Sunbreak explains the nerve disorder affecting 30 million Americans BUY NOW ON AMAZON Thirty million people in the United States suffer from a condition that causes chronic pain, but conventional medical testing doesn’t show the source of the problem. Central sensitization syndrome (CSS) stems from a dysfunction in the nervous system, where over-reactive nerves send exaggerated…
Central Sensitization Inventory- Symptom Evaluator The clinical tool, called the central sensitization inventory (CSI), screens for symptoms related to sensitization that increase pain levels. If sensitization is present, the treatment is different. Signs of nerve sensitization: long-standing symptoms symptoms (> 3 months) spread of symptoms beyond the boundary of the injury…
EXCERPT: Sunbreak: Understanding the Pain No One Can Explain © Shana Johnson 2023. Available on Amazon Take a look inside Sunbreak. The book you didn’t know you needed! TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter 1 When the sun breaks through Chapter 2 My story: I feel your pain Chapter 3 Stress-related disorders that are not…
When stress gets physical: How your stress response connects with your health We all experience stress. Some people deal with it more often and more intensely than others. But those pressure-filled periods don’t just impact your mood. When stress gets physical, the result can be lasting problems. Do you know how your stress response connects…
Does your doctor believe you? How to find one who does. Does your healthcare provider take the time to listen? Do you feel more like an inconvenience than a client? And when you share your symptoms and concerns, does your doctor believe you? You need to learn how to find one who does. The relationship…
A 35-year-old woman suffered from back pain for years until a pain specialist found the real cause — her nervous system As featured in INSIDER, https://www.insider.com/back-pain-chronic-pain-caused-by-nervous-system-2023-8 Melissa Angle was a 35-year-old working mother of two when she began developing back pain. The pain slowly worsened month after month until it became so unbearable she could…
30M people with a painful condition often go undiagnosed SCOTTSDALE AZ—Imagine being afraid to move, afraid to eat, or afraid to be close to your partner. An estimated 30 million people in the United States suffer from a central sensitization syndrome (CSS). A condition that stems from dysfunction in the nervous system leading to…
Work overload really blows your mind! Work stress and headaches go together. Too much angst hits you in physical ways you might not realize, resulting in a stress-related disorder. Here’s a story about how stress overload really blows your mind! Stress can destroy your health. When you go for long periods of time with…
February is National Wise Health Care Consumer Month Feb 08, 2023 (PRNewswire via COMTEX) — PR Newswire SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Feb. 8, 2023 Do you have the right provider, for you? SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Feb. 8, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — February is the month when a certain groundhog predicts the length of the already-too-long winter and when romance…
January 25, 2023 Nerve sensitization is a serious and underdiagnosed stress-related condition. SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Jan. 25, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Severe headaches, digestive issues, and chronic neck and back pain can result when stress isn’t properly identified and managed. Known as central sensitization syndromes (CSS), the debilitating conditions are often missed by traditional healthcare practices, leading to a…
Author: Shana L Johnson MD, AskDrShana There are multiple classes of medications that lower the reactivity and pain signals from nerves. Many of the medications were developed for other medical conditions but were found to reduce nerve pain. I refer to them as “neuropathic agents” since they lower reactivity and pain signaling from the nerves.…
Author: Shana L Johnson MD, AskDrShana Nerves gone rogue! How stress sparks extreme pain There is a good chance you know someone with a central sensitization syndrome. Someone with chronic migraines for years? Someone with chronic back pain for years? Someone with chronic digestive symptoms for years? Years of severe symptoms without an adequate explanation? These are…
Author: Shana L Johnson MD, AskDrShana Leaning In How an overworked mom went numb from stress. Jenna was a 30-year-old mom with a precious four-year-old named Chase. Her son, Chase had big, blue eyes and an even bigger heart. Chase was on the autism spectrum. He needed extra help with talking and communicating in…
Author: Shana L Johnson MD, AskDrShana Technology-induced thumb pain is common. As people spend more time working on computers, texting, and swiping right, overuse injuries occur. Tech thumb describes multiple injuries that occur from repetitive motion injury. It may injure the muscles, tendons, or joints resulting in tendonitis, and joint pain. The thumb plays…
Mechanical low back pain is back pain coming from the bones and muscles of the spine. It is very common and increases in frequency with age. Many people start experiencing back pain in their 30’s and 40’s. Fortunately, exercise helps most people with back pain feel better. More specifically, functional exercise that includes core strengthening…
Central sensitization is a phenomenon that complicates chronic pain. It represents a change in the nervous system that is associated with the development and maintenance of pain. The change results in a persistent state of high reactivity and a lowered threshold for feeling pain. For example, in one study, a person with central sensitization…
Lower back pain arises from multiple areas in the back. Whiles many are familiar with back pain from injured discs, pain may also arise from small joints in the back called the facet joints. Facet joint pain is a cause of lower back pain that is frequently overlooked.
A disc herniation in the back is a common cause of lower back pain and pinched nerves. The pain often shoots down the leg and into the toes. The pain is from both nerve compression and inflammation. The symptoms are commonly described as painful numbness and tingling, as well as burning shooting down the…
Lower back pain is very common and increases in frequency with age. Many people start experiencing back pain in their 30’s and 40’s. Fortunately, exercise helps most people with back pain feel better. More specifically, functional exercise that includes core strengthening and stretching gets people back to the activities they enjoy.
