Pain intensity depends on the type of stimulus that caused it and on the psychological perception of the pain, such as fear and anxiety. Although not yet mainstream, a number of studies support [...]
Pain and inflammation are healthy responses to an acute injury; we may not always like them, but the body frankly does not care whether we like our recovery or not. Based on millions of years of [...]
Previous studies on acute pain have demonstrated that the presence of a compassionate, supportive spouse can reduce the brains response to a painful stimuli and to top it off, the addition of an [...]
This amazing study involved evaluating various physiological responses of subjects who received electric shocks. Seriously, who volunteers for these studies?? It is of course expected that some [...]
We seem to be living through an era where discomfort is to be avoided at all costs; even to the point of rewarding when a reward is not warranted. There is an unspoken assumption that emotional [...]
The Pain Truth program helps patients focus on what they desire (i.e. quality of life) instead on what they don’t want (i.e. pain). Have you ever tried hard to not think about something? Imagine [...]
In the 1970’s there were many studies supporting the notion that infants have a natural fear of strangers referred to as “stranger anxiety”. However these studies have been criticized for [...]
Over the last several decades, the use of opioids has increased dramatically as millions of adults are prescribed long-term opioid therapy for their chronic pain. Due to their potential adverse [...]
In the past decade there has been a growing body of evidence supporting the potential benefits of maximizing Therapeutic Alliance (TA). This is also sometimes referred to as focusing on having a [...]
Through my personal interactions with thousands of PTs across Canada, I find that by nature we are kind, caring and want nothing more than to help our patients in their recovery. But how do [...]
