What Medicine Gets Wrong About Pain with Dr. Rachel Zoffness

Dr. Rachel Zoffness is a pain psychologist and assistant clinical professor at UCSF and Stanford, and she came on to do something I desperately needed, explain what I actually did not learn in medical school about pain, which turns out to be most of it. The thing I absorbed is apparently what 96% of medical schools teach as their entire compulsory pain curriculum, and it's missing about two-thirds of the actual story because pain is not made in your skin, it's constructed by your brain, which means it is always biopsychosocial: biological inputs, psychological inputs, and social inputs, and you cannot treat chronic pain by ignoring any of them. We go through the tale of two nails, why Usain Bolt's S-curved spine and unequal leg length are a really compelling argument against doing back surgery before you've exhausted every other option, how loneliness chemically amplifies pain the way social connection suppresses it, what central sensitization actually is and why chronic pain patients are not imagining anything, and how "pain as the fifth vital sign" was literally a big pharma campaign to sell OxyContin that caused enormous damage to how medicine prescribes opioids. Kristin also gets a professional consult on being a Highly Sensitive Person, which Rachel frames as being a more accurate seismograph than other people. Takeaways: A nociceptor is not a pain receptor The "tale of two nails" proves that hurt and harm are not the same thing Chronic pain is a disease of the central nervous system Loneliness is a direct pain amplifier "Pain is the fifth vital sign" was a big pharma invention — Want more Dr. Rachel Zoffness? Instagram @therealdoczoff Facebook @ Dr. Rachel Zoffness LinkedIn Rachel Zoffness Bluesky @drzoffness Twitter @drzoffness The Zoffness Team Pain Science and Education Tell Me Where It Hurts zoffness.com We want to hear YOUR stories (and medical puns)! Shoot us an email and say hi! [email protected] Can’t get enough of us? Shucks. You can support the show on Patreon for early episode access, exclusive bonus shows, livestream hangouts, and much more! –⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ http://www.patreon.com/glaucomflecken⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Also, be sure to check out the newsletter: https://glaucomflecken.com/glauc-to-me/ If you are interested in buying a book from one of our guests, check them all out here: https://www.amazon.com/shop/dr.glaucomflecken If you want more information on models I use: Anatomy Warehouse provides for the best, crafting custom anatomical products, medical simulation kits and presentation models that create a lasting educational impact. For more information go to Anatomy Warehouse DOT com. Link: https://anatomywarehouse.com/?aff=14 Plus for 15% off use code: Glaucomflecken15 As a proud FIGS Ambassador, visit https://WearFIGS.com and use code DrGFIRSTFIGS to shop, stay updated on new launches, and learn more about FIGS advocacy projects. Check out FIGS on social platforms: @wearfigs To learn more about Microsoft Dragon Copilot, visit: ⁠⁠⁠http://aka.ms/knockknockhi ⁠⁠⁠ -- A friendly reminder from the G’s and Tarsus: If you want to learn more about Demodex Blepharitis, making an appointment with your eye doctor for an eyelid exam can help you know for sure. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.EyelidCheck.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for more information. Produced by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Human Content⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices