How Learning a New Activity Can Help with Chronic Pain
Learning a new skill or activity is a great way to develop resilience in your brain and help reduce the impact of chronic pain. This can be anything from learning a new language, taking up a physical activity, or even exploring new technology. Firstly, when you engage in a new activity, you challenge your brain […]
The Lasting Impact of Childhood Trauma: Understanding the Connection to Chronic Pain
Childhood trauma can have a lasting impact on an individual’s physical and mental well-being. When we talk about trauma, it doesn’t necessarily mean that a terrible event happened. Trauma can be repeated feelings of neglect or criticism, for instance. While an array of symptoms may come up later in life because of early trauma, let’s […]
How to Deal with Chronic Pain Over the Holidays
The holidays can be both a wonderful and difficult time of the year. You might feel overwhelmed with the extra obligations and time with others, particularly if you are dealing with chronic pain. Here are a few tools to help you navigate this holiday season if chronic pain is part of your life. Practice setting […]
Which Came First, the Chronic Pain or the Depression?
Breaking down the relationship between negative feelings and chronic pain Many people suffering from invisible illnesses are initially misdiagnosed as having depression. Although this is concerning, it is understandable given the symptoms of these chronic illnesses overlap with conditions often associated with depression. Depression and anxiety have been reported to be more prevalent in chronic […]
Laughter might really be the best medicine: How rewiring your brain can help sufferers of chronic pain find relief
If you’ve been online recently, you’ve seen a new wave of positive thinking. It doesn’t sound too bad, right? But there is a point where being continuously told to put a positive spin on all your experiences can become toxic. A person telling you to just “think positive” and “change your attitude” doesn’t help the […]
Personality Traits That Can Lead to Chronic Pain
Most people don’t typically associate personality traits with pain. However, the two go hand-in-hand more than you might realize, especially when you’re dealing with chronic pain. While personality traits aren’t always predictors of pain, certain ones may trigger the “fight-or-flight” response in your brain more heavily than others. That results in the amygdala over-firing, causing […]
Breaking the Cycle of Insomnia and Chronic Pain
Chronic pain comes with so many more issues than most people realize. Aside from the pain itself, it can cause mental health problems, weakness, and even contribute to insomnia. In fact, 1 in 4 people with chronic pain also has a sleep disorder. Chronic pain and insomnia seem to go hand in hand. You may […]
What is Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT) and How Can It Help
Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT) is a relatively new treatment that is proving to be an effective way to change your relationship with pain. For those struggling with chronic pain or similar issues that reduce their quality of life, PRT can help the brain reprocess how it interprets and responds to pain. To fully understand how […]
The Most Common Reasons Your Pain Is Not Getting Better
When you have chronic pain, every area of your life can feel like a struggle. It can limit what you do on a daily basis, and you might never know when a flare-up will occur. Now, more than ever, you might deal with daily pain due to stress and uncertainty. There is so much going […]
How Therapy Can Help Chronic Pain
When most people think of chronic pain, they focus on physical treatment. We seek out doctors who can prescribe medications or do procedures. Those options can be really helpful, and different treatments and pain-management methods can make a big difference in how you feel. But it’s important not to overlook the mind-body connection when it […]