Just because a treatment of some kind may produce results doesn’t mean the theory behind that treatment is true. Psychoanalysis certainly helps some people but at least some of Freud’s theories have been surpassed by evidence-based science. I’ve seen positive … Continue reading →
There are countless treatments available for pain if the Internet is any indication. Often, the description of a therapy is accompanied by explanations, endorsements and testimonials. When I read some of these things I am often impressed by the stories … Continue reading →
There is no question that modern medicine deserves a lot of criticism, especially when it come to treating chronic pain. I’ve seen hundreds of pain patients over the years who responded poorly to medical treatments including surgery, drugs and nerve … Continue reading →
Not all information is equally useful and not all perspectives are equally valid. Everyone is entitled to an opinion but some opinions are worth more than others. In a rational discussion, any claim about the effectiveness of a pain treatment … Continue reading →
When I was a final year university undergraduate I took a course that had only one text. Written by Carl Hempel it was a very short book (116 pages) titled “Philosophy of Natural Science” (Prentice-Hall Inc. 1966). What has stayed … Continue reading →
There are a many things I do like about our health system here in Ontario. Universal access is one of them. More people get more care with less risk of going broke than in a lot of places. The public … Continue reading →
When you say I can never understand chronic pain without experiencing it, it depends on what you mean by ‘understand’. If you mean I can never share your experience of pain then you are absolutely right. None of us can … Continue reading →
Meditation is the foundation of our chronic pain program. Eric Reynolds and Jan Carstoniu, co-founders of the group have studied and practiced meditative techniques since the 1970’s when eastern practices were becoming embedded in western culture. Our approach is not … Continue reading →
The 60s counterculture embraced many aspects of eastern culture. The exotic postures and movements of eastern martial arts and yoga captivated the imaginations of many young men and women. Schools proliferated in virtually every western country. While the styles of … Continue reading →
Jan Carstoniu on our program’s attitude toward ‘trying harder’: To begin, remember that we are different from other groups in that we emphasize staying relaxed over performing. We do exercises as well as meditation and I think it’s very … Continue reading →
In order to learn to play the piano you have to sit down at the piano and practice. The more you practice the better you get. When you become really good you still have to keep practicing in order to … Continue reading →
No one questions that patients with diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and other chronic conditions require lifelong care. These conditions can often be well controlled to the point that those affected can live relatively normal lives. Controlled does not mean cured … Continue reading →
A clinical update published by the International Association of Pain in January 2011 observed that “specialty training in pain medicine has become increasingly technical.” but also noted, “ despite a steady increase in the number of surgeries and interventional therapies … Continue reading →
Our sessions are casual. We meet in a roughly 500-600 square foot open space and arrange ourselves in a circle on chairs, stools or floor cushions. We often start with questions regarding the material we teach or a discussion of … Continue reading →
It was in 2005 that my friend and fellow Jiulong instructor, Eric Reynolds and I co-founded a chronic pain group therapy program. We incorporated meditation/relaxation training, mental imaging, body mechanics and gentle exercises modeled after those used in Jiulong Baguazhang. … Continue reading →
The concept of training the mind and body in a coordinated fashion is exemplified in the art of Jiulong Baguazhang. It begins with an emphasis on developing good body mechanics and the ability to reduce unnecessary muscle tension. Exercises include … Continue reading →
It was in the mid 1990’s when Shifu John P. Painter introduced me to the Chinese art of Jiulong Baguazhang. (Shifu is a term that can be roughly translated as a combination of teacher/father/boss. Jiulong Baguazhang literally means 9 Dragon, … Continue reading →
The Western medical tradition dates back more than 2,000 years to the time of the Greek physician, Hippocrates. The ancient Roman saying, “Healthy mind in a healthy body” speaks of a long held recognition of an intimate mind-body connection. However, … Continue reading →
The fact that we have a word for mind and another for body makes it seem obvious that mind and body are two different things. People talk about their bodies as if bodies are what we live in. For people … Continue reading →
The body has always been the main target of our efforts to treat pain. We touch it, rub it, put things into it, manipulate it, stick needles into it, exercise it, cut things out of it and replace parts of … Continue reading →