Group Wellness Program relieves Pain per Henry Ford Center

DETROIT, Aug. 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- A group wellness program has been shown to significantly relieve pain and stress, and improve stress-related chronic illnesses, according to Henry Ford Hospital researchers.

Henry Ford's Center for Integrative Wellness conducted on-site group wellness programs for local corporations to improve employee health and wellness, and found participants were able to reduce and eliminate chronic pain of all types, while simultaneously alleviating stress.  

The results of the controlled clinical trials will be presented at the Hospital Association of Southern California's Hospital Wellness Conference in Los Angeles, August 4.

According to the American Academy of Pain Medicine, one out of four Americans has persistent or chronic pain with an estimated annual cost to employers of more than $61 billion in lost productivity. The leading causes of recurrent or persistent pain affecting Americans are headache pain, back pain, and neck pain.

"Reductions in disability, depression symptoms, perceived stress, and sleep disturbance were reported by program participants," says Robert A. Levine, Ph.D., director of the center. "Results also showed improvement in stress-related conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, anxiety, and fatigue."

The researchers looked at more than 1,400 program participants since 2007 and found: 

• 76% of chronic pain conditions were improved
• 39% of all chronic pain conditions were eliminated (defined as average score of "0" on a 0-10 scale), including back, neck, hip, sciatica, shoulder, knee, headache, and abdominal pain
• 74% of participants reduced their stress
• 50% of reported stress-related conditions (including high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, allergies, anxiety, fatigue, gastrointestinal distress, etc.) were improved
• 70% of participants were able to eliminate the need for and use of pain medications

The multi-session group wellness programs, delivering 18-24 hours of in-session time over several months, work simultaneously with the mind and body to produce stress relief and release muscles in excess contraction that contribute to pain.

Program participants learn simple movement techniques and strategies to sense and regain control of their muscles, leading to noticeable improvements in pain, stiffness and mobility, as well as improvements in stress-related conditions. They also learn to relax, breathe properly, and intervene with unwanted thought patterns and stress reflexes that contribute to pain and stress.

"Chronic pain and stress are intricately related and the importance of stress as a causal and/or aggravating factor in most chronic illnesses cannot be underestimated," says Alba Rodriguez, Ph.D., associate director of the center.  "These group programs have proven to be more effective than other approaches, and are more efficient and less expensive than most one-on-one care, whether conventional or alternative."

The programs were recently recognized by American Hospital Association in its Creating a Culture of Health report, namingHenry Ford as one of seven hospitals nationwide that are examples of best practices in wellness programs.

Sex, Love, Dating & All the Juicy Bits

Ok, I confess, I need my moment of whingeing, ( great Kiwi word)... for having a good bitching session. This is my blog and I can do what I want! ;}

 It is precisely 3 am, on my computer clock, which given I travel so much I no longer even bother changing. I bolted out of bed with a mother*** cramp deep underneath my ribcage, trying rubbing that one out!

My surgeon told me to expect this, but what a way to wake up!. Since I am now completely awake, I might as well sit down and write in this blog.

At this point, it is sort of like talking to a blank wall or my kids, for that matter of fact. Cathartic at least... and helps me to process my thoughts but a bit boring without human interaction.

Don't expect answers, candidly because I don't have them, just some personal musings. And after two divorces, what the heck do I know anyway?

I am recently single, and am trying to sort through the whole dating, thing post age 40. Throw chronic pain on top of that and it is all quite a lovely mess of uncertainty, opportunity, and human hilarity.

There is no check mark on match.com for chronic pain among their 2000 other inane questions. I (presume) I appear reasonably normal when I go on a  blind date, unless it is a bad pain day, in which case everything tends to like to lock up and I hobble around.

SO:

Do I confess on that first ever so comfortable date, that my back and spine now look like Edward Scissorhands left his latest signature piece on it? The look is quite fetchiing with the sexy black negligee, black spike boots, a whip and goth makeup,  I must say, if you are into that kind of thing) !

Do I casually mention that I am electrically wired up internally like the bionic woman and have to turn my back on and off at times to deal with the pain or just surprise him with all my various gizmos and control boxes?

Better yet, that the titanium cage in my back from my spinal fusion can lock up and cause me to have to contort in very interesting ways during some very inconvenient times?

Should I confess all from the onset and have that distinguished gentleman I met on match.com, running with a look of shocked horror from the Starbucks table with his double non fat, extra hot, no foam latte in hand?

Or better yet, just leave it for later9 should things work out), as an unusual surprise that he can share with his friends for years to come...

Perhaps I should date only men with chronic pain issues or related disability related problems, so they can relate?

Or will I end up taking care of them and only then- myself.  A long standing joke in San Miguel where I currently reside part time is." Men either go there to die or find a nurse to help them along the way...if they still have the strength and money to find one."

 I haven't found a dating service for chronic pain survivors yet. I presume they are out there...

 Perhaps my next biz in my every interesting string of  bizarre entrepreneurial ventures? I can only imagine the questions I would need to add to the matching criteria. My PHP programmer would be rolling on the floor.

At any rate, I am at least finding this process rather amusing, so I suppose I will go with. Better than sitting at home and watching summer re-runs every night alone with the kitties.

 However, my children, who assume I am a total loser in the dating world anyway after my second divorce, "say take thee to a nunnery, woman".

 Do they accept non Catholic, agnostic chronic pain afflicted nuns? How ever will I get up from the pews after 4 hours of prayers?

It is a trial and error thing, I suppose, so I will go with it.  I will report back my amusing dating efforts and findings after my next venture in the world of Sex, Love, Dating and All the Juicy Bits. And I will keep on laughing!

Cheers, and may you be blessed with better sleep than mine!

Wendy

I Am Not My Chronic Pain: Reclaiming a Fulfilling, Creative Life with Chronic Pain

Welcome,  fellow chronic pain survivors!


It is 3 am in the morning, and my nasty pain gremlin awakes me as it does as this time just about every night. This monster is a master at its craft, its voice is vicious and persistent- so here I sit, writing this blog. Why this chronic pain blog? 


Chronic pain personally impacts my life everyday, and this"challenge" has hit me like a proverbial  2 x 4. Chronic pain has shaken my world to the core in so many ways. I hope anyone who reads this blog will also share their stories as well as we all learn from each other. 


I am a trained executive coach and given my training, this should all be easy for me to deal with emotionally, right? Nothing could be further from the truth, but my training has finally  given me a different perspective on all of this. I can now see this as an great opportunity for learning and giving back. 


I meet lots of people who suffer from chronic pain triggered by different reasons:, back pain, surgery, PTSD, cancer treatment, chronic fatigue,fibromyalgia, you name it. I seem to be a chronic pain person magnet lately. 

There are no clear easy "take a single pill, one size fits all solution" for any of us, and I certainly don't have a magic fix  nor have I found anyone who truly does. I don't have the answers for you, and am constantly seeking them for myself, trying new things, asking questions, researching...


And I do fully believe in creating a plan of action by trying various options and integrating them into a plan that works for me . I won't give up or give in. I do lots of research, and  also ask questions of my health care providers and will not tolerate a brush off. I just find a new doctor. 


People can and should take action for themselves to regain their power and create a better, happier life should they choose to do so. I refuse to be a victim to my chronic pain. I stand in a place of hope and courage to move forward, in it, despite it. 


Christopher Reeves was and is still after his death a wonderful role model of incredible courage, personal strength and creativity, who took a similar stand with his life challenges. 


I have suffered from extreme chronic pain from back injuries for over 5 years and have finally accepted it as part of my life. I done just about everything I can from a western medicine approach, and yet I still hope for advances to come. 


The pain is becoming more manageable and my life is more enjoyable, and productive because I created a plan for my life that is working.




I have been athletically inclined since very young, and trusted my physical body to always be there for me, and I learned early on to not listen to pain. This belief  has served me in the past and has also been my downfall, in not listening to the signs that I was" literally breaking my back". 


Now, what I absolutely won't accept is that I have to give up my life, my dreams and becoming this "chronic pain".It is part of who I am but not what I am. Nor is living life as a drugged out zombie going from doctor to doctor for more surgery or meds or isolating myself. 


This is not an option for me and I don't believe it has to be for anyone, if this is not how you want to live your life. You are not alone. There are people and resources there for you, who understand how you feel. 


Every day I am consciously re-creating a life plan to accommodate my challenges, and given I am a data junkie, I am always out there seeking solutions and networking. It is fascinating, stimulating, and exhausting.  I feel a great need to give back to this community of fellow chronic pain survivors, as they have given back so much to me.  My hope is that this blog may prove helpful. 






Ciao,


Wendy


*I am not a physician or trained medical health provider. Before you go off or on any medication or drug ( which can be very dangerous if unsupervised by a physician), or consider a new therapy or treatment, please consult with your medical health providers. I am not here to provide medical advice. Any statements are my opinion alone unless I post a medical article. Do your research, know your options, and be in choice around your treatments.