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Symptom Specific Resources

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SYMPTOM SPECIFIC INFORMATION (Alphabetical Order)

Although the underlying root causes and drivers of Neuroplastic Pain and Symptoms do not differ from one symptom to the next, it is sometimes helpful to see information specific to the symptom you are currently experiencing.  For that reason, I have included the following information.

Only resources and organizations that support and use the mindbody approach to healing are included.  

 

 BACK PAIN:

  • Personal Healing Stories:
  • Websites:
    • x
  • Podcast / YouTube:
  • Clinical Research:
    • Ashar YK, Gordon A, Schubiner H, et al (2021). Effect of Pain Reprocessing Therapy vs Placebo and Usual Care for Patients with Chronic Back Pain. A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Psychiatry. In this randomized clinical trial, 33 of 50 participants (66%) randomized to 4 weeks of pain reprocessing therapy were pain-free or nearly pain-free at posttreatment, compared with 10 of 51 participants (20%) randomized to placebo and 5 of 50 participants (10%) randomized to usual care, with gains largely maintained through 1-year follow-up. Treatment effects on pain were mediated by reduced beliefs that pain indicates tissue damage, and longitudinal functional magnetic resonance imaging showed reduced prefrontal responses to evoked back pain and increased resting prefrontal somatosensory connectivity in patients randomized to treatment relative to patients randomized to placebo or usual care. Psychological treatment focused on changing beliefs about the causes and threat value of primary chronic back pain may provide substantial and durable pain relief.
    • Ashar YK, Low EL, Knight K, et al (2025). Pain Reprocessing Therapy vs Placebo and Usual Care for Patients With Chronic Back Pain: 5-Year Follow-Up of a Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Psychiatry. This letter reports five-year follow-up from the Boulder Back Pain study (2021) showing sustained significant improvement in the PRT group compared to the two control groups.
    • Traeger, A.C., Gilbert, S.E., Harris, I.A., & Maher, C.G. (2023). Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) for low back pain. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews:
      • Analyzed 13 clinical trials / 699 participants
      • Found SCS is no better than placebo for low back pain — little to no benefit for pain or quality of life
      • No studies tested outcomes beyond 6 months — long-term benefit is unknown
      • Only 1 study measured outcomes at 6 months: SCS produced just 4 points improvement on a 100-point pain scale vs. placebo — which is below the 10-point threshold researchers consider the minimum for a patient to notice a real difference in daily life (known as the Minimal Clinically Important Difference).
      • Note: this review has been contested — though it should be noted that nearly every critic listed financial ties to SCS device manufacturers (Abbott, Medtronic, Boston Scientific, Nevro) in their conflict of interest disclosures.  

HEAD PAIN:

  • Migraine 

  • Tension-Type Headache (TTH)

  • New Daily Persistent Headache (NDPH)

 MULTIPLE SYMPTOMS:

  • Personal Healing Stories:
    • x 
  • Websites:
    • x
  • Podcast / YouTube:
  • Clinical Research:
    • x