In 2018 the CDC released a report estimating that 50 million Americans have chronic pain, and that 40% of those have “high-impact chronic pain,” defined as pain that is severe enough to frequently limit life or work activities. Add to that the emotional version of pain – mood and sleep disorders – which often complicates the physical version of pain, and now we are talking about 50% of Americans.
Why are so many people in mind and body pain, living lives that can't seem to find long-term, sustainable solutions?
Inflammation is certainly one of the factors, caused by Lyme Disease and chronic infections, gastrointestinal or microbiome disorders and food allergies. At the very least, integrative & functional medicine provides some relief in regards to inflammation, and a whole host of nutrients, from essential fatty acids to various anti-inflammatory herbals can get results for a lot of people.
The Real Source of Pain
However, what I would like to address here is a source of pain which is usually not addressed, the brain, which aligns with the title; the reign of pain is mainly in the brain (borrowing the quip from one of the songs in the play My Fair Lady).
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