Friendship

Pain – The Gate Control Theory

I am a pain and fibromyalgia patient, not a doctor; this post is about my own experience with chronic pain and what I have learned in my journey.  I was first introduced to the Pain Gate Theory by a pain specialist and then in a support group run by a psychologist who specialised in patients with pain.  The Pain Survival Guide, How to Reclaim Your Life by Turk and Winter has been extremely helpful in explaining pain but also explains a new way to live with chronic pain.  I have used this book as a sort of “bible” for life and it is interesting to note that my time in recovery has really helped me keep an open mind about the suggestions.  It has also turned out that most of the recovery information, living by spiritual principles, is part of the answer to living with chronic pain.

Now back to the Pain Gate Theory. 

My Medical Journey with Chronic Pain

This is the beginning of my story in dealing with chronic pain; the physical side of things, I will share the spiritual side in another post.  At the age of 36 I had my first surgery, I had researched the surgeon I was seeing and felt I understood the options to my problem.  Even with my diligence at the beginning of the process, surgery is always a gamble because surgeons do not fully understand the central nervous system.  It is complex and unpredictable at times.