Derby City Area Chapter of the National Spinal Cord Injury Association
ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION
The Derby City Area Chapter of the N.S.C.I.A. is a membership organization for individuals with spinal cord injuries, their families, and health professionals. Founded in 1984 as a Charter Member of the N.S.C.I.A., it was incorporated under IRS Section 501 (c) 3 as a not for profit organization. The Board of Directors consists of the Officers, Past President and the Board Members At Large.
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OFFICERS
PRESIDENT David Allgood - (502) 589-6620
VICE PRESIDENT Adam Ford - (502) 425-2206
TREASURER Tom Stokes- (502) 957-5865
LIAISON TO FRAZIER INSTITUTE Dr. Bill Kraft – (502) 582-5865
FUNDRAISING CHAIR Betty Perry—(502) 647-0368
CORRESPONDING SECRETARY/WEB MASTER Michael Feger- (502) 647-0368
PAST PRESIDENT Adam Ford- (502) 425-2206
BOARD MEMBERS AT LARGE- Mike Perry Kelly Young
NSCIA DERBY CITY CHAPTER NEWSLETTER
Editor- Barbara Davis
Contributor- David Allgood
TREATING SCI PAIN (Continued From Page One)
relaxation; the other uses Biofeedback-assisted relaxation. "Patients report they feel better after both treatments, and each has shown to be effective for chronic pain in other populations," Jensen said. Jensen explains the effect of deep relaxation by comparing the brain to a television set: "You can only listen to one or two channels at a time. Yet there are potentially thousands of channels of information available to our brains. We can't process all the possible input that our brain receives. In a deeply relaxed state, the mind simply has more control over how we process information. Also, it's hard not to hurt so much when you're deeply relaxed."
Jensen and his colleagues are recruiting up to 134 participants who have SCI at any level and who experience bothersome chronic pain. Participants can have Neuropathic Pain—caused by abnormal processing of sensory input due to the nervous system—or muskuloskeletal pain—due to overuse of non-paralyzed muscles, as in wheelchair propulsion. Most people with SCI have a combination of both types of pain, says Jensen. "One of our research questions is whether these treatments are effective for different kinds and combinations of pain."
Participation involves an initial interview; a physical exam by the study physician (Dr. Diana Cardenas); a two-month "baseline" period (before beginning treatment) of daily pain ratings; random assignment to one of two relaxation treatment groups; 10 free one-hour relaxation training sessions over a two-to-four week period; and monthly follow-up phone interviews for one year after treatment. Patients will receive free parking, free treatment sessions with a research psychologist (which normally costs $120 per session), and compensation for follow-up interviews.
Participants in the study so far report significant benefit from the relaxation training, Jensen says. Because relaxation is something people can learn themselves, it can give them a sense of control over pain. Many participants have been surprised at the effectiveness of the techniques—for some, this was the first time in years they had felt pain-free. Some said the procedures eliminated their pain; others that it helped make their pain more tolerable. A number of participants commented that it was a good way to decrease anxiety and get through tough times. It also improved sleep for many.
"These techniques don't relieve pain for everybody, but some people get significant pain relief, and most people report at least a little," Jensen noted. Furthermore, "relaxation is a good stress management skill." Finally, many research participants like knowing they are contributing to research that will help others in the future.
