Page 428 - Total War on PTSD_FINAL

Many have come to me because they want a mind-body approach. If they are open to including the biophysical component, bodywork can start once the relationship is firmly established.
Chronic pain is another way psychological symptoms manifest in the body. Painful sensations can occur throughout the body, from the tip of the head to the soles of the feet. If there is no organic cause that can be deciphered through thorough testing, then one has to look psychologically at the symptom. I have seen pain crisscross the body — a way the body screams “Help Me!” There are emotional issues to be untangled and new habits created that help, too. I have seen severe chronic musculoskeletal and neuropathic pain, previously treated with opioid painkillers, resolve with regular exercise, therapy, and an absence of medications.
Veterans who have had traumatic histories and exposure to chronic stress may have a heightened sensitivity to any inner perception of pain sensation. Working with the cognitive aspect is important so that catastrophic thinking is noted and minimized, as distorted assumptions contribute to subjective experiences of pain. Translating pain signals more neutrally helps, rather than identifying basic neurological signals as “serious and threatening.” Fear engages the fight, flight, and freeze sympathetic nervous system response patterns and activates the hormone cortisol and other stress hormones known to increase pain sensations. Stress hormones have a negative impact on the immune system as well as the digestive and general nervous system, and increase subjective experiences of pain as they cause contraction (hyper-vigilance) rather than expansion (relaxation) within the body.
Treatment Protocol: Trauma
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