Recap of February 2006 Meeting
by Don Jeffries
Creating Wellness in a World of Pain
Dr. Rao came here from N.Y. to be a sports medicine doctor. He trained in family
practice, and came out here to be at San Diego State University to take care of their
athletes, learn how to train for peak performance, and work with Olympic Athletes.
He also went to New Zealand to travel with America’s Cup team.It is a pleasure to be
here today, after having learned what you all are going through and have been
through. It has been a recent development to see how I can take my life’s work and
help people who have one of the most common facial pain syndrome's, yet it is
relatively uncommon because it does not get the attention that it deserves.What I
am going to talk today about is a term that is not (pose) medical it is something that I
have come up with in my journey as a physician not as a healer, but to make others
aware how to heal themselves. What I do and what I have done in the past has
nothing to do with why I am here right now. I believe that being here right now, living
moment to moment is the way I like to live. Each time I meet a new person I learn
something new. Certainly, right now is a learning experience for me, so I encourage
a lot of interaction, so we can learn from each other.
I found very little difference between the athlete’s that I was working with and the
people in my family practice. While I was working with people with a disease, I
realized that they too can have peak performance while they have the disease. As
most top athletes can tell you there is so much to learn out of an illness or a
disability, and it is the story about how they prevail that is the most inspiring.It doesn’
t so much matter what condition you have, we all have conditions, it may be in the
mental realm, physical realm, or neuropathic pain. Whatever it is there are ways to
be able to optimize ones life and to understand it as it is, and that is why we are here
today.
Sometimes one has to go through pain in order to understand how to live
There is a story about the Dali Llama and young couple who came to him after their
baby had died. They were in terrible pain, how could God do this to us. Why us?
After talking to them for a long time the Dali Llama said," I envy you, I envy you. The
couple left thinking how can he envy us what is he talking about, what is he thinking?
After a couple of month the couple came back to talk to the Dali Llama saying they
now understood what he was talking about. They learned that they were able to over
come. They learned to live with that pain, and in the process learned to help others
who were dealing with the same pain. They had gone through the process of
spiritual growth, or personal growth, or whatever you may believe in.
Hopefully you will realize that you can overcome the pain, and in the process may be
able to help others. You will know, because you have lived it. The same thing here
with TN .
I met Susan about 3 ½ years ago, and we have walked through life together since
then. About two years ago she came to me and said, "I went to the dentist and now I
have this facial pain". Little did I know then that she had atypical neuralgia, or
neuropathy, a facial pain syndrome. We are going to talk now about how Susan and
I came to discuss and understand what the next step will be. It is easy to say I can’t
handle it crawl into bed and let the world go by.When you look at what you are, you
are comprised of many types of health. If you look at the four main types of health:
Physical
emotional
mental
spiritual
In the physical realm, there are certain key factors that affects all types of people
with diseases and those that don’t have a disease. To look at the physical realm to
see how it affects all the other types of health. How it affects your emotions,
positively or negatively. The physical is very complex in how it affects your emotional
state of mind.Brain nuero-chemistry is an evolving field. When you look at how the
brain connects to the body; there are so many different ways. When I was in college
my thesis was on how stress affects the immune system. I took mice and shocked
them. Then I am trying to dissect their brains to see if there were certain
neurotransmitters that had changed as a result of the stress that modulates the
immune system. Of course it did. We know that before a big event, a test, program,
job interview, that we get more colds, or other types of ailments. There are more
neuro-type transmitters that are suppressing the immune system during a time of
stress.
Exercise is key to a good physical state and nutrition can help or hinder your
physical well being.
Each of is different. Therefore how can we think that a molecular change is going to
affect all of us the same ? When you look at billion dollar pharmaceutical
corporations What these companies produce is only part of the solution, if it is a
solution? Even though the company will tell you that you may be cured, or great
relief if you take this medicine. The key to medicine is not the marketing of the
medicine, but to look at ourselves. The complexity of how our body works needs to
be respected.
Physically there are three factors that affects our mental needs to move:
Aerobic exercise. 45 - 60 minutes 5 times a week.
Strength training - Anaerobic. Strengthens your muscles without the presence of
oxygen. Why Anaerobic, it helps with fracture prevention, you walk better, stand up
straighter. It helps with back problems, arthritics We teach you how to do the
exercises, focusing on your ‘core’ and the pain gets better. Do simple things like
‘modified sit-ups, push ups, weights, but start off with very low weights. 1# can of
corn or beans tells you exactly how much it weighs. Do it two or three times-a-week.
Doing two sessions (sets) lifting the weight times each session with a minute or two
rest between each session. If the weight is too heavy you won’t be able to do that
many reps, so get a lighter weight.Remember people get injured if they go too fast
or lift too much weight, when their body is not ready for it.
Flexibility. Not bouncing, but stretching. Arms, shoulders, back, neck, legs. You have
many muscles all over your body. You need to stretch all of them as much as
possible. Other wise they become inflexible and hard.
We also have interval training. Run for one mile, then go in and lift weights, or work
out on the rowing machine. Another interval training technique is to run 220 yards,
walk 100 yard, run 220, walk, walk 100yds for one mile. Then cool down with a one
mile walk jog routine.
The amount of exercise and type depends on where you are in your life. Your body
needs to work up to what it is capable of doing. This may take months, for others
years. But you do it step by step.
Stress–emotional side. The emotional side is very complex. When we are angry or
have a negative attitude our pain gets worse, and nothing helps it get better when
you have either of these two emotions. A person going into chemotherapy will not do
very well if they have a negative attitude.Depression is considered one of the major
risk factors for heart disease, because of the negative brain interaction with your
body. In fact today you almost automatically go on antidepressant medication after
you have a heart attack.
There was a Dr. Cooper Ross who came up with and acronym, D.A.B.D.A.
Denial
Anger/anxious
Bargaining
Depression
Acceptance
The above happens to you when ever there is a life changing event. When you first
knew you had TN did you go through each of the above steps?
The first, DENIAL. What was your reaction? Not me, how could this happen? Why
me? They must be wrong?
Most of us go through all the stages. However the journey through all the stages
leads to acceptance, which leads to the spiritual. Something outside of our self that
can help explain our condition!
Ultimately when we get to acceptance, then what do we do? Do we just accept what
we have, or if we don’t want ‘acceptance’ - then its, lets find a cure, or a way to get
rid of this pain so I can have my life back.Susan’s story is like most of yours, except
she has atypical TN. She has continuous pain (anesthesia delarosa) She had the
gamma knife, and has some numbness in her face. She went through all of the
above stages, not at the same time but with bumps, jumps and skipping one, going
to another and then coming back. As she states, we are all individuals, and it affects
each of us in different ways, and we go through the stages at different times.We
have world renowned Doctor’s at OUR TN meetings here in San Diego! But, the
question is, " How do you (I) use this information?These are the facts, How can I use
this information to help me, and to help others? Do you allow this information and TN
to consume you or to empower you!
Are we helping ourselves and other to the greatest of our abilities and living it every
single day of our lives?
What have I been doing with my life, has TN consumed so much of my life that I have
forgotten how to live? What are my gifts, and have I used them to help myself as well
as others?
No one thing is going to help everybody, but it can help somebody, but only if we
use it!
These are the facts that modern medicine can give us, can we make an informed
decision together so that you know that you have the best that there is to be
offered.? Who makes the ultimate decision? Not the doctor or your advocate, but
YOU. You will feel empowered if you have the ability to make that decision yourself.
GET THE MOST Out of your doctor visit
From Kaiser’s Senior outlookMagazine
recap by Don Jeffries
A trip to the doctor can make anyone nervous. Did I bring everything I need? Will I
remember what to say? Plus I am not feeling real well.
But you can help things go smoothly by planning ahead and being open with your
physician.
Start a couple of days before your appointment and organize your thoughts.
It is a good idea to write down your symptoms, when they started, what you think
causes them and the remedies you have tried. Also write down the one or two
questions you most need to have answered.
On the day of your appointment take your written notes, and notepad and pen.
During your visit. When you see the doctor, describe your symptoms and concerns.
Refer to your notes.
Answer your doctor’s questions honestly. Once s/he knows the truth about your diet,
exercise, and smoking habits s/he; can put together a better treatment plan.Don’t be
ashamed to talk about sensitive subjects such as sex, incontinence, memory, or
grief. Your doctor should be used to discussing these issues.Your doctor needs to
know what prescriptions, over-the-counter remedies, and supplements you are
using. Make a list of your medications to take to your doctor visit. Some people find
it helpful to bring a friend or a family member with them.
This person can take notes and help you remember questions to ask.
Ask questions. Ask questions if something is unclear.
When should I start to feel better?
What should I do if I don’t start to feel better?What are the three most important
things I should do to manage my condition?
Whom should I call if I have a question?
Recall key points. Get out you pencil and paper, take notes during your visit. Then
you can review important information and instruction later. If you have trouble writing
while the physician is speaking, sit down in the waiting room immediately after your
appointment and jot down the key points.
Take Charge of Your Well-being
You can learn all kinds of ways to stay healthy at home when you talk with your
physician. There are some additional things you can do in the doctor’s office that
can help.Wash our hands. When you touch things in the examination room or use
the public restrooms, wash your hands. Clean hands help prevent the spread of
germs
Understand your medications. If you are confused about the right way to use your
medications, ask! Ask about side effects and whether you need to avoid certain
foods or over- the-counter treatments while taking your prescription drugs.Get your
test results. Find out from your doctor or nurse when your results will be ready and if
they will be delivered by phone or by mail. If the results are late, call your doctor.
Once you have the results, don’t hesitate to call your doctor’s office if you are
unsure what the results mean.Before you leave the doctors office or hospital, know
what your next step should be. Are follow-up tests needed? Do you need to return
for a check-up?
Preparing for you visit, talking openly, and asking questions can all combine to help
make your medical visit a success.
Creating Wellness in a World of Pain
Dr. Rao came here from N.Y. to be a sports medicine doctor. He trained in family
practice, and came out here to be at San Diego State University to take care of their
athletes, learn how to train for peak performance, and work with Olympic Athletes.
He also went to New Zealand to travel with America’s Cup team.It is a pleasure to be
here today, after having learned what you all are going through and have been
through. It has been a recent development to see how I can take my life’s work and
help people who have one of the most common facial pain syndrome's, yet it is
relatively uncommon because it does not get the attention that it deserves.What I
am going to talk today about is a term that is not (pose) medical it is something that I
have come up with in my journey as a physician not as a healer, but to make others
aware how to heal themselves. What I do and what I have done in the past has
nothing to do with why I am here right now. I believe that being here right now, living
moment to moment is the way I like to live. Each time I meet a new person I learn
something new. Certainly, right now is a learning experience for me, so I encourage
a lot of interaction, so we can learn from each other.
I found very little difference between the athlete’s that I was working with and the
people in my family practice. While I was working with people with a disease, I
realized that they too can have peak performance while they have the disease. As
most top athletes can tell you there is so much to learn out of an illness or a
disability, and it is the story about how they prevail that is the most inspiring.It doesn’
t so much matter what condition you have, we all have conditions, it may be in the
mental realm, physical realm, or neuropathic pain. Whatever it is there are ways to
be able to optimize ones life and to understand it as it is, and that is why we are here
today.
Sometimes one has to go through pain in order to understand how to live
There is a story about the Dali Llama and young couple who came to him after their
baby had died. They were in terrible pain, how could God do this to us. Why us?
After talking to them for a long time the Dali Llama said," I envy you, I envy you. The
couple left thinking how can he envy us what is he talking about, what is he thinking?
After a couple of month the couple came back to talk to the Dali Llama saying they
now understood what he was talking about. They learned that they were able to over
come. They learned to live with that pain, and in the process learned to help others
who were dealing with the same pain. They had gone through the process of
spiritual growth, or personal growth, or whatever you may believe in.
Hopefully you will realize that you can overcome the pain, and in the process may be
able to help others. You will know, because you have lived it. The same thing here
with TN .
I met Susan about 3 ½ years ago, and we have walked through life together since
then. About two years ago she came to me and said, "I went to the dentist and now I
have this facial pain". Little did I know then that she had atypical neuralgia, or
neuropathy, a facial pain syndrome. We are going to talk now about how Susan and
I came to discuss and understand what the next step will be. It is easy to say I can’t
handle it crawl into bed and let the world go by.When you look at what you are, you
are comprised of many types of health. If you look at the four main types of health:
Physical
emotional
mental
spiritual
In the physical realm, there are certain key factors that affects all types of people
with diseases and those that don’t have a disease. To look at the physical realm to
see how it affects all the other types of health. How it affects your emotions,
positively or negatively. The physical is very complex in how it affects your emotional
state of mind.Brain nuero-chemistry is an evolving field. When you look at how the
brain connects to the body; there are so many different ways. When I was in college
my thesis was on how stress affects the immune system. I took mice and shocked
them. Then I am trying to dissect their brains to see if there were certain
neurotransmitters that had changed as a result of the stress that modulates the
immune system. Of course it did. We know that before a big event, a test, program,
job interview, that we get more colds, or other types of ailments. There are more
neuro-type transmitters that are suppressing the immune system during a time of
stress.
Exercise is key to a good physical state and nutrition can help or hinder your
physical well being.
Each of is different. Therefore how can we think that a molecular change is going to
affect all of us the same ? When you look at billion dollar pharmaceutical
corporations What these companies produce is only part of the solution, if it is a
solution? Even though the company will tell you that you may be cured, or great
relief if you take this medicine. The key to medicine is not the marketing of the
medicine, but to look at ourselves. The complexity of how our body works needs to
be respected.
Physically there are three factors that affects our mental needs to move:
Aerobic exercise. 45 - 60 minutes 5 times a week.
Strength training - Anaerobic. Strengthens your muscles without the presence of
oxygen. Why Anaerobic, it helps with fracture prevention, you walk better, stand up
straighter. It helps with back problems, arthritics We teach you how to do the
exercises, focusing on your ‘core’ and the pain gets better. Do simple things like
‘modified sit-ups, push ups, weights, but start off with very low weights. 1# can of
corn or beans tells you exactly how much it weighs. Do it two or three times-a-week.
Doing two sessions (sets) lifting the weight times each session with a minute or two
rest between each session. If the weight is too heavy you won’t be able to do that
many reps, so get a lighter weight.Remember people get injured if they go too fast
or lift too much weight, when their body is not ready for it.
Flexibility. Not bouncing, but stretching. Arms, shoulders, back, neck, legs. You have
many muscles all over your body. You need to stretch all of them as much as
possible. Other wise they become inflexible and hard.
We also have interval training. Run for one mile, then go in and lift weights, or work
out on the rowing machine. Another interval training technique is to run 220 yards,
walk 100 yard, run 220, walk, walk 100yds for one mile. Then cool down with a one
mile walk jog routine.
The amount of exercise and type depends on where you are in your life. Your body
needs to work up to what it is capable of doing. This may take months, for others
years. But you do it step by step.
Stress–emotional side. The emotional side is very complex. When we are angry or
have a negative attitude our pain gets worse, and nothing helps it get better when
you have either of these two emotions. A person going into chemotherapy will not do
very well if they have a negative attitude.Depression is considered one of the major
risk factors for heart disease, because of the negative brain interaction with your
body. In fact today you almost automatically go on antidepressant medication after
you have a heart attack.
There was a Dr. Cooper Ross who came up with and acronym, D.A.B.D.A.
Denial
Anger/anxious
Bargaining
Depression
Acceptance
The above happens to you when ever there is a life changing event. When you first
knew you had TN did you go through each of the above steps?
The first, DENIAL. What was your reaction? Not me, how could this happen? Why
me? They must be wrong?
Most of us go through all the stages. However the journey through all the stages
leads to acceptance, which leads to the spiritual. Something outside of our self that
can help explain our condition!
Ultimately when we get to acceptance, then what do we do? Do we just accept what
we have, or if we don’t want ‘acceptance’ - then its, lets find a cure, or a way to get
rid of this pain so I can have my life back.Susan’s story is like most of yours, except
she has atypical TN. She has continuous pain (anesthesia delarosa) She had the
gamma knife, and has some numbness in her face. She went through all of the
above stages, not at the same time but with bumps, jumps and skipping one, going
to another and then coming back. As she states, we are all individuals, and it affects
each of us in different ways, and we go through the stages at different times.We
have world renowned Doctor’s at OUR TN meetings here in San Diego! But, the
question is, " How do you (I) use this information?These are the facts, How can I use
this information to help me, and to help others? Do you allow this information and TN
to consume you or to empower you!
Are we helping ourselves and other to the greatest of our abilities and living it every
single day of our lives?
What have I been doing with my life, has TN consumed so much of my life that I have
forgotten how to live? What are my gifts, and have I used them to help myself as well
as others?
No one thing is going to help everybody, but it can help somebody, but only if we
use it!
These are the facts that modern medicine can give us, can we make an informed
decision together so that you know that you have the best that there is to be
offered.? Who makes the ultimate decision? Not the doctor or your advocate, but
YOU. You will feel empowered if you have the ability to make that decision yourself.
GET THE MOST Out of your doctor visit
From Kaiser’s Senior outlookMagazine
recap by Don Jeffries
A trip to the doctor can make anyone nervous. Did I bring everything I need? Will I
remember what to say? Plus I am not feeling real well.
But you can help things go smoothly by planning ahead and being open with your
physician.
Start a couple of days before your appointment and organize your thoughts.
It is a good idea to write down your symptoms, when they started, what you think
causes them and the remedies you have tried. Also write down the one or two
questions you most need to have answered.
On the day of your appointment take your written notes, and notepad and pen.
During your visit. When you see the doctor, describe your symptoms and concerns.
Refer to your notes.
Answer your doctor’s questions honestly. Once s/he knows the truth about your diet,
exercise, and smoking habits s/he; can put together a better treatment plan.Don’t be
ashamed to talk about sensitive subjects such as sex, incontinence, memory, or
grief. Your doctor should be used to discussing these issues.Your doctor needs to
know what prescriptions, over-the-counter remedies, and supplements you are
using. Make a list of your medications to take to your doctor visit. Some people find
it helpful to bring a friend or a family member with them.
This person can take notes and help you remember questions to ask.
Ask questions. Ask questions if something is unclear.
When should I start to feel better?
What should I do if I don’t start to feel better?What are the three most important
things I should do to manage my condition?
Whom should I call if I have a question?
Recall key points. Get out you pencil and paper, take notes during your visit. Then
you can review important information and instruction later. If you have trouble writing
while the physician is speaking, sit down in the waiting room immediately after your
appointment and jot down the key points.
Take Charge of Your Well-being
You can learn all kinds of ways to stay healthy at home when you talk with your
physician. There are some additional things you can do in the doctor’s office that
can help.Wash our hands. When you touch things in the examination room or use
the public restrooms, wash your hands. Clean hands help prevent the spread of
germs
Understand your medications. If you are confused about the right way to use your
medications, ask! Ask about side effects and whether you need to avoid certain
foods or over- the-counter treatments while taking your prescription drugs.Get your
test results. Find out from your doctor or nurse when your results will be ready and if
they will be delivered by phone or by mail. If the results are late, call your doctor.
Once you have the results, don’t hesitate to call your doctor’s office if you are
unsure what the results mean.Before you leave the doctors office or hospital, know
what your next step should be. Are follow-up tests needed? Do you need to return
for a check-up?
Preparing for you visit, talking openly, and asking questions can all combine to help
make your medical visit a success.
| Dr. Naresh Rao, DO |
 |
| |
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