everything possible in my circumstances .Now i just hope i can ignore it n focus on my studies

[@aandrus2169]

She says opioids became the thing during a "no pain" healthcare phase. But, I've had severe Fibromyalgia pain since I was 24, for 33 years. In that time, I have NEVER had a pain free moment even with opioids. I'm interested in this talk because I started going to a hypnotherapist for pain control. It worked, but only when I was in a trance. Not helpful in the workplace. I've done a lot of these things she talks about. Not everything works for me and what works doesn't take away pain, it only decreases pain. I think these mental tricks are very valuable in the pain control toolbox. BUT, for some of us, we DO STILL NEED an opioid for breakthrough pain at the very least. The other thing is, pain is extremely exhausting. Over these (almost 34) years of severe pain, at age 57, I am now so very tired. I have fought to survive pain and I . am . so . tired. at this point. Thanks for this information review.

[@annettegustafson1435]

I fully understand pain treatment after having been prescribed pain drugs for over a year and then getting a new doctor who took a different approach ..... PT. Wow. My whole life changed!

[@BuzzyHelps]

Thanks for watching and for sharing your story of what worked for you, that's terrific!

[@mmjlabs]

PTs understand where pain comes from and how to fix it SO well! So do really good massage therapists (and any who are trained in CAnada, where it's covered by insurance).

[@treelinktree]

BRILLIANT, Amy!

[@AngelaSealana]

I've learned this from my journey with fibromyalgia. It's awesome to hear it translated into a fantastic TED Talk. Thank you!

[@BuzzyHelps]

Thank you for watching - wishing you continued good health on your journey.

[@Rob_TheOne]

Look into spirituality, all pain is a thought. All suffering is resistance to the present moment

[@bobm3477]

This reminds me of my son's favorite story. When he was young he hurt his foot badly after a fall on the driveway. I knew immediately that there would be no consoling him. I went into emergency measures which had been long planned for. I had set aside a small very wrinkled very unattractive potato for just such an event. When I heard him waling I grabbed it and ran outside, addressed him in a serious manner saying, "I see your foot is really hurt, I need to rub this potato on it." The wailing immediately stopped replaced with a bit of sobbing then chuckling and laughter. " No dad, please don't touch me with that potato" was his response. I can't say if it would have worked again but it did wonders that time. We still reminisce about that.

[@ithacacomments4811]

My mother in a Care Home on Opiods, Fentanyl, Tylenol, and Motrin. Still hurting.

[@CelestialJupiter]

🐝Buzzy is such a great idea! As a practicing massage therapist, I can vouch for the impact of cold + vibration supporting pain reduction! (I use my hand or a rechargeable for vibration, and a freezer stocked with various cold gel packs/hydro-gel balls) Myofascial release/unwinding, Craniosacral therapy, and many more modalities can aid in this therapy or pain management, amongst lots of other benefits to receiving care for your whole body. So many secrets for wellness and pain management are within the fascia and facial trains. I will absolutely share this video with my patients. 🙏💜✨

[@ludysaintgermain9198]

Amazing

[@meglukes]

Thank you algorithm for having this land on my feed after dealing with a post op patient crying over the phone because she was trying to recover with freakin ibuprofen all in the name of “preventing opioid dependency”.

[@poonyaTara]

I feel compelled to qualify this advice because of my experience with a client I had to fire. She took pride in continuing to strive toward a goal...to such an extent that being successful at trying to be successful became more valuable to her than being successful. Her goals were noble, and she took so much pride at getting back up that when the world didn't knock her down she knocked herself down. She stopped being noble...so I fired her. Don't sabotage yourself.

[@tangmo956]

Thank you for this new perspective and to the KZbin algorithms for putting it in front of me. This last weekend was the 1 year mark for my headache. Before this video i figured i would need a third pill to manage but now i just need to MacGyver a solution 😊.

[@mmjlabs]

I hope you get a bunch of options that help (and that you've been thoughtfully worked up for cause). One additional technique that makes coping much more bearable and is fast to learn is in Miller-Karas' book Building Resilience to Trauma. It's about natural disasters and such but the steps are very pain-management applicable.

[@fernandobaetajr]

Great!