Treating Pain Using the Brain - David Butler

Koadlow Public Lecture 2015. Over the past two decades there has been a revolution in our knowledge of how pain is made by the brain, but very little of this information has reached pain sufferers. Much of the complex pain science can be reduced to a simple formula, “we will have pain when our brain has more credible evidence of danger to our body than credible evidence of safety to our body.”

[Jesus-Stuff]

I love this guy’s sense of humor. It makes digesting a presentation more fun and memorable! I’ve been battling M.S. for 12 years now and this is by far the best presentation I’ve seen on the topic. Thank you sir for that! Love and blessings, Chuck from Dallas, TX, USA

[roselynetrott]

Thank you David. I loved listening to you... ready to take on every word you said. Your fantastic ability to explain complicated matter in a way that we can all understand and with such a great sense of humor is making a huge difference. It is a real gift to have come across your name. I know it is going to be life changing. BRAVO ! MERCI !

[sirrcapsalot]

As much as I keep learning about pain, I can still learn something new. This is a very valuable insight. Thank you!!

[donnakelly]

David, thank you. You are such a fabulous speaker.
You are the most engaging, interesting and effective purveyor of the neurobiology of pain.
And so quintessentially Australian. 🇦🇺🇦🇺😎
Would love to see more from you.

[johnno]

While watching this a bee crawled onto my face. I felt it, brushed it off and it stung me. I didn't know what it was and panicked at the thort of a white tailed spider. I shook out my tee shirt and there he was, a bee, Phew. The pain was strong until I realized it was only a bee sting. 5 mins later no pain. This really happened, unbelievable!

[mandypaddock]

Thank you for an amazing insight into pain. Cape Town, South Africa.

[bardnightingale]

I am someone who lives in chronic pain, a failed and loose left knee replacement, right knee bone on bone (after 2 failed Left knee replacements, no way am I getting the right done), & moving lumbar disks that make it so I cannot stand up straight. My husband works 7 days a week because I had to quit the nursing job I loved. Slowly but surely, I repaired and repainted every room in the house. I worked around the pain. I have spent years studying the research on pain. I am against any narcotic pain meds except for surgery recovery. I do yoga, chi gong. After my 1st back surgery in 2010, I lived 3 years with a screw through a nerve. Had to move back up north to get a doctor who was willing treat me as my back had not fused, worked full time as a step down nurse during this time. Every day I told myself over and over, it's just pain. I did deep breathing and icong and everything except take narcotics. And when I wanted to just lay down and quit, I would remind myself that a body in motion stays in motion.

Your lecture mock real chronic pain. No amount of deep breathing and meditation, no amount of telling myself, it's just pain, it can't hurt you, no amount of misdirection stops the pain. This is fluff. You are assuming someone with chronic pain doesn't already understand distraction helps, stress makes it worse. Most of us struggle with sleep, and the lack of it also makes it worse. A papercut still hurts even though no one associates them with danger. And they burn like heck if you are doing something you enjoy that involves ethanol.

Believe me, I absolutely know my pain is not a crisis. Why do you think I refuse to do the surgeries they suggest might (key word .... might) fix the problems? If I could flip some brain switch I would. I mis being an ER nurse, I miss doing theater and singing and hanging out with friends I love. I miss not adjusting everything I do so that I can function. I miss not paying for it when I had a great day and my back magically lined up so I walked an extra block or 2 ... only to wake up the next day with a right knee that won't bear weight and my only remaining achilles swollen and sore. Pain is real. Yes, we can use our brains to keep ourselves in motion and to put it in perspective. We can do exercises to try and keep our bodies in alignment.

You are treating a serious issue like we are all children who have fallen and your the adult saying, " Don't cry, your ok. Go back to playing."

As a nurse, yes, there are some people who need to be educated on what is a crisis and what isn't. But most of us who live in agony, who have moments where we ponder ending it because pain has eaten all the hopes and dreams and the future we planned. Those of us trying to navigate this new normal do not appreciate someone who knows nothing of true pain, telling us pain is all in our head. Especially in a medical world that already looks down on chronic pain.

If you want to be helpful, start pain clinics that don't just shove pills at people rather that addressing the problem. Pain clinics SHOULD focus on physical therapy, massage therapy, deep breathing, oga, chi gonelg, group therapy, mindfulness, how to cope when you can't do what you used to, water therapy, daily routines. And find a way to get insurance to cover these and not just cheap bottles of pills.

[mynonlycaleb]

I bought your books Mr Butler! Im taking my time to understand your genius...your my favorite pain scientist, oh I love the q&a part. Greetings from NJ USA <3

[amalajanice]

this has been a great lecture - well worth the watch. has given me a greater sense of 'where to from here'. and lots of follow up resources to look into. am seeing some Super Sims in my immediate future !! thank you so much xx

[kuebris]

Great. Love listening to Mr. Butler. Thank you all for this "revolution"!
Best Greetings from Germany!

P.S.: Where can I find the drawing at 35:23?

[OfCourseICan]

I cured a supposed debilitating, incurable auto immune disease years ago using my mind. Have only recently going through horrendous, rotator cuff pain. I will overcome this pain by using my mind again, but thanks to you Doc, I have the science to qualify my self learned knowledge.

[oanamariaantonescu]

I recognized bad brain patterns, changed pain in matter of minutes

[marieleak]

Life changing video and great humor. Thank you.

[jamescharles]

Does this work for even imune system nerve pain eg burning crawling prickling stabbing , spasym twiching tremmors . I have all these sensations called central sensitization with imune problems all started after an accident. No doctor can figure it out .

[paitofranco]

Excellent lecture! Thanks so much for the insight.

[michaelpond]

After years of debitating pain we. Red new safety treatments.

[ThePropaganda]

Please read explain pain if you can. It changed my life after 7 years of chronic pain

[benjamincordes]

Amazing life-changing talk, very powerful!

[MsAnchovey]

Can someone give me a brief take away from this lecture. When you in chronic pain ..listening to a lot of intellectual jargon done quickly its difficult for me to understand. In brief...what will help with my pain?

[iridiumvalkyrie]

Nice insight but chronic pain needs to be treated physically as well as psychologically. Proper breathing allows the body to function well so in teaching the body to do new motions previously painful and avoided requires repetition and correct breathing so the brain doesn't choose breathing over proper muscle function. The diaphragm needs to be taught how to be used properly. This has great insights but it's not complete.