How to Hack Your Brain When You're in Pain | Amy Baxter | TED

Pain: A Learning System for Survival

In this section, the speaker introduces the concept of pain and how it is perceived. They also discuss the limited education on pain in medical school and the negative impact of framing "pain-free" as the ultimate goal.

Understanding Pain

• Pain is not just a sensation in a specific body part but an alarm that travels through nerves to the brain.

• Medical education on pain is limited, with only two days dedicated to this topic throughout medical school.

• The speaker recalls a lecture sponsored by OxyContin that promoted opioids as a solution for pain management, leading to misconceptions about pain and addiction.

The Consequences of Misunderstanding Pain

• Framing "pain-free" as the ultimate goal has had devastating consequences for individuals dealing with chronic pain.

• The speaker shares a personal story about Christopher, who started using opioids after being prescribed them for severe abdominal pain. He eventually lost his battle with substance use.

• Reflecting on Christopher's story, the speaker questions whether we have misunderstood pain.

The Role of Pain in Survival

In this section, the speaker challenges our perception of pain and suggests that it may serve as a learning system for survival.

Rethinking Pain

• Pain may not be something to silence but rather a learning system crucial for survival.

• Framing "pain-free" as marketing has led to the belief that happiness is impossible with any level of pain.

• The speaker introduces a new perspective on pain, viewing it as a Venn diagram consisting of physiology, fear, and control.

Understanding Pain Physiology

In this section, the speaker explains the physiology of pain and how understanding it can empower individuals to manage their pain effectively.

Physiology of Pain

• The speaker shares her journey in developing a device called Buzzy that combines vibration and ice to reduce pain during needle procedures.

• Setting the bar at "pain-free" was unrealistic for many people, leading them to give up on finding comfort.

• Vibration triggers nerves associated with light touch, pressure, stretching, and motion, effectively decreasing pain.

• Cold decreases sensations coming from everywhere in the body, reducing overall pain.

Harnessing Power Over Pain

In this section, the speaker discusses how understanding the physiology of pain can be used to develop effective strategies for managing and reducing pain.

Empowering Strategies

• Understanding the physiological mechanisms behind vibration and cold allows for innovative approaches to managing pain.

• The speaker's device Buzzy has been successful in reducing needle procedure-related pain through vibration and ice.

• s Further research is being conducted to explore how these techniques can be applied to other types of pain management.

The transcript provided does not cover the entire video.

Pain Hacks: Understanding and Managing Pain

In this talk, the speaker discusses pain hacks and how understanding distraction and control can help manage pain. The speaker also explains the concept of connectomes and how they influence pain perception.

Distraction as a Pain Hack

• If monkeys are not available, counting the number of letters with holes in any sentence can serve as a distraction technique.

• Distraction works by occupying the decision switchboard, reducing the transmission of pain signals to fear and meaning centers.

• Expectation plays a significant role in pain perception. What you expect to feel influences your actual experience of pain.

Connectomes and Pain Perception

• Pain involves a symphony of connections in the brain, from sensation to decision-making, fear, memory, meaning, and control.

• Certain areas connected in the brain can lead to increased pain perception.

• Untreated or intense pain can strengthen neural connections, leading to prolonged sensitivity even after physical healing.

Physiology and Control for Pain Management

• Physiological options such as heat, cold, vibration, deep relaxation, acupuncture, capsaicin, exercise, and meditation can decrease pain.

• Having control over options decreases pain perception. Deep breathing increases control.

• Fear and control act as volume knobs for pain sensations.

Changing Perspectives on Pain

• Pain is often seen as evil but should be viewed as a survival system that exaggerates threats for safety reasons.

• Ignoring or overriding pain signals is acceptable when one knows they are safe.

Personal Experience with Pain Management

• The speaker shares personal experiences using physiology hacks like applying cold beer on an injury or using a vibrator for relief.

Opioids and Pain Relief

• Opioids do not turn off pain but activate the reward system, making people care less about the pain.

• Opioids can be beneficial for chronic pain conditions and trauma cases to reduce post-traumatic stress and chronic pain.

Conclusion

The speaker emphasizes the importance of gaining power over pain and dispels misconceptions about opioids. Pain management techniques, understanding connectomes, distraction, and control can help individuals effectively manage their pain.

New Section

In this section, Amy Baxter discusses the risks of opioids and the importance of finding alternatives for pain management.

The Risks of Opioids

• Amy mentions that opioids can be risky for those who feel amazing with them.

• A study in 2019 found that one in 15 young adults who received opioids for wisdom tooth removal developed substance-use disorder within a year.

• Ibuprofen is mentioned as a better alternative to opioids.

Finding Alternatives

• Amy envisions a world where health-care systems provide paid-for options and coaching for pain management.

• It is suggested to stop prescribing double-digit prescriptions of opioids for home recovery.

• 80,000 people died from opioid overdoses in the US last year, with 80% of substance-use disorders starting with a pill prescribed for pain.

• Many people cannot afford alternative options and doctors still lack knowledge about them.

Taking Control

• Individuals are encouraged to dispose of unused opioids in their medicine cabinets.

• There are options available to decrease pain and improve comfort.

• Pain scales are discussed as potentially setting back progress in understanding pain. The focus now is on the impact of pain on individuals rather than objective measurement.

New Section

In this section, Whitney Pennington Rodgers asks Amy Baxter about the impact of pain scales and how NIH is treating pain and addiction differently now.

Pain Scales and NIH Approach

• Whitney asks about the impact of pain scales on progress in understanding pain. Amy explains that measuring pain was necessary to "disease-ify" it in the '90s.

• The PROMIS scales are mentioned as a new approach to understanding pain, focusing on intensity and interference rather than objective measurement.

• Whitney asks about Amy's work on new applications for Buzzy, specifically for back pain.

New Applications for Buzzy

• Amy mentions that they are exploring harmonics of interaction between specific frequencies to cancel out pain.

• The Pacinian nerve is highlighted as having a specific frequency range that can be targeted for pain relief.

• Amy refers to a vibrating bee called DuoTherm, which is related to their research on back pain.

The transcript provided does not include timestamps for all sections.