Full Course Description

Pain and Neuroplasticity: The Missing Links in Connection and Integration

Do you have clients who describe their chronic pain like, “my back is KILLING me” or “I just want my life back”? They want a life that isn’t controlled by pain… before it limited their activity, interfered with their sleep, and prompted ongoing usage of pain meds. They want a life that isn’t based on fear of even greater pain and suffering…

For clients with chronic pain, even after the physical injury has healed, when the pain persists, the effects can be devastating.

Transfuse hope into your clients’ lives with these evidence–based interventions that work!

Watch nationally recognized neuroplasticity expert Dr. Karen Pryor and Dr. Mica Foster as they provide an in-depth illustration of neuroanatomy that depicts how pain changes the brain. You’ll learn how the circuits integrate, and most importantly, how you can target your techniques to effectively mitigate pain. You’ll discover:

  • A framework to connect the missing links between physical injury and neurological integration
  • Neuroplasticity and manual therapy techniques for improved outcomes
  • Specific tools and strategies to treat pain patients more efficiently and effectively.

With this intensive training that brings together the physical, cognitive and behavioral aspects of pain, you’ll gain cutting–edge assessment and treatment techniques for complex chronic pain that you can use immediately in clinic.

Program Information

Objectives

  1. Evaluate and treat patients more effectively using a cutting-edge and comprehensive approach to pain management with improved outcomes.
  2. Demonstrate somatosensory pathways that modulate pain and sensory information.
  3. Analyze how the brain interprets and responds to pain, and how to rewire neural circuitry.
  4. Develop skills to employ manual therapy and neuroplasticity techniques to help their patients experience less pain and improve more rapidly.
  5. Employ methods to balance muscle tone and function.
  6. Integrate evidence-based interventions to effectively treat multiple systems dysfunction techniques and mindfulness exercises to tonify the nervous system that promote mind-body connection.

Outline

Pain as a multifaceted issue and our pain experience

  • Physiologic and socioeconomic/cultural influences for pain perception
  • The power of social and emotional connections
  • How pain changes the brain
Somatosensory neural network illustrated and explained
  • Pathways that fire together wire together
  • Pain and emotional integration
  • Our endogenous opioid system
  • Somatosensory neurological fiber types and pathways
4 Types of Pain Explained
  • Mechanical
  • Inflammation
  • Neuropathic
  • Non-organic/psychogenic/neuropsychiatric disorders
Comprehensive and holistic evaluation of the patient and concomitant factors for pain perception and recovery
  • Physical and neurological exam
  • Current treatment protocols in the physical and pharmacologic treatment of pain
  • Acute vs chronic pain
  • How we heal from injury, inflammation, cell death and repair
  • Nutrition protocols
  • Epigenetic, social and cultural influences
Polyvagal theory and nervous system activation
  • Neuroplasticity and neurogenesis
  • How to reduce pain from the inside outways to effectively treat and modulate the pain experience by rewiring fear avoidance behavior
  • Manual therapy and pressure techniques that affect pain modulation and recovery
  • How cranial nerves and lower brain centers affect pain modulation
  • How to treat tone using golgi tendon apparatus and reciprocal inhibition
  • Exercises for pairing neurological connections and primitive reflex integration
Clinical case studies
  • Motor vehicle accident
  • Coccyx – fracture, subluxation
  • Shoulder and cervical injury – worker’s compensation emotional and social components
  • Shoulder, cervical and lower back pain – military personnel emotional and chemical factors
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Multiple Sclerosis
Experiential Lab: Mindfulness through meditation, movement, breath and art
  • Breathing to balance the nervous system
  • Guided mindfulness meditation exercises
  • Movement – Yoga, Tai chi and exercises
  • The art of meditation – drawing mandalas

Target Audience

  • Physical Therapists
  • Physical Therapy Assistants
  • Occupational Therapists
  • Occupational Therapy Assistants
  • Chiropractors
  • Speech Language Pathologists
  • Athletic Trainers
  • Other Rehabilitation Professionals

Copyright : 06/17/2021

How Pain Changes the Brain: Clinical Applications

Pain perception does not always match the injury. The nervous system is the key in regards to incoming signals of pain, interpretation and response.  Treatment is individual, and will have increased success with agreement of common goals, compliance of home programs and changes in thinking.  Treatment techniques are introduced as methods of changing tissues as well as perception of pain.

Program Information

Objectives

  1. Apply clinical neurological functions to rewire brain pain interpretation.
  2. Build patient trust, confidence and compliance with ease.
  3. Appraise neurological pain radiation back to the source to begin treatments.
  4. Apply neuroplasticity principles and explain pain in patient treatments.

Outline

Neuroplasticity of Pain

  • Sensory receptors
  • Pain Sensitization
  • Sensation vs. Perception
Reprogram and Reframe Pain: Examination Support
  • Goal setting + agree on common goals
  • Framework for exam 
  • Red flags and when to refer
  • OPQRST
  • Implications for chronic pain and other disorders
Treatment Strategies to Rewire Pain
  • Connecting mind-body 
  • Back track pain
  • Finding trigger points
  • Muscle and joint mobilization
  • Myofascial release
  • Manual therapy techniques
  • Acupressure
  • Vibration
  • Mindfulness
  • Elevator – hypnosis
Case study with treatment information

Target Audience

  • Athletic Trainers
  • Chiropractors
  • Physical Therapists
  • Physical Therapy Assistants
  • Occupational Therapists
  • Occupational Therapy Assistants
  • Speech-Language Pathologists

Copyright : 08/04/2021

Pain Management & Neuroplasticity Using Yoga, Meditation, & Mindfulness

Research shows yoga, meditation and mindfulness not only help chronic pain but also change the brain structure on how pain is perceived and its impact on overall wellness. In this session, you’ll learn evidence-based interventions to transform the nervous system around your clients’ pain, such as: breathing techniques to activate the parasympathetic nervous system; active and restorative yoga poses; yoga and meditation to help clients find balance of mind and body; changing energy levels to help with pain management; and individualized pain treatment plans that incorporate yoga, meditation and mindfulness to help clients be balanced in their body and brain throughout the day! 

Program Information

Objectives

  1. Demonstrate how chronic pain can have long term effects on the brain and body.
  2. Demonstrate how chronic pain can affect the nervous system and how we can use yoga, meditation, mindfulness and breathwork to transform the nervous system around chronic pain.
  3. Perform breathing techniques to activate the parasympathetic nervous system and integrate active and restorative yoga poses seated, standing and lying down.
  4. Create individualized client treatment plans that incorporate yoga, meditation and mindfulness to help clients be balanced in their body and brain throughout the day.
  5. Support the role of self-compassion and self-care in the treatment of chronic pain and specific forms to propose to clients.
  6. Implement proper coding tips to improve reimbursement when using Integrative Medicine.  

Outline

Chronic Pain and the Body

  • Long term effects on the brain and body
  • How does it affect our brain?
  • Neuroplasticity and chronic pain
  • Link to depression and anxiety

Transform the Nervous System Around Chronic Pain

  • Symptoms of chronic pain nervous system dysfunction
  • Yoga, mindfulness and meditation
  • Peer reviewed studies on benefits of yoga and meditation
  • Diaphragmatic breathing

Breathing Techniques that Calm

  • Activate parasympathetic nervous system
    • Diaphragmatic breathing
    • “Take Five” and alternate nostril breathing
    • Yoga poses for all mobility types: seated, standing and lying down.

Individualized Treatment Plans

  • Balancing the brain and body throughout the day
    • Case study: chronic pain clients
    • Include one active, one restorative and one form of breathwork

Role of Self-Compassion and Self-Care in Treatment of Chronic Pain

  • Evidence-based research to support
  • Case studies on self-compassion and self-care with chronic pain
  • Forms of self-compassion and self-care: exercise
  • Building immune system vs break it down

Integrative Medicine: Improve Reimbursement

  • Implement proper coding tips 
  • How are yoga therapists being trained?
  • Future studies
  • Reimbursement 

Target Audience

  • Physical Therapists
  • Physical Therapy Assistants
  • Occupational Therapists
  • Occupational Therapy Assistants
  • Athletic Trainer

Copyright : 07/29/2020