pain management Archives - Beth Darnall, PhD

Using Psychology to Help People Have Less Pain After Surgery

At the Stanford Systems Neuroscience and Pain Lab, one of our active research studies is focused on how to help prepare people who are heading to surgery. We are equipping them with the information and skills they can use to reduce their own distress and discomfort after surgery. Ideally, this helps people need less pain medication. The program is called "My Surgical Success," and we are testing in women undergoing surgery for breast cancer at Stanford [...]

By Beth Darnall|2019-04-02T15:18:28-07:00December 20th, 2016|

The Great Need for Pain Education in Psychology and Mental Health Training

Clinical Psychiatry Advisor features Beth Darnall and the work of the entire Pain Psychology Task Force of the American Academy of Pain Medicine in the August 2016 article "The Importance of Pain Psychology Curricula in Training and Education." (Author: Tori Rodriguez, MA, LPC). Read about the national needs assessment that was conducted in almost 2,000 individuals across 6 key stakeholder groups in the U.S., and published in Pain Medicine earlier this year. Learn why a major solution to the pain treatment [...]

By Beth Darnall|2019-04-02T15:18:28-07:00August 10th, 2016|

“The Opioid-Free Pain Relief Kit” – FREE Copy, Enter to Win!

My inspiration for writing this second book was the patients I treat -- and the millions of other people living with pain who are seeking relief. I was also inspired by the legions of healthcare providers who are desperately looking for accessible, low-cost, non-opioid solutions to offer their patients. The Opioid-Free Pain Relief Kit is an easy-to-read resource that’s chock full of information that patients can put to use immediately. Written at the 8th grade level, it [...]

By Beth Darnall|2019-04-02T15:18:29-07:00July 27th, 2016|

“Less Pain, Fewer Pills” on The Healing Pain Podcast

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CPUUkYlcy8 I was excited when Dr. Joe Tatta invited me to be on "The Healing Pain Podcast" about psychology and its role in pain management, and symptom and medication reduction. We covered a lot of ground in our hour-long video interview, including what's needed to help patients suffer less and gain control over their experience. I talked about my new book, The Opioid-Free Pain Relief Kit ©2016 and learned that Dr. Tatta has a book of his [...]

By Beth Darnall|2019-04-02T15:18:29-07:00July 19th, 2016|

Our JAMA Internal Medicine Study of Opioid Risks After Surgery Published Today

Stanford Medicine News Center covers new research led by Dr. Eric Sun from the Stanford Division of Pain Medicine. The study, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, describes the incidence of and risk factors for chronic opioid use among opioid-naïve patients in the postoperative period. The study highlights which patients may be particularly vulnerable. Read the JAMA story here. The Stanford Medicine News Story (author: Tracie White) includes a discussion about how to treat pain differently to minimize risks. I [...]

By Beth Darnall|2018-12-15T10:55:20-08:00July 11th, 2016|

An International Furor Over Opioids and Long-term Solutions for Pain

Opioid limits alone are not good pain care policy. In the international furor over opioid overprescribing and overdose deaths, we must extend beyond the current zero-sum conversation that pits overdose deaths vs. patients who need access to pain care. This Huffington Post explores what's needed so everyone wins. Read the post

By Beth Darnall|2020-10-12T12:00:36-07:00June 11th, 2016|

Insurance Restricts Opioids – Now What for Pain?

The National Pain Report publishes a feature interview to address the question - what happens after opioids are limited or stopped? Patients with chronic pain are being unfairly punished for the actions of addicts. And, importantly: how do we treat pain differently? Beth Darnall, Ph.D. addresses all of these questions and more. Read the article here.

By Beth Darnall|2019-03-23T11:54:59-07:00May 24th, 2016|

Tapering Off Prescription Opioids: 7 Tips for Success!

Dr. Darnall's Healthgreatness article on Opioid Tapering HERE. The specter of tapering off prescription opioids may be fraught with anxiety for the people taking them. Patients often worry about how they will manage the difficulty of the taper process. Patients also often mistakenly believe they will have more pain without opioids because they may have experienced more pain when they missed a dose and had withdrawal symptoms. With the right formula and plan, tapering can go smoothly [...]

By Beth Darnall|2018-12-15T11:05:36-08:00May 10th, 2016|

Pain Psychology: Hitting the Snooze Button on Your ‘Harm Alarm’

The Pittsburgh Better Times published this article on pain psychology on May 4! Read it and Learn how to harness the power of pain psychology to retrain your nervous system towards pain relief!

By Beth Darnall|2018-12-15T15:19:51-08:00May 5th, 2016|

Feature Interview with Pain Pathways Magazine – Less Pain, Fewer Pills

I was honored to be interviewed by Pain Pathways Magazine about Less Pain, Fewer Pills: Avoid the dangers of prescription opioids and gain control over chronic pain (Bull Publishing). Though Less Pain, Fewer Pills published almost 2 years ago, today it is more relevant than ever. In a climate of opioid restrictions, people with pain need alternatives. And, even if opioids are part of your medical plan, the book teaches you ways to reduce their own pain [...]

By Beth Darnall|2019-03-23T12:05:52-07:00April 19th, 2016|

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