Pain lives in the brain, not the body: The power of a neurocognitive perspective
Leigh E Richardson
Brain Performance Center, USA
: J Spine Neurosurg
Abstract
Statement of the Problem: Chronic pain has a variety of causes, ranging from an initial injury or ongoing illness, but there may also be no clear cause. Because of this, chronic pain can be very hard to treat and can have negative impacts on the patient’s lifestyle. It is a significant problem, as 100 million Americans suffer from chronic pain and over 1.5 billion worldwide. It causes over 36 million Americans to miss work every year. A 2006 study carried out by the American Pain Foundation found just 23% of patients with chronic pain found opioids effective. Few people, feel that there is a cure for chronic pain, as 66% of pain suffers expect to live with some pain for the rest of their life. Facts like these show that current approaches to chronic pain may not capture the full picture, and that the roots of chronic pain must run deeper, beyond just the physical and into the emotional and psychological.The American Academy of Neurology has endorsed use of CBT for symptoms of pain, weakness, dizziness that are not associated with a known disease. However, this sentiment has been acknowledged for centuries, as Ancient Greeks and Romans were the first to advance the idea that the brain and central nervous system were instrumental in the perception of pain. We will build on that idea in this session and will review how the principles of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy can be applied, along with a neuro cognitive perspective, to improve quality of life and help patients manage their pain. We will discuss each of the different treatment modalities that are used to create regulation in the brain. This will include three different forms of neurofeedback, and three different forms of neuromodulation and photo modulation.
Biography
Leigh E Richardson was introduced to neurofeedback after her son was hit by a car and was searching for answers. She became part of the neurologist team that helped her son and was there for 5 years working within a medical model as a neuro therapist. In 2009 the Brain Performance Center was open offering a wider array of treatment options based on a behavioral model. In the last 15 years, she has worked with depression, Parkinson’s, stroke, anxiety, TBI, chronic pain, ADHD, Autism, and Addiction as a psychotherapist and neuro therapist. Leigh is a regular contributor to FOX news as a brain health expert.
E-mail: leigh@thebrainperformancecenter.com
