by PainPathways Magazine | Jul 25, 2018 | Articles, Integrative, Only Online, Therapies, Wellness, Wellness Blog
As a doctor who sees firsthand the damage that chronic pain creates in people’s lives, I believe improving how we treat pain is the single most important public health challenge that we face – but not because of the opioid crisis or the $ 600 billion spent each year...
by PainPathways Magazine | Jul 23, 2018 | Articles, Integrative, Only Online, Wellness, Wellness Blog
This is a cautionary tale about rare medical complications. As many people who follow my blog posts know, I had spinal surgery in mid-December. After undergoing many, many procedures including prior surgery, acupuncture, chiropractic, massage, yoga and every other...
by PainPathways Magazine | May 25, 2018 | Articles, Integrative, Only Online, Wellness, Wellness Blog
Kevin hurts all the time since his accident. After learning how thoughts become automatic, he’s noticing that his pain gets worse with certain ways of thinking. Because this surprises and baffles him, he’s trying to pay attention to the relationship between his...
by PainPathways Magazine | Apr 22, 2018 | Articles, Integrative, Only Online, Wellness, Wellness Blog
This morning I went for a walk around my neighborhood. In my younger and pre-lupus days, I was a runner. Post-lupus diagnosis, I became a walker. One of the things in life that makes me happy is a morning walk. I enjoy being outdoors, seeing the beauty that nature...
by PainPathways Magazine | Mar 23, 2018 | Articles, Integrative, Only Online, Therapies, Wellness, Wellness Blog
Don’t be surprised if the next time you see your pain doctor they suggest you go to an acupuncturist. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently released a recommendation that doctors get up to speed on complementary alternative therapies for treating pain...
by PainPathways Magazine | Feb 19, 2018 | Articles, Integrative, Only Online, Wellness, Wellness Blog
We’ve been given the impression that stress is the problem — something we have to eliminate or control. But stress reactions are a vital source of personal safety that need to be understood and valued. It’s when the brain’s alarm becomes hyperactive or mismatched to...
by PainPathways Magazine | Jan 22, 2018 | Articles, Integrative, Only Online, Wellness, Wellness Blog
“Not all who wander are lost.” Attributed to J.R.R. Tolkien, this is perhaps my favorite quote because I have a terrible sense of direction. When I’m with my parents, favorite tales around the family dinner table often revolve around the time after I got my driver’s...
by PainPathways Magazine | Dec 25, 2017 | Articles, Integrative, Only Online, Therapies, Wellness, Wellness Blog
Exercise for Pain Relief: How to Establish a Habit That Really Helps It can feel like a Catch-22: Everyone is telling you that you need to exercise, but when you’re in pain, exercising may be the last thing you feel like doing. And unfortunately, the longer you avoid...
by PainPathways Magazine | Nov 23, 2017 | Articles, Integrative, Only Online, Wellness, Wellness Blog
Holiday Travel With Pain…It’s Possible with a Few Adaptations Does the thought of holiday travel overwhelm you—even cause you to decline an invitation? These tips could help you ADAPT with less stress and pain: Action Plan – Get ahead of anxiety and...
by PainPathways Magazine | Oct 22, 2017 | Articles, Integrative, Only Online, Wellness, Wellness Blog
I have a very finicky immune system. It has trouble distinguishing foreign invaders (like viruses) from my body’s own healthy tissues. It often goes on the warpath, misguidedly fighting healthy parts of my body. This happened recently and resulted in a somewhat...
by PainPathways Magazine | Sep 22, 2017 | Articles, Integrative, Only Online, Relationships, Wellness, Wellness Blog
Walk into any coffee shop or other public gathering place and what do you see? If your neighborhood is like mine, you probably stumble onto lots of people looking down at their digital devices of choice, tapping away. It’s even commonplace to see couples, old and...
by PainPathways Magazine | Aug 21, 2017 | Articles, Integrative, Only Online, Wellness, Wellness Blog
If you are reading this post, you are probably already well-versed in how chronic pain can interrupt your own — or a loved one’s — ability to perform simple activities and function on a day-to-day basis. You may even start off your day dreading the thought of just...
by PainPathways Magazine | Jul 21, 2017 | Articles, Integrative, Only Online, Wellness, Wellness Blog
I work very hard in my life to live in the present moment and find joy and happiness there. However, there are some things, especially the prospect of surgery, that drag my thoughts kicking and screaming out of the present and into the future. I have wrist and elbow...
by PainPathways Magazine | Jun 26, 2017 | Articles, Integrative, Only Online, Wellness, Wellness Blog
Our sense of touch is one of our most basic and fundamental aspects of the human experience. We use our ability to feel as an integral tool to discriminate and better understand our environment, almost without thinking about it, because we do it all day long....
by PainPathways Magazine | Apr 24, 2017 | Articles, Integrative, Only Online, Wellness, Wellness Blog
I had the most wonderful experience yesterday. No, it was not a trip to Paris or a standing ovation after a speech, or even my favorite wonderful experience—a kind word from a friend or stranger. Nope, none of those. My wonderful experience started with a plastic...
by PainPathways Magazine | Mar 13, 2017 | Articles, Integrative, Only Online, Therapies, Wellness, Wellness Blog
To succeed in this new era of painkiller regulation, you will need to be an engaged advocate for your own well-being. It’s been a tumultuous year for patients who rely on the routine use of opioid painkillers. Concerns over the rise in overdose deaths have led to a...
by PainPathways Magazine | Jan 24, 2017 | Articles, Integrative, Only Online, Wellness, Wellness Blog
On one of my recent daily walks, I finished an audio book I’d been listening to before completing my route home. I decided a little upbeat music might help me finish and so I touched the audio player screen to launch my Top 25 Most Played playlist. I hadn’t listened...
by PainPathways Magazine | Jan 3, 2017 | Articles, Integrative, Only Online, Wellness, Wellness Blog
Recently I came across an old photo someone posted on Facebook of my daughters with their friends and the Easter Bunny. I’m guessing the girl’s ages were around five and seven at the time the picture was taken. Those same adorable faces are now thirty and...
by PainPathways Magazine | Nov 21, 2016 | Articles, Integrative, Only Online, Wellness, Wellness Blog
I know the title of this post is misleading. Things are rightly called “uncontrollable” simply because they cannot be controlled. We all have things like this in our lives— the weather, health issues, the behavior of other people and aging to name a few. I often...
by PainPathways Magazine | Nov 21, 2016 | Articles, Integrative, Only Online, Wellness, Wellness Blog
Cindy’s five “Be’s” for getting the support you need and the care you deserve. 1) Be Honest It is tempting when asked certain health questions not to be completely honest. Who wants to admit they didn’t take their medicine as directed, or at all? Who wants to...
by PainPathways Magazine | Nov 16, 2016 | Articles, Integrative, Only Online, Wellness, Wellness Blog
Let me begin by acknowledging that I am writing this in response to a recent and frustrating medical encounter. Let me also acknowledge that, for the past week, I have been preparing a speech to be delivered to healthcare providers on the benefits of...
by PainPathways Magazine | Oct 27, 2016 | Articles, Integrative, Wellness, Wellness Blog
Years ago, I sat in a yoga workshop and, as is common practice, the instructor went around the room asking the participants if we had any health concerns that she should be aware of or issues that we would like to work on. When it was my turn, I shared that I have...
by PainPathways Magazine | Oct 13, 2016 | Articles, Integrative, Wellness, Wellness Blog
Not long ago, I received a phone call from a new doctor who came to me on referral. My husband often jokes that, for my doctors, accepting a referral to be a part of my medical team is not really a bonus! But this nice woman physician was one of those lucky (or...
by PainPathways Magazine | Aug 19, 2016 | Articles, Integrative, Only Online, Wellness, Wellness Blog
Years ago our family of four had piled into the minivan and was heading home from a great vacation in the Florida Keys. We had driven for a few hours and decided that our two young daughters could use a break (meaning they were getting antsy and our patience was...
by PainPathways Magazine | Aug 19, 2016 | Only Online, Wellness Blog
A few days ago it was very hot here in Tampa, very early in the day. For those of you who are familiar with Tampa’s weather, you know it can be extremely humid—none of this dry heat like they have out West. Instead, our air is completely saturated with water which...
by PainPathways Magazine | Aug 9, 2016 | Only Online, Wellness Blog
There is a convenience store near my house where I often stop in to buy something to drink when I am out on my walk. (Full disclosure: If you know me then you know my drink of choice is Diet Coke, but I hesitate to share my poor nutrition habit with the world!) If...
by Pain Pathways Magazine | Jul 31, 2016 | Featured, Only Online, Wellness Blog
Remarkably, an estimated 115 million people in the US suffer from chronic pain. No matter what your specific pain condition, there are many who may understand what you and your loved ones are experiencing. But how do you find and connect with others? That’s where pain...
by PainPathways Magazine | Jul 25, 2016 | Articles, Integrative, Only Online, Wellness, Wellness Blog
If you’ve been following my posts, you know that I have lived for over three decades with a chronic illness. I’ve accepted that the illness—at least for today—doesn’t have a cure. I’ve also accepted (mind you, acceptance doesn’t mean I like it) that “chronic” means...
by Linda S. Ruehlman, PhD | Jul 21, 2016 | Headache, Only Online, Wellness Blog
I spoke with a woman recently about how she manages her chronic migraines. She has had migraines for over 5 years and finally feels she has them under good control. She has found a medication that works for her most of the time. But, she feels her most powerful...
by PainPathways Magazine | Jul 12, 2016 | Articles, Integrative, Only Online, Wellness, Wellness Blog
Although none of us come with a guarantee of immortality, lupus taught me at a very young age that I am most definitely a flesh and bone mortal. At the time of diagnosis I was just 25 and told I would likely not see 30. Good news on that front! I’m way past 30 (times...
by PainPathways Magazine | Jun 13, 2016 | Articles, Integrative, Wellness, Wellness Blog
One of the most difficult aspects of chronic pain management is dealing with the losses that may accompany pain. Your roles may have changed. Your role as spouse or partner, friend, worker, mom or dad, brother or sister, athlete may be modified or lost. You may no...
by PainPathways Magazine | May 19, 2016 | Articles, Integrative, Wellness, Wellness Blog
I’m a big fan of Gretchen Rubin and her book, The Happiness Project. While waiting for my nails to dry one day (something I’m never very patient about), I pulled out my smartphone and visited her website. There I found a description of her 12 Personal Commandments,...
by PainPathways Magazine | Apr 28, 2016 | Articles, Integrative, Wellness, Wellness Blog
I have heard it said that we are all artists, that each of us possesses a special talent. Having taught school to little ones and raised two daughters, I do know that we are all born with a creative spirit. If you don’t believe me, give a room full of five year olds...
by PainPathways Magazine | Mar 21, 2016 | Articles, Integrative, Wellness, Wellness Blog
A pain soother is anything that you can do that reduces your pain somewhat. The key is realizing that although being pain free would be great, pain reduction is a worthy goal that will help you feel more comfortable. Heat, cold, stretching and a hot bath can all be...
by PainPathways Magazine | Feb 29, 2016 | Wellness Blog
Let it go, let it go, let it go I think John Lennon said it best when he sang that “Life is what happens when you are busy making other plans.” This has certainly been my experience and has taught me a great deal about resiliency. When I was 25 and busy planning my...
by Linda S. Ruehlman, PhD | Nov 23, 2015 | Therapies, Wellness, Wellness Blog
If you have lived with pain for a while, you may have tried many options. Generally, a combination of different treatments is most effective. Have you asked you doctor about physical therapy? People with chronic pain may be afraid that physical therapy (PT) will...
by Linda S. Ruehlman, PhD | Oct 28, 2015 | Communication, Wellness, Wellness Blog
You may have noticed that pain puts a strain on friendship. Whether you have fibromyalgia, headaches, back pain, arthritis, or other type of chronic pain, chronic pain can take a toll on your relationships, especially with friends. You may see friends less or ...
by Linda S. Ruehlman, PhD | Sep 9, 2015 | Depression, Wellness, Wellness Blog
If you have chronic pain, you may be at risk for depression. In one study, 35% of the participants who reported chronic pain were also depressed. Risk of depression was not associated with any particular pain type or site. Pain and depression seem to have a...
by Linda S. Ruehlman, PhD | Jul 28, 2015 | Wellness, Wellness Blog
Life is richer when you can pursue the things that matter, such as love, work, feelings of competence, being part of a caring social network of family and friends, growing as a person. Chronic pain makes goal pursuit more difficult. Pain can interfere with...
by Linda S. Ruehlman, PhD | Jun 10, 2015 | Only Online, Wellness, Wellness Blog
From birth, we are all faced with two basic questions: “What do I want or need?” and “How do I get it?” Of course, we start out wanting the same kinds of things: to eat, to sleep, to be safe, to sit up, to crawl, to walk… Throughout life, our goals become more...
by Linda S. Ruehlman, PhD | May 14, 2015 | Wellness, Wellness Blog
I have written a great deal about the negative thoughts that are so easy to get caught up in when you live with chronic pain. I have covered topics such as rumination, self-talk, “negative fortune telling“, and anger. People with chronic pain sometimes report...
by Linda S. Ruehlman, PhD | Apr 9, 2015 | Wellness, Wellness Blog
If you have been living with chronic pain, you may have found that you worry about yourself. What if your future is one of loneliness and isolation? What if you can’t get the help you need? What if your relationships suffer? What if your pain gets so bad that you...
by Linda S. Ruehlman, PhD | Dec 3, 2014 | Wellness Blog
Most of what I write about in this blog is derived from the science of pain management. But, I also find lessons about coping with pain in daily life. Those lessons often correspond to science-based recommendations. Today I want to talk about something I have...
by Linda S. Ruehlman, PhD | Oct 22, 2014 | Wellness Blog
When you think about your own pain experience, you may first think about how much you hurt. But, the full pain experience is actually broader than “how much”. The Initiative on Methods, Measurement, and Pain Assessment in Clinical Trials (IMMPACT) is a group of 27...
by Linda S. Ruehlman, PhD | Sep 24, 2014 | Wellness Blog
People with chronic pain often say that their partner, family, friends, co-workers, or boss don’t seem to understand their pain problem or what it is like to live with pain. You may wonder if others understand the impact of chronic pain on daily life, whether...
by Linda S. Ruehlman, PhD | Sep 23, 2014 | Wellness Blog
Your chronic pain problem may have knocked you off course. Your personal, family, work, health, and social goals may have been derailed. You may feel as though you are simply stuck, unable to go forward and incapable of going back to your old life. Sometimes it...
by Linda S. Ruehlman, PhD | Mar 17, 2014 | Featured, Only Online, Wellness Blog
Fear is a natural and common reaction to pain. When pain becomes chronic, fear can become an ongoing part of the pain experience. I have talked about ways to manage fear in a previous blog. Today, I want to talk about another aspect of fear. Chronic fear will tend...
by Linda S. Ruehlman, PhD | Feb 25, 2014 | Featured, Only Online, Wellness Blog
Pain can be scary. If you have chronic pain, you may have become chronically fearful – afraid of loss of control, scared that simple movement may increase your pain, afraid that you may re-injure yourself merely by doing what you need to do to live your life, and...
by Linda S. Ruehlman, PhD | Feb 10, 2014 | Depression, Featured, Only Online, Wellness Blog
It can be difficult to feel thankful when you live with chronic pain. Because pain may interfere with important areas of life, you may have suffered some difficult losses. Over time, you may have become more resentful and less thankful. But, if you take the...
by Linda S. Ruehlman, PhD | Dec 5, 2013 | Wellness Blog
Chronic pain can make your goals seem unimportant or unreachable. Your pain may interfere with your social goals, career goals, or family goals. Personal goals like exercise, hobbies, reading, or learning something new may have fallen by the wayside too....
by Linda S. Ruehlman, PhD | Oct 16, 2013 | Wellness Blog
Chronic pain often gets in the way of life. Pain can cancel, interrupt, delay, interfere with, and diminish living. The worst part is that it can make you afraid to try again tomorrow. It can challenge your beliefs in your ability to do what you want to do in...
by Linda S. Ruehlman, PhD | Sep 26, 2013 | Wellness Blog
Stress can make chronic pain worse. Whether you suffer from headaches, arthritis, abdominal pain, temporomandibular disorder, or any other chronic pain condition you may benefit from identifying methods to reduce the stress in your life. One approach to stress...
by Linda S. Ruehlman, PhD | Sep 19, 2013 | Wellness Blog
Maybe you see friends less often than you used to. Or maybe you have lost touch with friends you feel are too active, believing you can’t keep up. You may feel that some of your friends just don’t understand what you are experiencing and that some are even downright...
by Linda S. Ruehlman, PhD | Sep 16, 2013 | Wellness Blog
Felix Naughton and his colleagues conducted a study to examine the relationship between sleep quality, depression, pain severity, and disability. Their results (reported in the journal Pain) showed that sleep quality did not directly affect disability, but rather...
by Linda S. Ruehlman, PhD | Aug 30, 2013 | Wellness Blog
Living with severe pain can be a trigger for depression, a sense of loss of who you are and who you will become, and a belief that you can’t manage your pain or your life. It is true that pain often changes people. You may have lost some of the positive abilities...
by Linda S. Ruehlman, PhD | Aug 12, 2013 | Wellness Blog
I have written a number of blog posts about the relationship issues associated with chronic pain. Today, I want to focus on your relationships with family – they live with your pain too. Not directly of course. They do not feel the hurt that you feel – they can...
by Linda S. Ruehlman, PhD | Aug 5, 2013 | Wellness Blog
Chronic pain can make it hard to feel connected to others. Pain puts a strain on friendship – whether you have fibromyalgia, headaches, back pain, arthritis, or any other type of chronic pain. You may have found that you see friends less or that you feel...
by Linda S. Ruehlman, PhD | Jul 29, 2013 | Wellness Blog
In spin class, I have frequently heard instructors say “rinse it out” after a particularly intense bout of cycling. I have always supposed that they are encouraging us to slow down and recover a bit and get rid of anything “toxic” in the muscles before we start...
by Linda S. Ruehlman, PhD | Jul 22, 2013 | Wellness Blog
Paul Karoly, Aaron Taylor, and I conducted a study of over 2,000 people with different forms of chronic pain from across the United States and found that 63%reported that pain interfered with sexual functioning. Other researchers have found similar results; some...
by Linda S. Ruehlman, PhD | Jul 15, 2013 | Wellness Blog
Sleep plays a crucial role in the daily experience of people with chronic pain. Of course, research (and probably your own experience) has demonstrated that pain can make it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep. In a study involving people with fibromyalgia, Dr....
by Linda S. Ruehlman, PhD | Jul 8, 2013 | Wellness Blog
It is not uncommon for chronic pain to be linked to depression. For example, 35% of the participants in one study who reported chronic pain were also depressed. Risk of depression was not associated with any particular pain type or site. Pain and depression seem...
by Linda S. Ruehlman, PhD | Jul 1, 2013 | Wellness Blog
One of my first research studies involved examining the significance of the three most important people in one’s life to psychological well being and distress. I asked study participants to identify the most, 2nd most, and 3rd most important people in their lives...
by Linda S. Ruehlman, PhD | Jun 9, 2013 | Wellness Blog
Living with chronic pain can be very frustrating. Not surprisingly, people with chronic pain tend to report greater levels of anger than those without pain. Expressions of anger differ, with some people being more likely to suppress and hide it, turning it inward...
by Linda S. Ruehlman, PhD | Mar 18, 2013 | Wellness Blog
If you are like many people with chronic pain, you maintain a full- or part-time job, despite your pain. Working with chronic pain can be challenging. Sometimes your performance may be reduced or you may miss full or partial work days. You may operate on less...
by Linda S. Ruehlman, PhD | Feb 11, 2013 | Wellness Blog
Your family lives with your pain too. Although they can’t feel what you feel, they suffer from knowing that you suffer. They may feel helpless and lost at times, not knowing how to help or what the future holds. They may struggle with feelings of depression,...
by Linda S. Ruehlman, PhD | Jan 14, 2013 | Wellness Blog
The start of the new year is often a time to reflect on where you have been and where you are headed. You may even have made a resolution or two. Working towards goals can make a difference in how you feel about living with chronic pain. If you would like to make...
by Linda S. Ruehlman, PhD | Dec 31, 2012 | Wellness Blog
These information structures are called schemas. For example, a toddler learns that a furry, four-legged animal is a dog. Upon seeing a cat, the child might refer to it as a dog, only to be told that it is a cat. So the schema for dogs changes (to exclude cats)...
by Linda S. Ruehlman, PhD | Dec 28, 2012 | Wellness Blog
It is hard to believe that 2012 has nearly come to an end. I wish you all a very happy and healthy new year. I thought this would be a good time to review my blog posts for 2012. Take a look at the most popular posts. What was your favorite? Number 1: Living with...
by Linda S. Ruehlman, PhD | Oct 16, 2012 | Wellness Blog
Your chronic pain problem may have knocked you off course. Your personal, vocational, and social goals may have been derailed. You may feel as though you are simply stuck, unable to go forward and incapable of going back to your old life. Sometimes it may feel like...
by Linda S. Ruehlman, PhD | Oct 16, 2012 | Wellness Blog
Last week I talked about cultivating yourself: rediscovering and building the parts of yourself that you value. This week I want to talk about cultivating friendship. Chronic pain can really get in the way of friendship. Whether you have fibromyalgia, headaches, back...
