In the June issue of my e-newsletter, you will find information about my big event for this month -- a "live" booksigning at East West Books in Mountain View, California on June 18. You will also find "save the dates" bulletins about additional upcoming events. This edition of "News From the Pain Front" offers important guidelines about the use of over-the-counter medications for pain.

Stay well,

Please have your calendar handy as you read about the following events.

I am very excited about my book signing on Wednesday, June 18, from 7:30 - 9:30 pm at East West Books in Mountain View. If you live here in the San Francisco Bay area, I would love the opportunity to connect with you. At this event, I will be teaching techniques from my new book, Reversing Chronic Pain, and doing one or more demonstrations with people in the audience who have pain conditions so that you can see how the methods work in practice. To reserve tickets, for more information, and for driving directions, please visit www.eastwest.com/june_events.html. Everyone who attends this event will also receive free access to an audio seminar: "10 Ways to Stop Pain from Stopping You" and will be placed in a lottery with a chance to win my CD set, "Hypnosis: The Pain Solution." I hope to see you on June 18th! Please invite your friends, loved ones, and colleagues!

I am also delighted to announce a teleseminar on Intuitive Healing with Judith Orloff MD: "How to Listen to the Body for Pain Relief and Well-Being" to be held on Wednesday, September 10 from 10:00 - 11:30 am Pacific Time. To appreciate the extraordinary opportunity in store for you through this event, please visit www.drjudithorloff.com or see her free video classes at www.youtube.com/judithorloffmd

There is still time to register at the early bird rate for the "Advanced Topics in Ego-State Therapy" workshop on Monday, September 22, just following the European Hypnosis Congress in the beautiful city of Vienna. You can complete additional hours toward our new certification program if you also attend the congress, but you can enroll only in our advanced post conference workshop. To learn more, visit www.maggiephillipsphd.com/courses_egostate.html. As another part of the ego-state therapy training package, please consider the week-long intensive in ego-state therapy from 29 September - 3 October in Rottweil, Germany. Please visit www.meg-rottweil.de to learn more.

I will be teaching a workshop in Heidelberg, Germany on Saturday and Sunday, 4 - 5 October on "Multi-Modal Approaches to Healing Post-Traumatic Pain." This workshop will include methods drawn from mindfulness, breathing and meditation, Somatic Experiencing®, ego-state therapy, formal hypnosis, interactive guided imagery, Energy Psychology and EMDR. Participants will learn how to build individualized, highly effective protocols that address both emotional and physical pain as well as the trauma components that often block healing. For more information, contact Dr. Gunther Schmidt at office@meihei.de or visit www.meihei.de.

Just after Vienna, I will also be teaching an advanced two day workshop in Paris, France on "Treating Complex Stress Disorders with Mindfulness and Mind-Body Healing" on Saturday and Sunday, 27 - 28 September. For information and registration, please contact mayerbernard@free.fr. Paris is particularly wonderful during the month of September, so please consider this training in your continuing education calendar.

In the US, there will be a workshop on Ego-State Therapy planned in the San Francisco area on October 31st.

Please watch for further email announcements about these and other events.

There have been swirls of controversy surrounding the use of over-the-counter medication (OTC) for chronic pain. Most of us know now to be careful with their use. A growing trend is that some people in pain are avoiding them more than is necessary, and may even be cheating themselves of some of the most effective pain relief available.

One of the more balanced discussions of these issues is in the University of California, Berkeley's Wellness Letter. In the June 2007 issue, the editors present the issues involved along with guidelines for safe use.

First, there are many brands of OTC medications, but there are only two types: Acetaminophen (such as Tylenol) and NSAIDS (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), all available as generics. NSAIDS include aspirin, ibuprofen (such as Motrin and Advil), and naproxen (such as Aleve). NSAIDS are also sold in prescription form in stronger doses.

If you take these drugs several times a week, it is important to be aware of several risk factors:

• Cardiovascular risk from NSAIDS, with the exception of aspirin and possibly naproxen (which actually may enhance blood consistency), increase the risk of heart attacks for individuals who already have heart diseases or are at high risk for this disease. The COX-inhibitors, such as Celebrex, sold only by prescription, pose the highest risk.


• All over-the-counter medications can raise blood pressure, and this may contribute to heart attack and stroke. For example, a recent study of 16,000 male health professionals (age 56-76 and without hypertension), concluded that those who took OTC medications on most days were about one-third more likely to develop hypertension over a four year period. In 2002, a large study found that daily use could increase the risk even more in women.


• One of the most common problems resulting from NSAIDs is damage to the stomach lining, GI bleeding, and ulcers. This risk is greatest in long-term users, those over 60, those drinking 3 or more alcoholic beverages a day, those with a history of GI bleeding or ulcers, and those taking other medications, including blood-thinners or steroids.


• Acetaminophen (Tylenol), the #1 non-prescription pain reliever, is not linked to GI bleeding, but excessive use can cause severe liver damage. In fact, this is the most common cause of liver failure in the US! Many people don't realize that acetaminophen is also present as an ingredient in many OTC allergy, cold, and headache products. Reading the labels is very important! A rule of thumb is to restrict use to no more than four grams a day from all sources, the equivalent of eight Extra-Strength Tylenol. Drinking alcohol significantly increases these risks as does heavy smoking.

• First, try non-drug treatments for your pain. This might mean physical therapy, Pilates, yoga, exercise, weight loss, and heat or cold therapy. You may be surprised that these methods meet your needs better in some situations than OTC medications, or at least may provide alternative substitutes.


• If these approaches do not provide enough relief, talk with your pain professional about the best alternative for you, weighing the risks and benefits of each drug.


• Keep in mind that the best choice will depend on the cause and severity of your pain, along with your medical history. For example, acetaminophen is safest for the GI tract but may not provide enough relief for arthritis because it does not reduce inflammation.


• Take the lowest effective dose for the shortest time possible. Sometimes it may be helpful to rotate the use of OTC medications depending on your symptoms. Consult your doctor if you want to try the rotation approach.


• Don't exceed the doses listed on the labels or take for more than 10 days unless your doctor has approved this approach.

Thanks for reading.

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