Connecting the Mind–Body Split: Understanding the Relationship between Symptoms and Emotional Well-Being in Chronic Pain and Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders

Caes, Line; Orchard, Alexandra; Christie, Deborah

doi:10.3390/healthcare5040093

Cited by 12 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 99 publications

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“…Several CIM interventions could be useful in the field of stress reduction in a pandemic, e.g., using mindfulness, compassion, yoga, and meditation practices (15)(16)(17). The influence of psychological processes as well as psychological and behavioral interventions on the immune system (16,66,73,74), positive psychological well-being (75), physiological functions (76,77) as well as the mind's impact on chronic diseases is quite wellresearched (78).…”

Section: Mind-body Medicine (Mbm)mentioning

confidence: 99%

The Relevance of Complementary and Integrative Medicine in the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Review of the Literature

et al. 2020

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Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic people are facing risks of adverse health effects due to the restrictions implemented such as quarantine measures, reduced social contact, and self-isolation. In this qualitative review, we collected data on potential preventive and therapeutic health benefits of Complementary and Integrative Medicine (CIM) that might be useful during the COVID-19 pandemic. We have reviewed the scientific literature to summarize CIM practices that could be beneficial for improving physical and mental health and well-being of the population under the current pandemic circumstances. It must be noted that this review is not SARS-CoV-2 specific and we explicitly do not intend to make any SARS-CoV-2 specific health claims in this article.Methods and Findings: A qualitative, non-systematic literature review was conducted in Medline to identify literature describing preventive and therapeutic CIM approaches for strengthening mental and physical health. For a variety of CIM approaches clinical evidence was identified, indicating beneficial effects. CIM approaches include specific dietary measures and selected micronutrients, physical activity, techniques from Mind-Body Medicine, single botanicals or botanical compounds, and spending time in nature among others. The effects of CIM measures on conditions like obesity and hypertension are of special relevance here, as these conditions are considered as risk factors for a severe course of COVID-19. Moreover, a possibly direct effect of CIM approaches on immune functions and clinical parameters in respiratory tract infections, such as influenza, were identified. The findings of this review could be helpful for clinicians, patients, and the general population during the current pandemic when discussing and/or considering CIM options.Conclusions: CIM offers a variety of preventive and therapeutic options for strengthening physical and mental resilience, which could also be useful in the current COVID-19 pandemic. The evidence of CIM approaches with a potential benefit in the COVID-19 pandemic in different areas is worth to be analyzed. While this qualitative review has several obvious limitations, it might serve as useful starting point for further research on this topic.

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Section: Mind-body Medicine (Mbm)mentioning

confidence: 99%

The Relevance of Complementary and Integrative Medicine in the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Review of the Literature

et al. 2020

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“…The role of emotional processes in chronic pain is increasingly recognized (Lumley et al., 2011). Negative emotions and stress are linked to increased pain and disability (Caes, Orchard, & Christie, 2017; Edwards, Dworkin, Sullivan, Turk, & Wasan, 2016; Vachon‐Presseau et al., 2016). Emotional stressors precipitate, exacerbate or prolong pain conditions (Clauw & Chrousos, 1997), and theory suggests that cognitive‐emotional processes mediate the effects of stressful experiences on pain (Borkovec, Roemer, & Kinyon, 1995).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Emotions matter: The role of emotional approach coping in chronic pain

Ziadni

You

Johnson

et al. 2020

European Journal of Pain

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Background Emotional approach coping (EAC) is a potentially adaptive emotion‐focused coping style that involves understanding or processing one's emotions and expressing them appropriately. Although EAC has been studied in various populations, little is known about this construct among people with chronic pain, including potential mediators such as negative affect, which might link EAC to pain‐related variables, and moderators of these relationships. Methods Participants (N = 670; 76% women; 30% older adults—age 60 or over) with chronic pain completed online the Emotional Approach Coping Scale and measures of pain severity, pain interference and negative affect. Analyses correlated EAC to pain severity and interference and tested whether gender and age group (older adults versus young/middle‐age adults) moderated the mediated relationships of EAC with pain‐related variables through negative affect. Results Findings reveal that higher EAC was associated with lower pain intensity through lower negative affect in the young/middle‐age portion of the sample, but not older adults. Also, higher EAC was associated with lower pain interference through lower negative affect among women in the sample, but not men. The associations of EAC to pain intensity and interference are small in magnitude, however, and should be considered preliminary. Conclusion EAC is associated with lower pain intensity in young/middle‐age adults and lower pain interference in women, and lower negative affect mediates these relationships. These results suggest the potential value of assessing and bolstering emotional approach coping processes in some people with chronic pain.

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“…This highlights the importance of developmentally appropriate pain neuroscience education (e.g. neurophysiological and psychological models of pain, information about how context informs pain perception), as well as education about mind/body interactions (Caes et al, 2017), and importantly, developing a sense of trust (Hardin et al, 2021). Complementary to our findings, a recent investigation into children and adolescents' experiences of pain communication with healthcare professionals highlighted challenges in interpreting advice that may illicit anger reactions (Lee et al, 2023).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

‘A whirlwind of everything’: The lived experience of adolescents with co‐occurring chronic pain and mental health symptoms

Corser

Caes

Bateman

et al. 2023

European Journal of Pain

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BackgroundCo‐occurring chronic pain and mental health issues are prevalent in adolescents, costly to society and can lead to increased risk of complications throughout the lifespan. While research has largely examined paediatric chronic pain and mental health in isolation, little is known about the unique challenges faced by adolescents who experience these co‐occurring symptoms. This idiographic study examined the lived experience of adolescents with co‐occurring chronic pain and mental health symptoms to identify salient issues for this population.MethodsSemi‐structured telephone interviews were conducted with seven adolescents (11–19 years) self‐reporting diagnoses of both pain and mental health issues for a duration of 3 months or longer. Participants were recruited from UK‐based schools, pain clinics and charities. Interview transcripts were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis.ResultsAnalyses generated two themes ‘a whirlwind of everything’ and ‘putting up fronts’, which describe how the experience of co‐occurring chronic pain and mental health symptoms typically disrupted adolescents' ability to regulate their physical, psychological and social wellbeing and identity. Adolescents described their symptom experience as like an internal storm over which they had no control. Such experiences required adolescents to embrace a variety of symptom management strategies, with adolescents reporting deliberate efforts to minimize their symptoms to external individuals.ConclusionCo‐occurring pain and mental health symptoms may be experienced in similar ways to individually experienced pain or mental health symptoms, but together, the experience may be both more difficult to manage and more socially isolating.SignificanceAdolescents with co‐occurring chronic pain and mental health symptoms describe the experience as if there was a storm inside of them disrupting their sense of physical, emotional and social wellbeing. This inner chaos interferes with their self‐identity and relationships with others. Challenges articulating their experiences, and negative encounters associated with their symptoms, further impact feelings of isolation and difficulties accessing support.

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Connecting the Mind–Body Split: Understanding the Relationship between Symptoms and Emotional Well-Being in Chronic Pain and Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders

Cited by 12 publications

References 99 publications

The Relevance of Complementary and Integrative Medicine in the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Review of the Literature

The Relevance of Complementary and Integrative Medicine in the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Review of the Literature

Emotions matter: The role of emotional approach coping in chronic pain

‘A whirlwind of everything’: The lived experience of adolescents with co‐occurring chronic pain and mental health symptoms

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