You Are Your Own Healthcare Provider
I thought I would wrap up this Nocebo Effect stuff. The term is not that important, but the whole idea of how you look at things, and one’s attitude makes a huge difference in whether or not that person ever recovers. One of the biggest causes of Nocebo is the doctor himself and his attitude. This is why I did the earlier blog on the number of medical doctors on stimulants and/or anti-depressants- at least 70%. So you can see the connection. If the doctor has a poor outlook, as would someone who was on psychiatric medications and/or was depressed, those doctors will bring about this Nocebo Effect in their patients who will believe that nothing can be done, that they are as good as they will get, and that they will have to live with it.
As Dr. Karel Lewit, founding neurologist of the Prague School of Rehabilitation and Manual Medicine said,
“There are psychological factors at work… the patient is informed of the changes found in his X-rays and these changes are presented to him as the cause of his pain… the patient so “informed” becomes a hopeless problem for further management and invalidity, and not because of the consequence of the disease, but of misguided “expert opinion”.
So we have a large number of medical doctors who really are not in good shape for a number of reasons. These can be researched on the internet if you would like. Most of what passes for health care in this country has been taught to us by the pharmaceutical companies who manufacture and sell pills for profit.
Next, we have a very large number of people called patients, who are supposed to take a passive role in their well being and do whatever their doctor tells them to do. This is not such a bad thing if one has a good doctor who cares about their patients’ well being, but if a patient doesn’t… God help them.
Now, this is NOT every doctor, nor is it every medication. I’m describing a system and urging people to take a more active role in their overall health and well being. As Dr. Diane said,
“If you aren’t experiencing a crisis, a potentially life-threatening crisis, why would you go to a medical doctor?”
What’s being discovered with many pain and disabilities is that “key link”, you know, the THING that is causing ALLLLLL the problems is usually not simply a body tissue, but rather a mindset or belief, and mostly that of the physician himself! In fact, advice such as those described below can lead to the Nocebo Effect:
1. A belief that structural pathology such as degenerative processes and arthritis are responsible for pain
2. A belief that hurt= harm; meaning if it hurts, then you must be harming yourself
3. A belief that activity is harmful and rest is best
4. A belief that old injuries haven’t healed.
The best thing to do when treating a patient with what appears to be musculoskeletal type pains and injuries is reactivation and reassurance that the person is doing well and will get well. This flies right into the teeth of the above four. We want to improve ability and help the person regain confidence that he or she will get well… and they do!
Janet Travell, M.D. who did a tremendous amount of research into trigger points (those sore spots massage therapists love to dig into), and personal physician to JFK back in the day once said,
“After an injury, tissues heal, but muscles learn. They readily develop habits of guarding that outlast the injury.”
This would have been said back in the 1960s.
So you can see the importance of helping a patient work again. Helping them push through and regain those lost abilities and strengths, and more so overcoming those mental and emotional barriers that limit the joy of being alive. This is what we do at Paragon Chiropractic.
If you know of someone who, even after surgery, have been told they have to live with it, or nothing more can be done, we sure would love the opportunity to talk with them. Something can be done about it!