Breathing is such a natural and unconscious thing that we pay almost no mind to it. But by learning the right breathwork techniques, we can unlock a unique mind-body connection. Dr. Joe Tatta talks with Campbell Will, who delves into the role of breathwork in nervous system dysregulation. He discusses how breathing is tied in a person’s autonomic nervous system, how to use it to shift into a more sympathetic state, and the differences between breathing through the mouth and nose. Campbell also explains how he evaluates a person by examining how they breathe and the importance of the relationship between the pelvic floor and the diaphragm.
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Biological structures are indeed a huge thing to consider when managing and treating pain. But since we are living alongside other people, there are also many social factors impacting our pain sensation and exposure. Kenneth D. Craig, OC, PhD, Professor Emeritus of Psychology at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, is here to discuss how family connections, culture, and society largely influences an individual’s expression and lived experiences of pain. Dr. Kenneth also explains how these psychosocial factors affect marginalized populations who are typically underserved in terms of pain care and what he is doing to remedy this long-term problem.
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Male pelvic health is something that not a lot of people talk about, even in medical circles. A lot of people experiencing male pelvic pain don’t even consult a specialist until it gets unbearable enough that they have no choice. Pelvic health isn’t a female thing. In fact, the male and female pelvic floors are essentially the same structurally, and both are prone to dysfunction. But because of toxic masculinity culture, many men suffering from any disorder related to the pelvic floor feel reluctant to talk about it or seek professional help. In this episode of Healing Pain Podcast, Dr. Joe Tatta talks to a pelvic health specialist to clear things up around this sensitive topic. Lance Frank, PT, DPT, helps us understand the different aspects of pelvic floor dysfunction, how it is related to conditions like male pelvic pain, prostatitis, and erectile dysfunction, and how it can be alleviated with stress management techniques and physical therapy.
While the world has made great progress in business and technology, healthcare is still lagging behind other major sectors. There are a lot of factors that cause stigma in this space, and the marginalization of people with pain is still rampant. In this episode, Alicia Emerson, PT, DPT, MS, OCS, FAAOMPT of High Point University joins Dr. Joe Tatta to discuss the attitudes, beliefs, and biases that contribute to the shortcomings of the healthcare industry. She explains the impact of sociopolitical factors on the perceptions of healthcare providers that make it harder for the vulnerable to get access to appropriate care. Dr. Emerson also presents the best ways to overcome these barriers and create a more inclusive and supportive environment for people with pain. Whether you are a healthcare provider, a caregiver, or someone who lives with pain, this episode offers valuable insights and practical tips for navigating the complex landscape of pain management.
Pain is one of the most common reasons for people to seek medical help. It's also one of the most difficult things to study. There's no clear way to measure it, and it can vary from person to person. But there are ways we can collect data on pain so that researchers can better understand how patients feel pain and what treatments work best for them. In this episode, Joletta Belton discusses how to integrate the lived experience of pain into treatment and research. Joletta explains how chronic pain affects people's lives, and how it can be used as a tool to help them heal. Joletta also talks about how you can use your own personal experience with pain to make better treatment decisions for other patients. Tune in now and learn what role you can play to help people in pain.
Chronic pain cannot be treated by simply focusing on its symptoms and root cause. Beyond these things are social determinants that directly impact health and disease. Most of the time, these can go back even from a person’s childhood. Dr. Joe Tatta is joined by Laura E. Keyser, PT, DPT, MPH to discuss how to embed such factors into the PT practice and education to vastly improve health treatment and patient experience. Laura explains how clinicians, educators, and research should focus on interdisciplinary collaboration and the impact of different social determinants in an individual’s lived experience. She also shares how PT practitioners can engage with the government and large corporations to provide better services by sharing all about her consulting firm, Mama, LLC.
We always hear the old adage, “you can’t pour from an empty cup.” This is especially true when you look at how we grow students to become practitioners. Before they can take care of and make a good impact on their patients and clients’ lives, they first need to take care of themselves. Tessa Wells, PT, DPT and Betsy Becker, PT, DPT, PhD from the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s Division of Physical Therapy Education have been implementing this. In this episode, they join Dr. Joe Tatta to discuss all about how they promote student wellness during their professional formation towards becoming DPTs. They talk about curricular interventions using a lifestyle medicine approach, taking wellness from the self to others to the community. Hear about their great program and how they impact the students of the profession and society at large. Tune in to this conversation to not miss out!
In this episode, we're discussing the concept of the embodied mind with internationally renowned author and psychiatrist, Dr. Thomas R. Verny. Our current understanding of the way the human body works is that it is a series of interdependent physiological relationships. No one component works alone or in isolation. But why is it that the accepted understanding of the physical phenomena of the mind is conventionally attributed only to the brain? The work of Dr. Verny is redefining our concept of both the mind and the human consciousness. He has brilliantly compiled a new list of research that points to the fact that the mind is tied to every single part of the body. This has enormous implications for how we view the mind, consciousness, and even human behavior. More specifically, it changes how we think about the experience of pain and pain management. Tune in and discover what it really means when we say the mind is a function of every system in your body.
Racism shows up in every aspect of our lives, and white body supremacy always finds a way to ingrain itself into our entire biology. Racial issues act as a persistent stressor that causes psychosocial distress, chronic pain, and even emotional trauma. Dr. Joe Tatta sits down with Lisa VanHoose, PT, PhD, MPH, FAAPT, FAPTA to discuss how racial embodiment impacts the vast healthcare system. She explains the best way to bring a social justice lens to physical therapy care in pain management and learn not to invalidate other people’s challenges with health disparities. Lisa also shares their work of decreasing implicit bias and advancing Black health and wellness through their organization, Ujima Institute.
Stress and burnout have been recognized in many health professions. Specifically, researchers have reported that many Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) students are actively experiencing moderate to high levels of stress each and every day. Joining Dr. Joe Tatta to discuss the topic in depth is Jason Cherry, PT, DPT, EdD. Dr. Cherry is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Physical Therapy at Binghamton University. In this episode, he shares the results of his study on the relationship between psychological flexibility, perceived stress and academic burnout in DPT students, along with practical applications on how professors in the field can model healthier behaviors as preventive measures. Tune in for more valuable insights as Dr. Cherry defines these concepts.