Opioid medications can make pain worse. Doctors and researchers are working hard to figure out why.

Keywords: Opioid Induced Hyperalgesia, Tolerance, Central Sensitization

Study provides first evidence of link between opioid use disorder, chronic pain: "pain is a critical adaptation for survival, even in the era of modern medicine. "Think of pain in a different way, as a very useful thing to the body," he says. Pain in the abdomen can sometimes herald appendicitis, or some other dangerous infection. And chest pain is a cardinal symptom of heart attacks. "When we overwhelm the system with large doses of opioids — does the system fight back?" Angst asks."

Why painkillers sometimes make the pain worse: "But just how many people experience OIH, and at what opioid dose, is hard to say. The phenomenon can be very hard to distinguish from tolerance, when pain increases as the drug loses its effectiveness over time. (It's also possible that a patient's underlying condition has changed, or that the chronic pain itself has kicked their pain signaling into high gear.)"

People can learn to manage pain by modifying or changing their thoughts and beliefs. Your thoughts affect your body.

Keywords: Reframing Pain, 

The Connection Between Pain and Your Brain: "There is a direct link between your brain and your arthritis pain. Learn how scientists are now beginning to understand this connection and how your brain can help curb your pain."

It is possible to go from suffering debilitating pain to being pain-free without drugs or surgery.

Keywords: 

Chronic pain and mood difficulties are related. Research is showing the connection is through the brain and nervous system.

Keywords: 

Chronic Pain Could Change Our Brain and How We Handle Emotions, Study Says: "Pain and emotional well-being are deeply intertwined due to various connections in the brain. The pathways implicated in pain utilize similar neurotransmitters as the pathways implicated in mood and anxiety disorders,” says Leela R. Magavi, MD, a child, adolescent and adult psychiatrist, and regional medical director for Community Psychiatry and MindPath Care Centers. “Chronic pain, like chronic depression, can modify activity in the brain and, consequently, perpetuate itself.”."

Understanding and Managing Pain: Brain & Body

Retrain Pain 

• Five short modules that teach a science based approach to chronic pain.

Chronic Pain Management Pathway

Patient Pain Toolkit

Jo Nijs (PT) Podcast 

Lorimer Moseley Pain Education Site

The Way out Approach to Healing Chronic Pain

Pain and the brain  (YouTube 11 min)

• A talk that breaks down some myths around pain to aid people in their recovery.

Tamar Pincus: Psychology in People with Pain - Why it Matters (YouTube 8 min)

• Thoughts such as beliefs and expectations with mood states such as distress, anxiety, fear, anger and frustration mix with sensory information and combine to create the pain experience and influence motivation and behavior

Why Things Hurt (YouTube 14 min)

• Lorimer Moseley from Australia explains his research on how chronic pain is both unhelpful and uninformative about when the body needs protecting

How To Stop Any Pain In Minutes (YouTube)

• this video explains how Monks can sit in fire without experiencing pain and provides simple methods of brain control that can help anyone change their level of pain

Healing the Body with Movement

GLA:D Canada Remote

LOW BACK PAIN

Home Exercise for Low Back Pain (handout)

ELBOW PAIN

Home Exercise for Elbow Pain (handout)

SHOULDER PAIN

Home Exercise for Shoulder Pain (handout)

Dr. Andrea Furlan - exercises for shoulder pain (YouTube)

KNEE PAIN

Home Exercise for Knee Pain (handout)

Osteoarthritis

Alberta Healthier Together - OA

• Explains what OA is, how to manage it and how to prevent it.

Thinking and Being Techniques

Pain and Me: Tamar Pincus talks about chronic pain, acceptance and commitment (YouTube)

• this video talks about how to make life bigger and better when you are in pain by changing your approach and mindset

ACCEPTANCE

Distress Tolerance: Facing your Fears (workbook)

• Learn how to accept negative thoughts and experiences to build your better life.

Tug of War with a Monster (YouTube 2:37)

SELF-HELP ACT MODULES

https://www.helpwithact.com/intro/

Podcasts