Pain Phobia

Hypnotherapy will help if he wants it to. I would go with NLP myself which is a form of non trance hypnotherapy using language to access parts of the brain other forms can't reach. He must be really anxious that something disastrous will happen if he moves and he also probably hates that he reacts in such a way so he needs some re programming. CBT and EMDR may also benefit.

What's CBT and EMDR? and what is the difference between one form of hypnotherapy and another?

I did mention it to him and he seems willing to give it a go, not pushing it as he came out of hospital this afternoon and is absolutely exhausted.

But thought I would get all clued up so that I can suggest something sensible

Please, can we return to basics, what is NLP?

Neuro-linguistic programming.

Sorry to be so brief but that's all I know. Google is your friend.

Actually at the moment he is so weak from the infection that he isn't worried about his back and so is coping OK with it.

Good grief I didn't sign up to this!!

It actually isn't phobic to be afraid of pain. Phobias are irrational. Fear of pain is rational.

I wonder. Perhaps if he is spending his days worrying that the back pain might strike, could that be a phobia? I think perhaps it could be. Perhaps he has become phobic^ about it.

I don't personally believe hypnotherapy would work, but perhaps some other kind of therapy?

What do you mean - you "didn't sign up to this"?

What did you think marriage was?

jing you are inclined to take things too literally! But thanks for the advice.
It's our 48th tomorrow! Poor love he opened his card just before tottering to bed and had a few tears so unlike him shows how poorly he is feeling

Ask your doctor for a referral to a Clinical Psychologist.
He could at least discuss the problem with them, and will be told if that's the appropriate kind of help.
They used to use deconditioning for phobias, maybe now there are other methods.

Would they be allowed to decondition for pain?
Isn't that called torture?

Exposure therapy might be uncomfortable in this case.

Poor chap - it must be awful to be so frightened.

What exactly is the back problem - has he had a proper diagnosis? Presumably he experiences sharp pain rather than a dull ache. Is he getting any treatment?

Is his mobility affected? I've heard that tai chi is good for conditions such as arthritis as it's very gentle but increases suppleness.

If you search "relaxation therapy for back pain" quite a lot of information comes up.

Hello - been busy with DH and walking the dog etc etc.

Yes I have been giving it some more thought over the weekend and think maybe phobia was the wrong way to describe it, but when his back twinges he goes into a complete state of panic and I can't get any sense from him. I think he hyperventilates because he frequently passes out. This time he refused to move from the bed because he was so frightened and so contracted pneumonia.

No he never has had a diagnosis - this has been going on for 4 years and he has only ever been given strong painkillers and diasipan (spelling!) and some other relaxant but it isn't the answer , and I worry about all the drugs - the hospital suggested to his GP that she may like to think of a scan, so if she doesn't follow it through I will ask if we could pay for one - not sure how much it is though.

This fear is only centred on his back and absolutely nothing else, e.g. heart failure he has dealt with in a totally laid back way, and anything else like the pneumonia at the moment he potters along content to do everything correctly to get rid of it.

So maybe relaxation therapy, or some such thing but it can't go on like this as it is all consuming and making his life miserable.

Watch this space folks!
Good to have all the support though.

Hello whitewave it sounds to me as though your DH would benefit from a referral to the pain clinic where they specialise in all forms of pain management including 'talking therapies'. I have seen many patients do very well. Why not ask you GP about it - mst general hospitals have one now although waiting times an be lengthy. Good luck with it - hope you are both feeling better soon.

P.S. I also have a husband who is inclined to panic when he is not well or injured but over the years I have managed literally to talk him through things. We both practiced NLP in a management role so have an understanding of how it works and really find it helpful.

What is NLP!!??

Neuro linguistic programming - its a way through talking and practising thinking exercises that helps reprogramme the mind away from negative thoughts put very simply. Have you ever seen Paul McKenna treating phobias and unhelpful behaviours - he is an expert at it. Richard Bandler was the 'inventor' plenty on line about it. We use it in golf too - lots of sports coaches use it. I use it I everyday life but when I had excruciating back pain practised the exercises like visioning even more.

I think it's important to get a proper diagnosis first and I don't see why you should have to pay for a scan if this has being going on for four years.

I realise that it is often difficult to find the cause of back pain but there are surely some conditions that are diagnosable and which might require treatment other than pain killers and relaxation techniques? Maybe the medics amongst us can comment.

I have noted on the notes from the hospital to the GP that they suggest that the Dr may like to think of getting a scan done, but they realise that with a pacemaker it is more difficult. Not sure why if it is his lower back that is causing the problem?

as a clinician (albeit a retired one) my advice would be a referral to the pain clinic.

Hypnotherapy might help

My husband wondered whether a course of broad spectrum antibiotic might help because some research has found a link between back pain and infection.

Not sure what he had a couple of years ago, but he had a virus and bacterial infection that the hospital could never discover what it was, I suspect he may have been given a broad spectrum antibiotic as they couldn't pin point .it. Not really sure though as they never said.

Lots to think about though. Going to attack it on a few fronts once he has cleared himself of the pneumonia and he is feeling better. We are going to ask about scan and back clinic and also hypnotherapy to help him relax.

Everyone is so kind on GN