According to the most recent studies, it is estimated that 15% to 33% of the U.S. population, or as many as 70 million people, are affected by chronic pain. It disables more people than cancer or heart disease and costs the American people more than both combined. Pain costs an estimated $100 billion a year in medical costs, lost working days, and workers compensation. This information is both shocking and frightening, especially to those of us who suffer. How did this come to be? And what do we do about it now that we're here?
But relief may be on the horizon. Dr. Jeffrey Mogil, PhD, and director of the pain genetics labratory at McGill University in Montreal, has been studying pain and it's varying effects on us, especially in relation to gender. Apparently, women feel pain more acutely than men, based on his findings that our neural circuitry is different (men's from women's). Prior to his foray into this specific arena, most studies were done on men, because it was believed that females showed too much vulnerability in their responses (to pain testing) due to hormonal cycling. Dr. Mogil "found this ridiculous because the vast majority of pain patients are women." Why were there no studies to separate the two? At this point he believes that he's going to find his answers, and hopefully solutions to the pain epidemic in America, by studying further the genetics of our respective genders. Hope is growing, help on the way.
After reading about his work, the thing that struck me most was that more and more doctors are opening to the idea of integrating Eastern and Western medicine, advising their patients to use meditation along with their pain medications, to ease the pain both physically and psychologically. Apparently, there IS a connection between the two, and meditation provides a means to diminish the psychological pain, if not eliminate it altogether. Marvelous news indeed!
So, it makes me wonder: is pain transient? Is it possible that using both conventional medicine and meditative practices, we can actually go beyond 'pain management' and free ourselves from the CAUSES of our pain? Could it be that it's merely our body's way of telling us a story we need to hear? Could it be that the pain is actually a GIFT? Just thinking about this makes me feel better! Using my mind to return to wellness, regardless of the 'cause', could very well be the greatest lesson of my Life.
Camille Strate
Camille Strate is a blossoming Being who spends much of her time writing. She also spends an immense amount of time crafting magickal treasures out of wood. When she makes time for it, she rolls around in the grass with her dogs and cat, pretending to be 9 years old. More often than not, she's got a smile on her face & a whole boat-load of love in her heart. Visiting
her website is highly recommended.
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