Looking inside the body to understand pain

When you have chronic pain, a key part of dealing with it is being able to understand exactly what your body is (or is not) doing functionally. For over a year I’ve been dealing with terrible pain in my sacrum and coccyx which makes sitting difficult. In May I had an MRI and a CT scan of my entire spine with the aim of trying to find what is causing my pain. When talking with my doctor and physical therapist, they would refer to parts of my spine and pelvic bones. I recognized some of the names and of course they would point them out on a skeleton poster or model to demonstrate what they were talking about. However, it was hard for me to put it into the perspective of my own body. Even if you have a problem with a bone, that bone does not operate as a single entity. There are blood vessels, nerves, muscles, and many more layers which work together to make the body function. A problem with any of these can lead to pain. 

This week I found a great website called AnatomyZone which produces 3D animations showing how all those layers from the bones outward make up the human body. It also has a YouTube Channel, Facebook Page, and Twitter account. I'm finding it very educational and it’s helping me to better understand all the areas where I’m having chronic pain. The first video I watched was “Bones of the Pelvis” and I know that when return to see my doctor or physical therapist I’ll be able to catch on more quickly when we talk about my scans. Also, the next time I have a new x-ray or scan I’m certainly going to watch the 3D animation for that area as well.

Here are just a few of the animations on AnatomyZone that you can watch:

~ Muscles of the Neck

~ Bones of the Hand and Wrist

~ Shoulder Joint

~ Heart Structure and Function Basics

~ Fascia and Retinacula of the Foot

~ Muscle of the Thigh and Gluteal Region

~ Knee Joint

~ Rotator Cuff

~ Features of a Vertebra

~ Scapula and Clavicle - the Shoulder Girdle

The site says that it “is aimed at many different levels and at a wide range of different users, from nurses, to physiotherapists, to osteopaths, to medical students. This website and concept are currently in development, so there are many areas of anatomy which are yet to be covered.” In my opinion, what is currently available on the site is extremely helpful and I'll be checking to see what gets added over time. 

I’ve bookmarked this site, and I think you might want to do the same!

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~* MESSAGE FOR MIGRAINE PATIENTS *~ 

Live web event this coming Tuesday

This week the site Migraine.com will present the results of their landmark study “Migraine In America 2012” during a live online event on July 31, 2012 at 8PM EDT. This survey was completed by over 2,600 migraine patients in May and June of this year and represents one of the largest studies of this type ever completed. Physical pain is merely the tip of the iceberg for individuals living with migraine. As the data will show, migraine dramatically impacts quality of life, careers, and relationships. We will also review community feedback regarding symptoms, triggers, and treatments. Learn more about the Migraine In America study here. So please join Migraine.com and Dr. Dawn Marcus, MD as we unveil the data in this event.

You can register for the free live web event by going HERE.