Originally published on PRWeb.com

Phoenix, AZ (PRWEB)

September 24, 2014

September is Chronic Pain Awareness Month – a time to work together in raising awareness about the effects chronic pain has on those who suffer from it. In honor of Chronic Pain Awareness Month, Arizona Pain (arizonapain.com), the premier pain center in Phoenix, AZ, will be hosting a free “Chronic Pain Awareness Expo” that will be open to the public. The expo will take place at the JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa in the Grand Sonoran Salon A-D, (5350 E Marriott Drive, Phoenix, AZ), on Saturday, Sept. 27th, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

This event will be for patients and caregivers alike to learn how to better manage chronic pain and their health. The expo will highlight a variety of pain management resources and the latest treatments for chronic pain – including holistic and alternative therapies, interventional procedures, mental health, cutting-edge studies, lifestyle products, local support groups and assistance services, and much more.

Health and wellness vendors will provide attendees with educational information and special offers. Representatives from local support groups will also be available for patients and caregivers to talk to.

“We understand that chronic pain can be overwhelming,” says Kristen Lavoie, events coordinator at Arizona Pain. “We want those who suffer from chronic pain in the Phoenix area to know that they are not alone – and that there are many services in the area to help them besides having to resort to pain killers.”

According to the American Academy of Pain Medicine, over 100 million people in the U.S. suffer from chronic pain. Pain affects more in the U.S. than diabetes, heart disease, and cancer combined.

“Fortunately in the last couple of years, there has been more media attention focused on the growing chronic pain epidemic, as well as the skyrocketing number of people who are dying from opioid overdoses out of desperation for relief,” says Dr. Paul Lynch. “It’s estimated that every 19 minutes, someone dies from an overdose – and opioid overdoses cause more deaths than car accidents. This is one of the reasons why I’m so passionate about educating the public on the many integrative, holistic, and alternative options to treat chronic pain.”

Through this free event, Arizona Pain hopes to provide valuable resources for those in pain, so they can find the help they need. If you plan to attend this event, please RSVP by visiting ArizonaPain.com

About Arizona Pain

Dr. Tory McJunkin and Dr. Paul Lynch founded Arizona Pain to specialize in pain medicine. They started the practice together after a close family member battled severe, debilitating pain. The team at Arizona Pain works together to provide relief for various types of chronic pain – including back pain, neck pain, facial pain, joint pain, hip pain, cancer pain, and many other chronic pain conditions. These specialists work with one mission in mind: “to change lives by delivering world-class pain management care that we would want for our own mom and dad.” Arizona Pain remains passionate about treating those who suffer from chronic pain – with the ultimate goal of providing hope and restoring life.

Fall is finally in the air, and cooler temperatures bring plenty of time to catch up on reading. September was a big month for people affected by chronic pain because it marked Pain Awareness Month, Stand Up To Cancer Day, and Healthy Aging Month.

All month long during Pain Awareness Month, patients, advocates, and others affected by chronic pain worked to increase dialogue about this critical public health issue. Our article explores why this movement is so important and how leaders have expanded its purpose over the last 13 years.

Arizona Pain will recognize the campaign on Sept. 27 with the Chronic Pain Awareness Expo held at the JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort. The event welcomes a slew of experts all focused on helping patients and caregivers manage pain and stress while improving their health. If you haven’t yet, make sure to RSVP now!

Meanwhile, on Sept. 5, Stand Up To Cancer held its annual fundraising event, a televised, star-studded evening designed to raise money for this organization’s fresh approach to cancer research. Much of cancer research is highly competitive, with scientists from separate institutions, or even departments within an institution, competing against each other for funds and recognition.

Collaborative science is the key to next-generation cancer research, says Stand Up To Cancer.

With federal funding for medical research dwindling due to budget cutbacks, you won’t want to miss this read on Stand Up To Cancer and the exciting ways this organization is upending traditional research to break new ground.

New technologies emerge to battle chronic pain and other health ailments.

For the many cancer patients and survivors alive today, chronic pain is unfortunately a part of their lives. This month’s post exploring the various causes of that pain and new technologies that are emerging to help patients cope is a must-read.

Some advances in cancer pain care are actually new twists on ancient methods, such as electroacupuncture. This treatment combines gentle electrical currents with acupuncture. Studies have shown it not only alleviates joint pain for cancer survivors taking medication to prevent a recurrence, but also depression, anxiety and fatigue.

You’ll never guess some of the other new and interesting ways researchers are investigating to fight cancer pain—a common but undertreated problem.

September also marked Healthy Aging Month, an awareness campaign designed to promote the fact that growing older doesn’t have to mean facing chronic pain. Although many older people do develop conditions such as arthritis or cancer that involve pain, it’s possible to continue to live a full, active life well into the later years.

Don’t miss this article for great tips on living well into your 60s, 70s, and beyond.

Growing older doesn’t have to mean suffering from pain. Learn more about Healthy Aging Month.

Meanwhile, chronic pain affects people of all ages. Those living with it face an uphill battle every day. To help you feel better, we gathered ways to stay inspired. From social media platforms and accounts to keep you motivated to ways to just get out of your head for an hour or two, searching out things that makes you feel better is a big part of living a happy life despite chronic pain.

Need help finding inspiration? Visit this month’s post to learn new ways of beating the blues and connecting with other chronic pain warriors.

Staying inspired is also one way of fighting stress, which is a critical issue for people living with chronic pain. Pain and stress have a complicated relationship, with each making the other worse. Sometimes, it may seem like the tension will never leave your body, but we’ve compiled a series of ways to help you relax and rejuvenate.

Fortunately, engaging in stress-management activities could also help reduce your pain. So even if you’re not feeling up to it, your body and mind will thank you for your efforts.

Need help de-stressing? Read this month’s tips on managing stress with chronic pain.

The fall also marks back-to-school time, with all the fun and stress it entails. (And also a precursor to even more crazy times to come with the holidays. But more on that later.)

If you, or your child, is managing chronic pain amid hectic preparations for returning to school, you’ll want to check out this September’s article, which is chock full of easy-to-implement tips for staying on top of the rush. We’ll also show you how to plan ahead so preparations better fit your needs as a person with chronic pain.

Learn how preparing ahead of time simplifies back-to-school shopping and other holiday planning.

If you’re not a patient, but are instead looking for advice on how to help a loved one manage the stress of chronic pain, we’ve got you covered this September. Don’t miss the article that demystifies different ways of helping and lending a compassionate ear. Knowing how to support a loved one coping with chronic pain doesn’t come naturally, but after this article, you’ll be well on your way to knowing which steps to take.

If you’re looking for more tech-savvy ways to combat anxiety and stress, be sure to read this month’s article on apps to alleviate common mental health issues. One new app developed by researchers was proven in a clinical study to help people access their inner state of calm. Best of all, it’s free!

You’ll also learn which computer-based program offers promise for preventing cognitive decline and related disorders, including dementia.

Research into the frontiers of managing medical disorders is extending into the treatment realm as well. Don’t miss our article discussing Dr. Elliot Krane, a pediatric anesthesiologist at Stanford University, and his ideas about what the future of pain treatment holds.

Scientists are hard at work understanding the physiological pathways underlying pain, and the treatments of tomorrow will likely look a lot different—and be much more effective—than the treatments of today.

What was your favorite Arizona Inside Pain article from September?

Image by ThreeIfByBike via Flickr

If you suffer from chronic pain or, more accurately, are a chronic pain survivor, it’s likely that you’re always looking for new ways to treat and manage your pain. Questions about your chronic pain may have even led you to this blog today, where we cover everything from cutting edge pain treatments to lifestyle changes to help your pain.

As we discussed in an earlier post, part of our mission at Arizona Pain is to educate the public on chronic pain. In addition to hosting information on our blog, website, and social media accounts, we’ve also organized a Chronic Pain Expo for the last two years. Hosting an expo differs, of course, from these online sources both in scope and time. However, we know that hosting a live Chronic Pain Expo is incredibly important because:

“A Chronic Pain Expo allows for a broader reach in the community and new opportunities to discuss pain treatments. We can write numerous blogs about new pain treatments, but oftentimes, talking to a doctor who performs the treatment or physically trying out a new orthotic device can be much more meaningful for a person in pain.”

We are so invested in this Chronic Pain Expo event and the value that it provides for our patients that we’ve made it free and open to the public for the last two years and will continue to do so this year. It’s not only for patients, though. Our Expo can also help (and is open to) caregivers, family members, healthcare professionals, and members of the general public.

How can the Arizona Pain’ Chronic Pain Expo on September 27 help you? Let’s take a look.

Learn about lifestyle changes

If you live with chronic pain, you probably already know about the many lifestyle modifications that can help your pain. From eating more healthy to exercising more to finding better sleep habits, there are so many ways you can help prevent and manage your pain through small changes.

Actually changing habits and lifestyle, however, is easier said than done.

That’s why we’ve gathered together a wide variety of experts in health and wellness to attend the Chronic Pain Expo. You’ll be able to talk directly to healthcare professionals who understand your condition and can provide advice or information about changes that may be able to help. While all changes should be done after talking with your personal physician, these discussions can help you realize new options for your own pain management.

In attendance, we’ll have:

• Naturopathic physicians
• Dedicated health coaches
• Dietitians
• Lifestyle product specialists

Through one of those discussions you may learn that instead of trying to “eat healthy” (a large concept easier said than done), a modified diet with restricted carbohydrates and sugars may be best for you. Perhaps one of the health professionals in attendance will have ideas on how to limit your caffeine consumption. Maybe you’ll learn about new technologies that can help you get to sleep faster and monitor your sleep quality. Many vendors will also bring samples or demonstrate new pain management products or assistive devices to incorporate into your day.

While these are small changes, those with chronic pain know that small steps win the day.

Discover new treatment methods 

From alternative therapies to surgery, chronic pain treatment encompasses a wide variety of therapies. Attend our Chronic Pain Expo to learn about the many options you truly have.

You’ll be able to talk to:

• Chiropractors
• Acupuncturists
• Research specialists
• Board-certified pain management physicians
• Physical therapists
• Bracing specialists

Healthcare professionals in chiropractic care, acupuncture, or physical therapy at the Expo will be able to advise you on complementary therapies that can help with your pain. These therapies are especially helpful in treating moderate forms of pain, as well as when used in conjunction with medications or interventional treatments. Some of these healthcare professionals will even be giving demonstrations of the techniques that they use for pain management.

Since treating pain occurs in the mind as well as the body, we’ll also have local psychologists at the Chronic Pain Expo who specialize in helping chronic pain patients with their mental health issues.

Likewise, you’ll be able to learn about cutting-edge research and potential treatment options from the research specialists and pain management physicians in attendance. By having all of these experts in one area, you’ll get a greater picture of the scope of pain management and how it relates to you and your condition.

Find community 

Finally, while it is important to learn about new therapies and lifestyle modifications, the greatest benefit of a Chronic Pain Expo is in the community.

Attending an event filled with people who understand pain or know it deeply can be immensely comforting. You’ll be among people who understand your aches and your pains. You’ll be among people who understand how hard a day can be and how small victories can change a week.

Since we know that finding community is an integral part of chronic pain management, we’ve also invited local support group leaders to our Chronic Pain Expo. You’ll be able to ask them questions about their programs, meetings, and normal topic areas. Our hope is that you will be able to find a group that provides continued support in your life just by attending the Expo.

Attend our Chronic Pain Expo 

Our event will be held on Saturday, September 27, 2014 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Find us at the JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa in their Grand Sonoran Salon, rooms A-D. We can’t wait to see you there.

What other questions do you have about our Chronic Pain Expo? 

Image by Ethan Lofton via Flickr

Arizona Pain will be hosting our third annual Chronic Pain Expo on Saturday September 27, 2014. It’s a free event that we open to the public with one mission in mind: Educate people about pain. As we’ll discuss, patient education is at the heart of who we are at Arizona Pain.

Benefits of pain education 

In a recent YouTube video, we interviewed a few Arizona Pain doctors and patients to discuss the importance of patient education during our Chronic Pain Expo.

As I noted in that video, I believe:

“Patient education is extremely important on the road to recovery. I think a lot of organizations talk a lot about giving back to the community, but at Arizona Pain Specialists, we’ve made that a part of who we are. We have five founding principles and one of those are service.”

Along with our founding principles of Leadership, Integrity, Kindness, and Excellence, our dedication to Service guides us both in the clinic room and out during public events.

For us, service means that we deliver phenomenal patient care and give back to our community. During an event like our Chronic Pain Expo, we love seeing how those two areas of focus meet up. Not only do we get to teach our patients more about their pain conditions, but we also have a chance to talk to their caregivers, family, and friends. Our staff has the opportunity to suggest new therapies or interesting new products that can help out around the home. It also allows pain patients to meet each other in a public forum.

We think it’s crucial to have that sort of outreach if we’re ever going to help raise pain awareness and support more pain research. Through our Chronic Pain Expo, we have an opportunity to reach out to our community and give back in the form of education.

Organizing a chronic pain expo 

Education is important at Arizona Pain, as evidenced by our online efforts on this blog and through our social media channels. Why, then, did we decide to take it offline in the form of a Chronic Pain Expo?

As Dr. Tory McJunkin suggests in his interview piece in the video, a Chronic Pain Expo allows for a broader reach in the community and new opportunities to discuss pain treatments. We can write numerous blogs about new pain treatments, but oftentimes, talking to a doctor who performs the treatment or physically trying out a new orthotic device can be much more meaningful for a person in pain.

Likewise, we’ve invited many vendors to the event to talk about their own products and treatment plans. In this way, it becomes much less of a one-way conversation about pain and more of a community gathering with and for people in pain.

Consider these opportunities that arise because of a free Chronic Pain Expo that’s opened up the public:

• A patient has the opportunity to discuss specific physical therapy recommendations with a physical therapist in attendance
• A caregiver learns more about dietary choices that could help their loved one in pain
• A pain patient discusses their recent mental health issues with a local psychologist who specializes in chronic pain therapy
• A patient hears about a new cutting edge study that relates directly to their pain condition
• A family member talks to both a chiropractor and an acupuncturist in one setting to help determine which therapy would best help their family member
• A patient is able to talk to the leader of a local chronic pain support group before deciding to join the group

It is because of these interactions and more that we decided to organize our Chronic Pain Expos at Arizona Pain.

As Tere Derbez-Zacher, an Olympian and Arizona Pain patient, says:

“If you come to one of these expos, you’re going to be able to find answers for whatever is bothering you or for someone that you know. And also, you’re going to learn about the different alternatives or routes that you can take in order to heal completely.”

Chronic Pain Expo details 

If you’re ready to learn more about your chronic pain condition, we’d love to see you at our free Chronic Pain Expo on Saturday September 27 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Likewise, if a family member or friend is in pain, please feel free to attend as well! Caregivers, healthcare professionals, and members of the public are all invited.

Our Chronic Pain Expo will take place at the JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa at 5350 East Marriott Drive, Phoenix, AZ 85054. Find us in their Grand Sonoran Salon, rooms A-S.

Since we will have samples and materials from many local health and wellness vendors, as well as information on an array of holistic treatments, we kindly ask that you RSVP beforehand to help us ensure that we enough materials on hand. You can certainly arrive the day-of without RSVPing, however, and we will have enough materials. RSVPing just allows us to get a better count before the event. You can also RSVP easily online right now by clicking here.

If you’re attending, let us know in the comments. Also let us know if you have any questions about the event or if there is anything you’d specifically like to see or hear about during our Chronic Pain Expo. Remember, this event is about you!

Image by Adrian Clark via Flickr

On September 27, Arizona Pain is hosting a free event to help spread awareness about chronic pain and share information with those who suffer from it! If you’re ready to take on your pain and change your life, RSVP for our Chronic Pain Expo today!

Chronic Pain Expo details

Join us from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, September 27th for our free Chronic Pain Expo. Everybody is invited to attend–patients, caregivers, healthcare professionals, and the public are all invited.

The Expo will take place at the JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa in their Grand Sonoran Salon, rooms A-D. We kindly ask all participants to RSVP in advance. You can always come by the day of without RSVPing, but doing so ahead of time allows us to ensure that enough materials are available that day. You can do so easily by clicking here.

Chronic Pain Expo features 

Our Chronic Pain Expo will be the third one we’ve hosted and we’re more than excited to share even more chronic pain tips, tricks, treatments, and techniques with our patients and the public.

You’ll be able to:

• Learn more about holistic and alternative therapy options
• Sample products and receive special offers from the Valley’s leading health and wellness vendors
• Talk to representatives from local support groups to take control of your mental health
• Discuss cutting edge studies and interventional chronic pain treatments with healthcare professionals

For patients and caregivers alike

At Arizona Pain, we know that treating pain takes a whole team. It’s why we’re so passionate about our comprehensive, team-based approach. Some of the most important players on that team, though, are the family members that support chronic pain patients every day.

Because of this, we’ve made sure to include options during our Chronic Pain Expo that can benefit caregivers as well. Our local support group leaders will also provide group options for caregivers. Caregivers can also find resources for better pain care and management, as well as lifestyle products that can help both caregivers and pain sufferers.

The events coordinator at Arizona Pain, Kristen Lavoie, notes that:

“We understand that chronic pain can be overwhelming. We want those who suffer from chronic pain in the Phoenix area to know that they are not alone–and that there are many services in the area to help them.”

RSVP now!

We look forward to seeing all of you at our Chronic Pain Expo! You can RSVP right now by clicking this link.

While we’re here every week on Inside Pain discussing pain topics and research, it’s always great to see patients face-to-face to help answer any questions you have and provide resources that you may not have known were available. Listen to one patient talk about how attending our Chronic Pain Expo “opened the door” to a new way of managing her pain.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmE-dlLOTyY