This issue of my e-newsletter focuses on current and encouraging developments in the area of pain-relief research and technology. These new discoveries are revolutionizing the way pain is treated; I hope you find the news below to be both informative and interesting.

If you or someone you know suffers from chronic pain, I encourage you to take advantage of the opportunity to participate in my Reversing Chronic Pain 10-week telephone/online course, which makes use of these new developments in an affordable, convenient, and easily accessible format.

Best Wishes,

I have been focusing recently on the reversal and relief of chronic pain. This is a hugely challenging area of practice and a highly satisfying one.

Recently, the New York Times published an article called "My Pain, My Brain" (May 14, 2006) which heralds a new technology allowing the pain patient to interact directly with the brain. This process involves a functional MRI using unique software that projects the activation of the brain related to the person?s immediate experience of pain. Research volunteers are asked to try to increase and decrease their pain while watching neuroimages of the part of the brain involved in pain perception and modulation.

This new technology shows clearly that pain activates a complex network of 5-10 areas of the brain that transmit information back and forth. The pain network includes pain perception and pain modulation systems; the role of the pain modulation system is to inhibit the activity of the pain perception system, which is stimulated mainly by stress and by belief. The placebo effect is particularly important, as the brain will shut down pain if it believes it has been given pain relief. The goal of the neuroimaging project at Stanford is to prove that repeated practice can help improve the pain modulation system in much the same way that physical therapy can change muscular weakness.

When asked to increase their pain, research volunteers are prepped to think hopeless thoughts, but many subjects instead focus on the visual analogue of the pain itself -- for example, flames of a fire that burn the skin and body. During the interval devoted to decreasing the pain, results so far have indicated that distraction tends to be one of the best pain modulating techniques in impacting the pain modulation system. Even in the early stages of its development, neuroimaging therapy has a distinct advantage over drugs because it can impact a pain modulation system that, like neurotransmitters, is spread out through the brain rather than being localized in one area. While it is extremely difficult to design drugs to treat pain because their receptor sites appear in multiple sites throughout the brain, neuroimaging is designed to bring the mind and brain together in a powerful way to teach control over an entire brain region.

The truly good news is that this approach to resolving pain is already available to individuals who struggle with persistent and chronic pain. This existing methodology does not require patients to make a geographical move near Stanford University to participate in the research study, or to wait for the technology to become more readily accessible, or to cope with the disabling side effects of medication. Many techniques already exist to help "turn on" and strengthen the pain modulation system. While the neuroimaging approach seems quite promising, patients can learn to use their own highly developed imaging abilities to interact directly with pain perception and modulation systems. The use of guided imagery, for example, has been shown to activate the same areas of the brain that are activated in the corresponding real-life experience. Therefore, learning to use strategic images that increase the success of the pain regulation system needs to be an important part of any pain treatment program.

Please consider passing along this e-newsletter to people in pain who might benefit from this approach. During this course, I provide written materials via email which teach one powerful, basic skill each week. The written materials are accompanied by audio downloads to facilitate the practice and honing of each skill. In addition, I host 5 live conference calls with participants to answer questions, make suggestions, and further tailor the methods to meet each individual?s unique needs.

The cost of the course is $250, which includes the 5 live conference calls -- less than the cost of a few sessions of psychotherapy or medical treatment.

The deadline for registration for the next class is Wednesday, March 28. The class begins on Monday, April 2, and ends June 8.

To read more about the design of the course and to register, please visit my website at http://www.maggiephillipsphd.com/chronicpain_phone.html

"Before the course began, pain was the enemy and I was fighting with it. Now I am more compassionate towards my pain -- I have learned to love my body through pain. I also feel a sense of control I did not have before. My pain levels are lower; I have better response to medications and a better attitude toward self-treatment."

"I have much more confidence now that I have tools to keep pain from overwhelming me or controlling my life. Meeting others with chronic pain was really important, so that I don't feel so alone in my quest."

"What's different for me is that even though my pain increased at the end of the course, I know why and what I need to change at work. My attitude and commitment to self-treatment is much stronger now. It really helped that you understand how this struggle with pain becomes all consuming at times and how hard it is emotionally."

"Your expertise in your area is obvious as you offer what might be most helpful for each of us as pain clients, I sense in my body, the place that I return to when I am lost in my pain, the place that I have made large enough to contain my pain and also my healing and new learning. Now, I can connect to my body with just a breath or a simple movement. My pain and subsequent suffering has changed in a way I do not yet have the words to describe. I am feeling hopeful, grateful and am having very exciting positive responses to all our work. Thank you so much for this course!"

Please do not hesitate to contact me directly at mphillips@lmi.net to determine whether this course is a good fit for your needs or to make a referral.

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