Ep. 229 - New Approach to Chronic Pain: Psychological vs. Physical Treatments

Dr. Dean Mitchell shares his own decades-long struggle with chronic back pain before introducing Dr. David Schechter, a physician based in Los Angeles who trained directly under the late Dr. John Sarno at NYU's Rusk Institute. Dr. Schechter now carries on that work, blending Sarno's foundational ideas with modern neuroscience to treat patients with what he calls neuroplastic symptoms, or what Sarno originally termed tension myositis syndrome (TMS).The conversation covers how chronic pain differs fundamentally from acute pain on a neurological level, why imaging findings like bulging discs are often poor predictors of who actually suffers, and how the brain's emotional centers become increasingly involved the longer pain persists. Dr. Schechter describes his diagnostic process, which includes exploring personality characteristics, childhood history, and life circumstances at the onset of symptoms, and explains the concept of the "Type T personality," a profile that includes perfectionism, self-criticism, and people-pleasing tendencies that he frequently sees in patients with chronic pain.Dr. Mitchell and Dr. Schechter also discuss the role of social connection in health outcomes, the nocebo effect and the harm that can come from authoritative but unfounded medical pronouncements, and the practical reality of practicing this kind of medicine outside of a time-pressured clinical setting. Resources mentioned include Dr. Schechter's website mindbodymedicine.com and the nonprofit directory at symptomatic.me, which lists physicians trained in this area.Contact David Schechter:www.mindbodymedicine.comx:  @pain_md_lafacebook:  facebook.com/thinkawayyourpaininsta:  @drdavelayoutube:  youtube.com/mindbodydrContact Dr. Mitchell:Email: care@mitchellmedicalgroup.comWebsiteInstagramYouTubeFacebookLinkedInOrder your copy of Dr. Mitchell’s latest book, Conquering Candida, here.Be sure to visit ImmunoLytics & use coupon code SmartestDoc for 5% offContact Dr. Mitchell:Email: care@mitchellmedicalgroup.comWebsiteInstagramYouTubeFacebookLinkedInBook: Conquering CandidaImmunoLytics - code SmartestDoc, 5% offApollo Neuro - code SMARTMD