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The Pain Brain Connection

The H.A.V.E. E. (TM)

Model for Pain Management

Ron Eslinger CRNA, MA, APN, BCH, CMI

www.eslinger.net

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Objectives

1. Understand how the brain functions in chronic pain.

2. Understand the role of Cortisol.

3. Review methods in glove analgesia/anesthesia

4. Learn how to develop a treatment plan for chronic pain

5. Be introduced to the Sarno Mind Body Prescription for chronic pain

6. Tweaking the Friedberg eye movement technique

7. Discuss hypnosis for chronic pain. When does it end?

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Perception of Pain the Friend

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If Pain Perception is Misinterpreted

What if the Brain does not understand the signal and sends back the wrong message? This can result in Chronic Pain that does not respond to conventional treatment.

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When Pain Perception is Modified

Pain can be modified by TENS, Massage, Acupuncture, and

Hypnosis.

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Neurotransmitters

Chemical substances within each cell of the nerve tract

They either pass the pain message on or stop it

Act as either pain killers or pain producers

Pain killers are

—Serotonin

—Endorphins

—Melatonin

People produce different amounts of these neurotransmitters, which explains why some experience more pain than others.

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The Gate Control Theory

The Gate Control Theory proposes that a sufficient amount of stimuli can close the gate to the pain sensation.

“A” fibers transmit milder pain sensations or pressure faster than the slower “C” fibers so the simple act of rubbing an area that is hurting closes the gate to the pain.

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Limbic System Parts & Location

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Limbic System Functions

sets the emotional tone of the mind

filters external events through internal states (emotional coloring)

tags events as internally important

stores highly charged emotional memories

modulates motivation

controls appetite and sleep cycles

promotes bonding

directly processes the sense of smell

modulates libido

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Limbic System Problems

moodiness, irritability, clinical depression

increased negative thinking

perceive events in a negative way

decreased motivation

flood of negative emotions

appetite and sleep problems

decreased or increased sexual responsiveness

social isolation

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The Amygdala

• Remember by One Word FEAR• Input - Sensory input that signals danger

– Perception is truth– Response is to the perception real or not

• Out put - Must be able to control the Autonomic nervous system– Fight or flight

• It is involved with mood and the conscious emotional response to an event - Neg or Pos

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The Hippocampus

• Remember by One Word Memory Memory

• Three types of Memory– The first is short term is working memory

– The second is Long-term or declarative memory

– The third is procedural Memory

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Working Memory

• Like the RAM of a computer– Adding numbers– Composing sentences – Following directions

• It does not become permanent memory

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Declarative Memory

• Like the hard drive of the computer– composed of all the facts, figures, and names

you have ever learned

– All of our experiences and conscious memory are of this type

• Hippocampus is necessary to file away all this memory

• It is not know where memories are stored

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Procedural Memory

• Probably the most durable form of memory– actions, habits, or skills that are learned simply

by repetition

• The hippocampus is critical in laying down declarative memory– is not necessary for working memory

– procedural memory

– memory storage

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Hypothalamus

• concerned with homeostasis

• Homeostasis is the process of returning something to some “set point.”

• It works like a thermostat

So why is the Hypothalamus important to hypnotists?

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Hypothalamus

• The hypothalamus is responsible for regulating your hunger, thirst, response to pain, levels of pleasure, sexual satisfaction, anger and aggressive behavior, and more.

• It also regulates the functioning of the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems, which in turn means it regulates things like pulse, blood pressure, breathing, and arousal in response to emotional circumstances.

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Psychoneuroimmunology

• A study of bi-directional interactions between the mind/brain, nervous system (endocrine system/hormonal release) and immune system.

• Mind & body are united by messenger molecules, the common communication channel between the emotions, sensations, thoughts, and images of consciousness and the molecular -genetic mechanisms of the Body. (Rossi, 1993, p.22)

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The Nature of PNI

• Organs of the immune system (e.g., thymus, bone marrow, spleen, lymph nodes) are enervated by sympathetic nervous system (SNS), and have catecholamine neurotransmitter receptors

• Sympathetic nerve endings in these organs make contact with lymphocytes - thus, brain physically connected to immune system.

• The SNS being involved in mediation of feelings is connected to the immune system through brain and mind.

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Cortisol - Stress Hormone

• It is an essential hormone for survival because it is responsible for producing and maintaining high levels of glucose necessary for the response to stress

• Can be destructive because

– High Levels of glucose breaks down the protein in muscle and inhibits the replacement of calcium

– Can contribute to these pain syndromes

• Fibromyalgia

• Rheumatoid arthritis

• Chronic fatigue syndrome

• LupusRonald Melzack & Patric D. Wall Handbook of Pain Management

Alpha Change

CHANGE THE MIND

CHANGE THE BRAIN

THANGE THE BEHAVIOR

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H.A.V.E.E.

• Hypnosis

• Affirmation

• Visualization

• Expectation

• Education

Why Hypnosis??

Mind/Body TherapyChanges Stress

ResponseImproves HealingFacilitates Rapid

RecoveryGives the Patient

Control

Around since the beginning of time

Simple

It Works!!

20% can reach a light stages of Hypnosis

80% can reach the medium stages of Hypnosis

20% can reach the deeper stages of hypnosis

Hypnosis An Altered State of Consciousness

Affirmation & Coue’s Law

• Suggestions only become permanent with repetition

• Suggestions tend toward dominant effect

• Law of reverse effect

• Law of will power vs imagination

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Self - Talk Affirmations

Must Be

• Simple• Realistic• Believable• Measurable• Positive• Present tense• Rewardable

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Meditate & Affirm

• I meditate 2 times daily and walk 20 minutes daily so that I am healthy and happy.

Positive Affirmations

• I am relaxed and in control.

• I feel good.

• I control how I feel.

I feel good.

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Visualization

• Putting the Affirmations into pictures

• Albert Einstein uses creative day dreaming

• See yourself as you want to be as if you have already achieved it.

• Use the Limbic System

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Expectations

• Play a central role in pain experience– Expectations of the hypnotists– Expectations of the Client

• Directly related to the placebo effect

• Self fulfilling prophesy

• How did they get the expectation they have?

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Education

• Client– Pre session knowledge– Personal experience– Pre-talk– Handouts before and after session

• Hypnotist– Development of treatment plans– Are they prepared – Reading

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How do we bring this together?

Suggestibility

ConsciousAnalytical

SubconsciousLiteral

Suggestibility

ConsciousAnalytical

SubconsciousLiteral

Suggestibility in Hypnosis

ConsciousAnalytical

SubconsciousLiteral

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Limbic System Parts & LocationLimbic System Parts & Location

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Catastrophizing

From many practitioners those suffering from chronic pain take on the behaviors of Catastrophizing and Learned Helplessness.

These are the people that have basically thrown in the towel and are coming to, or being referred to hypnosis because of the earlier mentioned confounded practitioner. That provider at the time of the referral will be a pivotal point. The provider sets the air of expectation and it can be either a negative (I doubt if it will help but try this) or a positive (this has been very beneficial to many and I think you will do well).

Hypnotize yourself out of Pain now, Bruce N. Eimer, Ph. D., ABPP, 2002.

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Pain CyclePain Cycle

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Assessment ToolsAssessment Tools

Adult/Verbal Pain Rating Scales (12 y.o. and over)

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

No pain Moderate Worst Possible painComfortable Uncomfortable

Numerical Ratings Scale (NRS) - COMMAND CHOICE - Ask the patient to rate his pain on a scale of zero to ten, with zero being no pain and ten being the worst pain he has ever experienced.

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Hypnotic Procedures for Pain Management

Glove anesthesia

– o Numbness from local

anesthesia

– o Cold– o Arm or leg falling

asleep Bouncing ball

Shrinking ball

Erase pain scale (comfort level) as deepen hypnosis

Coloring book or computer graphics

Color Warm orange colored

liquid Cell memory Religious and spiritual needs

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• Why and what do you know about hypnosis

• What are the Concerns / Expectations

• The Basics

– Gain Rapport today just learn to relax

– Suggestibility testing

– Explain Hypnosis

– Expectations / Goals / Comfort scale / Sleep Scale

– What do to me to make me feel like you (Brewer)

– What do different if pain 2 points less

• Progressive Relaxation / CD

• Ego Strengthening / control / Sleep

• Home work

First Session

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Hart BASIC Assessment

Name:___ Date:____

Situation or Problem to be assessed:

What am I currently doing regarding the situation?

What are my emotions related to my behavior?

What Physical symptoms do I have related to my behavior?

How do I imagine myself related to my behavior?

What are my thoughts related to my behavior?

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Second Session

Discuss previous session and home work

Answer questions / self talkself talk Discuss Coue’s law of

suggestion

Elman induction to Glove anesthesia Memory image of dental work Walk through the process Remote control

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Glove Anesthesia

Returning from the dentist and remembering the numb feeling of the jaw, lips and tongue

Putting ones hand into a cooler of ice reaching for a cold drink until the hand becomes numb

Having the hand or leg go “to sleep” after having the circulation cut off

Imaging putting the hand into a blue thick rubbery paint

The Dave Elman induction creates glove anesthesia without challenging or tasking the client

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Third Session

What do you want me to talk to you about todaySelf inductionWarm orange liquidImagery, VisualizationTV seeing what is to happenBlock negative / accept Positive

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Fourth Session

Self Induction or ...ReinforceGlove anesthesiaPractice self Hypnosis

DOCUMENTATION

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Eye Movement Techniques

From the Book, Eye Movement Technique for Emotional Healing by Fred Friedberg

Great for Calming and Stress Reduction

Eases Pain by dealing with the emotional aspects of pain

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Eye Movement Techniques

Steps

1. Sitting up focus on stressful feeling, image, or thought ask client to evaluate stress (1-10)

2. Rest hands, palms down own thighs

3. Tap back of hands with index fingers one at a time about 2 times a second

4. Do this for three minutes

5. Reevaluate stress (1-10)

Start or continue hypnosis

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Releasing Anger and Rage

Three potential sources in subconscious

1. That which may have been generated in infancy and childhood and never dissipated.

2. That which results from self-imposed pressure, as in driven, perfectionist or goodist people.

3. That which is a reaction to the real pressures of every day life.

James Sarno, Mind Body Prescription

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Substitute for Morphine

A raisin might not always be a substitute for morphine, but it appears that meditation can help people control their response to pain -- and their outlook on life. "The raisin exercise makes you aware of sights, sounds, scents, and tastes," says Benson.

"Now I relax, slow down, and take time to appreciate things around me -- a bird or a cricket, the wind in the trees. Meditation makes my life a little more peaceful. It's made me a better me.

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Self-Hypnosis Subliminal Tapes / CDs

Can enable you to channel your ability to put your whole brain to work for you when you need it.

May help the hypersensitive neurotransmitters and nerve endings to work to the client advantage. The format should aim at banishing negativity or frustration. For extremely analytical clients subliminal tapes can be a way to open the mind to the power of subconscious healing.

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Questions????