Chronic Conditions and Healing: Part II -- An Integrative Approach

In Part I, I discussed Dr. David Hanscom's methods for dealing with chronic pain as outlined in Back in Control. Today I want to discuss the two other books I found very useful in thinking about the physical aspects and how a good doctor is a sleuth, leaving no stone unturned, listening to clues to aid him in helping him diagnose the underlying causes and treating them. What I found most interesting is that all three physicians said that they never learned pain management for patients while in medical school. The approaches they were taught were highly reductive and akin to putting on a Band-Aid, without looking for the root cause. All three are interested in practicing good medicine by looking for the truth. And for them, the first step is listening and taking a detailed patient history. 


Total Recovery: Solving the Mystery of Chronic Pain and Depression. How We Get Sick, Why We Stay Sick, How We Can Recover by Dr. Gary Kaplan, D.O. with Donna Beech reads like a good detective novel. He covers many interesting cases and they build in complexity. Here are some of his discoveries.

1. All assaults on the body, mental and physical, are cumulative. Surprisingly, the same areas light up in the brain whether the patient is hurting physically or emotionally.

2. The single point of origin are microglia. Glial cells are helper cells in the brain. We are so used to only thinking about nerve cells, we forget that they have to be tended to, and that's what the glial cells do. They protect the brain from injuries and trauma. They are part of the healing process. But if inflammation is sustained, they can become permanently up-regulated, releasing inflammatory agents of their own. Since we don't know how to down-regulate them, it's important to reduce all the factors contributing to inflammation.  

An example he gave was of a woman with multiple sclerosis. She had sustained several setbacks and was experiencing all the symptoms but the MS itself was triggered by untreated Lyme (a tick-borne disease). As each layer was uncovered, she gained partial health. But it's only when the Lyme was treated with an antibiotic course of a month that she finally regained motor control again.

3. There are many connections between food, infections, and childhood traumas that have a bearing on your health now. Examine the things that don't feel right in your life. 

You don't have to put up with aches and pains and mental fog. He suggests: get good sleep, have all infections treated, make sure your gut is in good condition (it is our second brain), that you're not consuming foods that are making you ill, address physical injuries, even minor ones, if you think you've never been the same since, and get help for lingering psychological trauma. If you've truly recovered, you will find yourself feeling strong and resilient. If not, you are still in a wounded state and vulnerable to future assaults. Even talking with a good friend can bring healing, as can praying together, walking together, massage. And last, check how many medications you are taking. His guidelines, "A drug has to work better than the side effects it creates. If it doesn't, get rid of it."


Healing is Possible: New Hope for Chronic Fatigue, Fibromyalgia, Persistent Pain, and other Chronic Illnesses by Neil Nathan, M.D. is one of the most detailed books I've read on integrative medicine. Dr. Nathan delineates the six most common culprits, followed by another six less common but frequent imbalances, and discusses new approaches to the relief of pain, as well as alternative approaches to cancer, autoimmune diseases, and autism (it is becoming a growing epidemic). What I liked best about this book is how he explains what to ask our own physicians when we finally make the visit. Educating yourself is key. Oh, and there are lots of medical stories, success stories!

The Big Six that lead to fatigue, exhaustion, tiredness, more fatigue, brain fog, joint pains, more fatigue.

Adrenal deficiency--your adrenal glands make DHEA and other hormones. DHEA is the precursor to estrogen and testosterone. I'd never even heard of a DHEA deficiency but Dr. Nathan notes that 90% of his patients are deficient and if he had to perform only a single test, this is the one. It's easy and if you are low (for your age), you can supplement it. You can buy it at a health food store! Um, please don't be taking this without being tested. It *is* a hormone and hormones need to be just right. Think Goldilocks. 

Magnesium deficiency--we need it for our nerves and muscles to function. Measurement should be inside cells (scrape off some cells from your cheek and send to the lab). You can take oral supplements but they aren't absorbed as well. If you are deficient, the best treatment is an IV cocktail of Mg, Ca, Vit. C, Vit. B12. By the way, taking a bath with Epsom salts is very beneficial. Your skin will absorb the magnesium. St. Thomas Aquinas really did have excellent advice! 

Thyroid imbalances and Iodine deficiency--this is involved in regulation of all your metabolism so if you're deficient, you will need a supplement. It's important to make sure your body can actually convert the T4 to T3.

Sex hormone imbalances--I don't think I need to say much here. Both men and women are affected. Think Goldilocks. Hormones need to be just right.

Food allergies--this is a biggie and can be hard to pin down if it's not an immediate reaction (can be life-threatening). But a delayed reaction to food items can be judged if you keep a food diary. The correlations must be 100% otherwise you'll end up thinking you're sensitive to everything.

Intestinal dysbiosis--this refers to our gut health. Many people have pathogenic bacteria and yeast in their gut. They need to go (you will need antibiotics for this). Take probiotics, eat fermented foods. Populate your gut with good bugs (Lactobacilli, Bifidobacteria, etc.).

The Little Six are related to blood sugar imbalances, insulin resistance, heavy metal toxicity (if you have silver fillings, the mercury in them might be leaching out and making you sick), mold spore, chronic infections, amino-acid or neurotransmitter imbalances. All these are treatable. For example, if you're low in serotonin, you're going to be depressed, irritable, and anxious. So you can eat foods that have the precursor to it or take a drug that increases the lifetime of the serotonin in your brain.   


I know this is a lot of information in a short space, but I will add one more thing: the spiritual element. In the Catholic church we have the Sacrament of Healing. I have received 50% healing each time (better than the placebo effect, which hovers around 30% and I often don't even receive that with some of the medications I've tried). I do not know why I'm never healed completely, and it's something I take up with God on a routine basis. The way this works is that after making a good confession (usually a week or month prior), the priest anoints you with Holy oils and prays over you. You don't have to be Catholic to receive this. These are minor exorcisms. Never underestimate the power that sin has over you but when the priest absolves you, Christ's Precious Blood is being poured upon you, cleansing you. Your sins are forgiven, your soul is pure again. And you can begin healing. 

I pray for all who are sick, suffering, and dying every single day. I pray you will be well and take joy. "For I know I have the plans for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." ~ Jer 29:11.

Chronic Migraines and Healing: Part I -- Back in Control

As many of you know, I've spent a good decade of my life wracked with migraines. I've been to family doctors, neurologists, chiropractors, acupuncturists, but I've not had long-term relief. I still remember being pain-free for 17 days in a row and how exciting that was, like getting a new lease on life. Over the years, I've learned a lot about pain physiology, but until now, I never connected all the dots--our bodies, minds, and souls are inextricably linked while we are alive--and what happens in one realm affects the other.

When I was coming home from the Carolinas SCBWI conference, I rode home with Rebecca Ivester, and she mentioned a book, Back in Control, written by Dr. David Hanscom, a spine doctor. It took a while to get a copy from the library but well worth the wait. From the beginning, his sound advice resonated. This doctor almost put himself out of business. He still performs surgeries for patients who truly need it but for those suffering from chronic pain, he has other tools. You can start right away by visiting his website: http://www.backincontrol.com/ 

First, understand that pain is a good thing--it protects us from damaging our bodies. You're probably not aware that you're shifting continuously as you sit in your chair to prevent one spot from getting too sore. Pain is a survival mechanism. But chronic pain is a mechanism that's gone awry. In the beginning, the injury that causes pain is helpful in healing. But after some time, when the injury itself is healed, the pain signal can still be generated...in the brain. The pathway is cemented. Think of amputees who experience pain in a limb that's no longer there. Chronic pain, then, is an overreaction to sensory stimuli in the brain and it only gets worse with time. It's caused by both physical and emotional factors and the best way is to treat all underlying causes simultaneously.

Emotions First:

Here's a progression of negative emotions. We go from being alert > nervous > anxious > afraid > paranoid > terrorized. And as the good doctor learned in medical school: neurons that fire together, wire together. In my case, I've gotten increasingly anxious about getting a migraine that I avoid even pleasant things such as movies, concerts, and vacations. It's easier to stay at home in an environment I can control. Loud noises, flashing lights, hormonal changes, a drop in barometric pressure, all trigger a migraine. 

So what to do? Unlearn the pain. When Dr. Hanscom sees patients, the first prescription he gives is writing. He calls it expressive writing. I call it free writing, but it's one and the same. It's a place to literally write away the pain. I can attest to the power of free-writing, especially the Morning Pages that Julia Cameron preaches. I simply feel better, am more focused, and productive when I write. Even my family knows that after three days of not writing, I can turn into a terrible crab. Better to take 15-20 minutes each day to write instead. Hanscom recommends two sessions each day. The second prescription is meditation. And this is not about emptying the mind but being mindful, paying attention--feeling the breeze upon your face, a cat's soft fur, the rumbling purr, the taste of food. Really being present. The third prescription is getting good sleep because it's enormously healing. So you see, you can begin right away! And aren't they the BEST prescriptions ever?

The second stage is forgiving others who've wronged you,  forgiving yourself for the wrongs you've perpetrated, asking for forgiveness, and really letting go of the bitterness in your life. 

Another prescription is to spend more time playing and practicing what you enjoy. Just as pain is learned (rapid fire by the brain), so are skills like playing a sport or instrument, albeit at a much slower pace. So strengthen those *play* pathways. For me, this means spending some time every day playing the piano, really focusing on learning the songs, and singing. And I am so pleased to see this strategy working. I've been able to reduce the pounding in my head by singing a Byrd Mass. Perhaps because I'm praying simultaneously. Lol. In any case, I'm writing and playing more. Also practicing coloring and calligraphy. See these pretty psalm cards? I mail these out as well.   

Dr. Hanscom encourages you to move forward and create a vision for your life. Address family issues. Get organized. Keep up with the daily practice. Connect with the life you want--step into it with or without your pain. Expand your consciousness. Embark on your inward journey. Go on a spiritual journey. Finally, give back.

He cautions against positive thinking that isn't true (because it masks reality) or mind over matter mentality. You cannot be free of pain by sheer determination. Don't I know this! I have to remember that I didn't become chronically ill in a day (the migraines started five years prior and were sporadic before they became chronic), and neither will I be free from them in just a day. Unfortunately, the pain pathways are permanent, so they can be triggered. He says, "You will fail." So learn to fail well. Keep up with the daily practices and trust that your brain is changing. 

I loved what he said toward the end: Be CREATIVE, not REACTIVE (they're anagrams). We creatives have all the necessary tools to bring emotional and mental healing to our bodies through our art. Next time, I'll discuss physical aspects because no amount of writing will rectify a magnesium deficiency or food allergy. And let's not forget the advice from the Angelic Doctor. Part II, An Integrative Approach next.