Comments on: How Practicing Touch Can Help Pain

By: How to Cope with Pain

How to Cope with Pain — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 17:04:56 +0000

Karen, while I can't send you info, I do suggest you talk with your pain doctor about various treatment options - hypnosis, mirror work, etc. As well, take some time to look over this website - there's lots of info! Regarding "re-programming" and mirror work, you and your pain doctor might start here: Info About Newer Treatments.

By: KAREN

KAREN — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 06:54:07 +0000

please send me any and all info that you may have in regards to help with pain, I have crps and am in chronic pain, someone told me you could be hyptnotized and have your brain re-programmed?? i’ve never heard of this before, but this article is wonderful, mirror immagery i don’t quite understand?? i’ll ask my pain dr. thankyou so much!!

By: How to Cope with Pain

How to Cope with Pain — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 18:48:18 +0000

Matrix, usually when pain and other symptoms return, it’s because of re-injury, but sometimes ‘why’ isn’t so clear. Starting treatment sooner would probably be better. If your previous OT used things which were helpful, it might be good to start there, after a medical eval to determine exactly what’s going on.

By: thematrix777

thematrix777 — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 18:12:25 +0000

I have the VERY same problem. I can’t find my hand without looking for it visually. My first occupational therapist taught me that. It was almost like a “trick”.

I said if I was ever got stopped by the police and asked to do those drunk things like touch the tip of your nose, I’m dead meat. I can’t do that sober!

I did de-sensitizing in the beginning and it worked. But 5 years later, it’s back like before. I have all the beginning symptoms like sensitivity, loss of limbs feeling, can’t tell left from right; just everything!

Why would I regress? Does it only last awhile? I can’t remember stuff for more than 15 minutes and my husband is starting to get really annoyed!!!!

I need brain help! Please!!!!!

thematrix777

By: How to Cope with Pain

How to Cope with Pain — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 21:17:44 +0000

I’ll be posting in December on articles on this treatment and other ideas for finding a practitioner. Check back (or, even better – sign up for email or RSS delivery of How to Cope with Pain, so you get the info right away).

By: How to Cope with Pain

How to Cope with Pain — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 20:55:22 +0000

Barbara, unfortunately, it isn’t easy to find someone. I’d ask your current pain management team if they know how to use this treatment, or if they know someone else who does.

Another option is to look on mirror box websites to see if they have “practitioner” links. A good one to try is NOI Group.

Overall, PT and PMR (physical medicine and rehab) practitioners are probably the best place to start. (I say this even though I’m a psychiatrist, but psychiatrists using it is even more unusual.)

Let us know if you’re successful in finding someone.

By: Barbara K.

Barbara K. — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 19:49:19 +0000

This is very interesting (I had also read about mirror therapy of Jeisea’s blog) . Do you know how to find practitioners or teachers of these methods?

By: jeisea

jeisea — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 02:06:19 +0000

This is a really great post!

I have a definite problem with recognizing left or right hands and feet. Like others with complex regional pain syndrome I have altered sense of touch.
Just as retraining the brain by moving normally and desensitization the skin by using a variety of things, this new idea of training the brain to recognize touch is brilliant. It’s a different variation and will build on the brains experience of touch using different pathways.

On a few occasions I’ve lost my sense of my body in space (proprioception I think it’s called). At one time I wanted to scratch my left with my right hand. I was in bed at night so it was dark. I couldn’t find my left hand. I kept trying but I just couldn’t touch it. I ended up having to turn the light on and watch what I was doing. I then practised touching myself with my right hand until I re-learned the task. Once I’d re-learned the task I was right.

In the same way mirror therapy retrains the brain. Once it is retrained it’s permanent until something happens to trigger problems again.

This is simply amazing stuff.
jeisea

By: How to Cope with Pain

How to Cope with Pain — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 21:49:23 +0000

Yes, this is another way, in addition to new ways that use the visual system, to change things directly in the brain. And once you undertstand the underlying theory, the actual technique is very easy to implement.

If a health care provider runs into problems implementing the treatment, they’re welcome to post a question here, and I can see if I can clarify any issues.

By: Nickie

Nickie — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 21:37:47 +0000

Wow! This is really neat! I’m especially excited as a blind person with CRPS. I’ll definitely look at the article and share it with my health care providers.