Chronic Pain (Muscle and Joint Pain)

[Katie-LMHC-Artist]

Recent Harvard Health Letter, Volume 49, Number 6, April 2024 (Harvard Medical School)

This newsletter mentions a site: (painconnection.org/) which is a non-profit chronic pain association. There is a page that lists Complementary Therapies that may be of interest to others trying to manage muscle and joint pain. The list includes a definition of each therapy. I am currently doing acupuncture through an acupuncture school which is helping with some sciatic pain. This is another tool in our toolbox! 😊

[AussieNeil Administrator]

The direct link is uspainfoundation.org/pain/c...

Given our site has a strong evidence based approach, I feel it is appropriate to explain more about the approach that the US Pain Foundation has taken in listing these additions to a pain management toolbox. Complementary therapies is the correct terminology for many these additions; they should be used to complement an evidence based approach to managing pain. As the US Pain Foundation Complementary Therapy page states:-

Please note: complementary therapy options may have varying research and evidence to support them. U.S. Pain Foundation does not endorse any one type of treatment. These definitions are for educational purposes only.

"To heal does not necessarily mean to cure. It can simply mean helping people to achieve a way of life compatible with their aspirations—to restore their freedom to make choices—even in the presence of continuing disease.

–Rene Dubos"

Pain is our brain's interpretation of nerve signalling. As I've learned from my research into how to manage postherpetic neuralgia pain from shingles, it's possible to retrain your brain to otherwise interpret signalling which you feel as pain from damaged nerves. This is similar to how the placebo effect works and why the placebo effect can't cure cancer, but can improve your quality of life. Your belief in an intervention can improve your quality of life, but may not reflect the actual state of your health. This is why using complementary therapies as your primary means of managing cancer can be fatal, should you defer or refuse a proven life saving therapy.

Many of the listed complementary therapies rely on belief - that is using your brain to change your interpretation of what is happening. If you look through the comments on the listed therapies for which there are no known physical forces identifiable by scientific research, you'll note the following phrases;

Adherents to this therapy believe that

practitioners believe

are believed to provide

operates on the belief that

comes from the belief that

It is believed to work through

the belief that

based on the idea that

Or, when commenting on research into the therapy, "with mixed results".

There are also many listed complementary therapies for which there is reasonable to good evidence of benefit. Choose wisely.

Neil

[Katie-LMHC-Artist in reply to AussieNeil]

Yes, I agree. Many people on this site are experiencing muscle and joint pain from their medication and treatment. If one of these "therapies" can help someone manage some of their pain then I think it is worth looking into. Even if it becomes a placebo effect! In addition, I do understand the brain pain connection. As I said, this is another resource for those experiencing pain due to their medication and CLL treatment. As always, thank you for the added information. Be well!

[JigFettler Volunteer in reply to AussieNeil]

Good point will made AussieNeil

There is a lot of confusion when it comes to the difference between treatment and therapy. There is, in fact, a subtle distinction between the two terms. The term 'therapy' is used to refer to the process of rehabilitating someone. The term 'treatment,' on the other hand, is used in the meaning of 'cure. snipped from Google "treatment vs cure"...

Here's the issue... if "therapy" improves thus delaying "treatment " then there is a problem. Complementary Therapy is not an alternative to Treatment.

I have used acupuncture, massage and mindfulness to good effect.

Feeling better through "therapy" should not delay "treatment". That is the crucial issue and for me the essential issue.

Jig

[AussieNeil Administrator in reply to JigFettler]

Thank you Jig,

You've clearly stated my concerns, which I struggled to put into words. 'Feeling better through "therapy" should not delay "treatment". That is the crucial issue and for me the essential issue.'

[Katie-LMHC-Artist]

Of course I agree. My point is that complimentary therapies can enhance the quality of someones life. It should not be in place of cancer treatment. CLL Society is now exploring “Integrative medicine” as an enhancement to cancer treatment.

CLL Society.org

[Katie-LMHC-Artist]

I get it. I think our intentions are to be able to help others! Before I started treatment the owner of my local health food store suggested I try CBD oil instead of “toxic medication” for my cancer treatment. Honestly, I haven’t been back to the store in a few years. There is a lot of misinformation and disinformation out there with magical cures! We do have to be careful since we can be vulnerable when we are diagnosed with cancer. I think some of the complimentary modalities can help manage some of the symptoms but never in place of cancer treatment! Perhaps the semantics of the terms maybe the issue. Thx!👩‍🦳