Any thoughts on how COVID 19 has affected prevalence chronic pain in the US or elsewhere, overall disability due to pain in the US, and pain treatment?
Is it possible that the limitations on availability of passive treatment (someone else prescribing meds, doing shots or surgeries, doing massage, doing physical therapy) might increase self reliance and self management, by necessity?
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If you can find an EMDR thereapist trainied in Flash Technique that might help
If I am understanding you correctly you are asking if a traumatized individual can be "forced" to practice self-regulation or pain management strategies independently to decrease an over-reliance on other alternative modalities.
In my professional opinion, it is so important to work within an individual's window of tolerance regardless of the trauma recovery modality. Any further re-traumatizing of the organism will only cause deeper traumatic response patterns. Without data to support my suspicion, I can only assume that chronic pain patients are experiencing higher levels of pain during COVID-19 due to the increased levels of stress, tension, and trauma.
My concern is that the lack of availability of modalities like massage, yoga, acupuncture etc. due to public health mandates will result in an increase and potential over-dependence on pharmacological strategies to pain management, simultaneously increasing risk factors for addiction.
Hope that helps...
Jenny Walsh
