Dr. Aimie Apigian

Does a prior experience of trauma create a pre-existing state in our nervous system that sets the stage for chronic pain conditions? 

In this episode, we will be talking about chronic pain as a message from our body. Is chronic pain part of an unconscious protective response more than just a physical abnormality?

 While chronic pain can be traced back to an injury or event, the science suggests chronic pain is caused by our brain’s attempt to protect us from unbearable emotions. In fact, this purpose of protection is at the root of many common complaints, including back pain, sciatica, migraines, fibromyalgia and many other symptoms. 

I have an incredible guest for this episode, Georgie Odlfield, a physiotherapist and chronic pain specialist, who has been a real leader in this space. Georgie is a TEDx speaker and the author of Chronic Pain: Your Key to Recovery. She is a woman, steady and strong in her leadership in trauma-informed care for chronic pain.  

I first came across her work when I sought out training in psychosomatic medicine while in preventive medicine residency. I had just switched out of general surgery and knew that I wanted to lean in more into the root cause of conditions that I had only previously been taught to treat with a pill or surgery. This is how I came across these leaders in the space, and have been happy to see Georgie provide such value and community for those with chronic pain and practitioners who work with chronic pain.  

KEY MOMENTS [03:55] How to recognize that chronic pain is actually a mind-body symptom [10:30] Questions that will help to uncover the root cause of the chronic pain symptoms [13:47] Why we develop chronic pain after an injury [17:33] How chronic pain can serve as a protective response [22:10] Common symptoms that are often associated with chronic pain [24:00] Concept of predictive coding and how we can use this to release chronic pain [28:19] How to communicate with your body, hear and understand its messages