by Michael Coupland | Sep 7, 2020 | Injured Workers, Opioids
Imagine taking a “pain” medication that may actually intensify the suffering. Add to that frequent side effects, such as respiratory distress, constipation, sexual dysfunction and depression, and you’ve described opioids. We increasingly hear about the potential for... by Michael Coupland | Feb 3, 2020 | CBT, Chronic Pain, Cognitive behavioral therapy, Injured Workers, Workers' Compensation
Chronic pain is more prevalent than many people think. The latest government figures say more than 15 percent of currently employed adults have pain nearly every single day, and when non-working adults are added in, the rate rises to almost 20 percent. That translates... by Michael Coupland | Jan 20, 2020 | CBT, Chronic Pain, Cognitive behavioral therapy, Injured Workers, Mental Health, Mind-body, Mind-body treatments, Workers' Compensation
Your body is more than just a vehicle for carrying your head around. Modern research shows the mind and body have a complex, interdependent relationship, and what affects one affects the other. This is especially important in treating injured workers with delayed... by Michael Coupland | Dec 16, 2019 | Chronic Pain, Injured Workers, Mental Health, Opioids, Workers' Compensation
There’s an experiment I like to do with audiences when I am presenting on the use/misuse of opioids for chronic pain. I ask them to hold their breath…for a while. Then I ask them what they are thinking. The answer is, of course, “when can I take a breath?” In those... by Michael Coupland | Dec 2, 2019 | Injured Workers, PTSD, Workers' Compensation
Experiencing a trauma can leave a person with all sorts of confusing, even debilitating reactions. Flashbacks to the event may arise without warning and at the most inopportune times. Things that seemingly have absolutely no relationship to the tragedy can trigger... 
by Michael Coupland | Nov 11, 2019 | CBT, Chronic Pain, Cognitive behavioral therapy, Injured Workers, Opioids, Workers' Compensation
The longer a post-surgical patient is on opioids, the greater the chances of misuse. New research out of Harvard shows that each week of opioid use coincides with a 20 percent increased risk of dependence, abuse or overdose. Also, every refill increased the risk by 44... 