CHRONIC PAIN VIDEO BLOG SERIES

 In this video blog I talk about the importance of having a plan that  includes the whole person – Bio-Psycho-Social-Spiritual. When you're  living with chronic pain like I am it’s crucial to improve your levels  of functioning and quality of life by developing an integrated Body-Mind  Spirit approach. In this video I briefly describe how I practice what I  teach. 

In this Video Blog, I share why it is important to understand the connection between stress levels and pain symptoms, as well as recognizing how managing stress can decrease the perception of pain. You can't manage chronic pain without learning to manage stress.

Of course, before people can learn how to manage stress, they first need to know how to describe their level of stress at any given time. What is important to remember is that when someone reaches the upper moderate to severe levels of stress (6-10 range or what I call the “stress reaction”) thinking, emotions and behaviors are affected. The goal is always to keep the level of stress at six or below as much as possible. 

In this video I discuss Anticipatory Pain and the role it plays in  people who are suffering with their chronic pain.  I talk about the importance of identifying and managing this anticipatory reaction by identifying and challenging mistaken beliefs and irrational or negative thinking and the accompanying uncomfortable emotions.  I also mention that for more information you can read my article “Moving Beyond  Anticipatory Pain ”  at this link - https://drstevegrinstead.com/chronic-pain-articles

In this video blog I talk about how many people suffering from chronic pain are perceived. Unfortunately, it’s like an iceberg where you only see a fraction of what is really going on. Many times people see them as complaining, blowing off commitments and even drug seeking or med seeking. What helps me as a healthcare provider is to take a deep dive to see what’s going on under the surface. For more information see my article  Looking Below The Surface Of Chronic Pain 

 In this video blog I discuss the need to re-evaluate the traditional bio-medical model of chronic pain treatment - Pills, Shots, Interventional and Surgical. I want people to know we have significant research that supports utilizing an integrated multidisciplinary whole person approach for chronic pain management. There are many evidence-based and research-based studies that demonstrate effective integrated services such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Acupuncture, Equine Therapy and maothers.

 In this Video Blog I discuss the crucial importance of developing a  whole person Body-Mind-Spirit Approach for effective chronic pain  management.  I also talk about the importance of helping people  re-evaluate a pure bio-medical approach to chronic pain and use a  Balanced Body-Mind-Spirit Approach for Relieving Chronic Pain Suffering.   I’m also inviting you to go to my Articles Page  https://drstevegrinstead.com/chronic-pain-articles to check out more  free chronic pain information.

 In this video blog I discuss how chronic pain patients are  “punished” when they get outside of accepted parameters. Put up “STOP Signs” and first is STOP using un-monitored  Artificial Intelligence Screening programs that have no human oversite  and just produce scores. The next STOP is to not use a pre-existing  trauma history as such a major scoring factor. Another STOP is confusing  other Mental Health Disorders as Addiction or Substance Use Disorder.  Stop Stigmatizing Start Humanizing.

In this Video Blog  I talk about two simple but powerful practices I use and teach as part of an effective chronic pain management plan. I think of Mindfulness as the means of maintaining a moment-by-moment awareness of our thoughts, emotions, bodily sensations, and surrounding environment with openness and without judgement. I talk about Cognitive Behavioral Restructuring as a parallel process.

In this Video Blog I talk about the importance of being proactive and finding appropriate accountability partners to help you execute an effective chronic pain management plan. I also discuss the role appropriate activity pacing plays and how you need to be cautions to not either over do or under do. I’m also inviting you to go to my Articles Page https://drstevegrinstead.com/chronic-pain-articlesto check out more free chronic pain management information.

 In this Video Blog I talk about how I learned the lesson for the need to create a proactive flexibility and mobility plan for my own effective chronic pain management.  I also give some simple yet effective tips for anyone living with chronic pain to increase their levels of functioning and improve their quality of life by being more mobile and flexible.

I discuss Anticipatory Pain and the role it plays in  sabotaging an effective chronic pain management plan.  I cover how it can lead those of  us living with high levels of chronic pain to be afraid to even conduct  common daily activities.  I discuss how this anticipatory takes pain  from “ouch this hurts” to “my pain is killing me, it’s horrible, awful  or terrible.” I also mention you can read my article “Moving Beyond  Anticipatory Pain”  at https://drstevegrinstead.com/chronic-pain-articles

In this Video Blog I discuss how people like me living with chronic pain can end up suffering and entering what I call the “Chronic Pain Trance.” I share some of my personal experience with being in that helpless hopeless suffering place and how I escaped by making peace with my pain. Achieving freedom from chronic pain suffering requires a proactive approach including cognitive behavioral restructuring that I briefly outline in this video blog.