The Dangers of Causality Thinking For Pain & Pain Care

April 18, 2021 • 32 MIN

In this episode we explore the dangers of "causality" thinking for pain, why the brain defaults to that perspective, and how it can make caring for pain--and promoting better outcomes--more difficult.

The Problem of The "Fixing" Mindset In Pain Care

April 11, 2021 • 24 MIN

This episode discusses why thinking like a "fixer" vs. a "facilitator" can increase clinical burnout and frustration--especially with pain care. For more empowered pain care resources visit www.ThePainClass.com

Do We Really Need To Process Childhood Trauma To Heal From Chronic Pain?

April 5, 2021 • 35 MIN

There's a common believe that in order to heal from chronic pain you must process your childhood trauma. Many clinicians strongly advocate that those with chronic pain should imagine your parents and express your anger by hitting pillows, hypnotically regress back to childhood events and replay them, or write letters to abusers. And these techniques can work. But are they really required? This and more is discussed by Dr. Kevin Cuccaro & Sharna Prasad DPT in this episode of Straight Shot Health. This episode is also brought to you by ThePainWebinar. Interested in monthly live clinical pain training? Sign up to learn more at thepainwebinar.com

Sidestepping The Opioid Conversation For Pain Care

March 29, 2021 • 25 MIN

A question was sent in before ThePainWebinar.Com asking how to convince patients on chronic opioids not to talk opioids. However, is this even necessary for most care encounters? Dr. Kevin Cuccaro, talks with Sharna Prasad, DPT about when this conversation might be necessary and when it could simply interfere with pain care. This episode is sponsored by ThePainWebinar.Com. A monthly webinar that provides free clinical pain training. Sign up for updates & registration information at ThePainWebinar.com

Empowering vs Entrapping Therapies & Pain Care

March 22, 2021 • 29 MIN

Lance McQuillan, MD & Sharna Prasad, DPT return for a discussion on the differences between empowering & entrapping therapies & pain care.

Pain Science In Primary Care With Dr. Lance McQuillan

March 8, 2021 • 30 MIN

How does learning modern pain science impact primary care? Dr. Lance McQuillan, Family Physician & Resident Educator joins the show to talk about the dramatic changes he's experienced in patient care after bring pain science into his day-to-day practice.

Pain, PT, & Primary Care

February 14, 2021 • 34 MIN

A discussion on incorporating physical therapists in Primary Care practices plus why understanding the science of pain helps clinical practice across the spectrum.

Talking Pain & PT with Sharna Prasad, DPT

February 7, 2021 • 29 MIN

A discussion on the challenges of incorporating the science of pain into clinical practice.

How After 24 Years Of Practice Lisa Reinvigorated Her Passion By Working With Pain.

May 30, 2020 • 1880 MIN

“This has helped reinvigorate my passion for my career because I’ve been at burnout at least twice and ready to walk away. So I’m as energized as ever to do what I do.”     Dr. Kevin: Hey folks, welcome back to another episode of Straight Shot Health Talk. This is your host, Dr. Kevin […]

How To Use The Science of Pain For Trauma Care

May 27, 2020 • 3382 MIN

A discussion with Tina Corey, LCSW   Dr. Kevin: Hey folks… Welcome back to another episode of Straight Shot Health Talk. This is your host, Dr. Kevin and for today, we have a very special guest. Her name is Tina Corey and Ms. Corey is a social worker with Linn County Mental Health. She has […]

Rewriting the Script, Burnout, and Out of the Box Thinking in Medicine (A Guest Episode)

February 18, 2020 • 0 MIN

Last week I was sat down with Dr. Dave from @DoctorsUnbound to discuss rewriting the script that was sold to us, physician burnout, and out of the box thinking. It was such an interesting discussion I asked if he’d be willing to let me share the episode here on Straight Shot Health. (Luckily, he agreed!). […]

Why How We Talk About Pain Matters

January 16, 2020 • 61 MIN

Setting The Path Towards Healing Pain A discussion with Curable’s CEO, John Gribbin.                                                         Links: CurableHealth.Com Like Mind, Like Body Podcast

Do You Really Need Spine Surgery?

December 7, 2019 • 2306 MIN

Everyday people see surgeons about their back pain. But how do you know when (or even if) back surgery is appropriate for you? Until now that decision relied heavily on what your spine surgeon told you and, unfortunately, spine surgeons overall are not making great decisions on your behalf . (see prior podcasts on the […]

The Science Of False Memories

October 18, 2019 • 1414 MIN

A conversation with Marie Buda, PhD Dr. Buda’s research thesis at the University of Cambridge was on the science of false memories. More importantly, we discuss how malleable memories actually are and the importance of this to pain. Dr. Buda’s website  

Why Stress Matters To Pain (Stress & Pain Webinar)

August 29, 2019 • 2949 MIN

“Stress Management” is widely recommended for persistent pain…the question is why? This podcast episode comes from a live webinar provided to registrants of The Pain Class (for clinicians) and Why We Hurt   (similar material but for non-clinicians). Both programs are available for free at https://straightshothealth.thinkific.com/collections Registrants can also optin to receive emails on updates and […]

The Personal Story of Pain Behind How A Smart Phone App That Transforms Lives Came To Be…

July 20, 2019 • 2587 MIN

An episode of back pain when he was 19 was the beginning of a 15-year journey of pain for John Gribbin. An MRI then led to physical therapy… And massage therapy. And creams, gels, and topical solutions. And foam rollers. And pills and supplements. But no relief for fifteen years. Until one day he talked to […]

Leading With Stress To Talk About Pain…

April 20, 2019 • 647 MIN

–A Discussion with Lianne Dyche, LCSW Many clinicians struggle with introducing pain science to their patients in practice but what if there was a ‘backdoor’ way to do it better?   That instead vomiting forth all the exciting science (& it is exciting) and overwhelming your client, you start with something easier to get buyin with. […]

“How Understanding The ‘New Paradigm’ of Pain Transforms Psychology’s Role In Pain Care”

April 17, 2019 • 2768 MIN

“…And then I provide a framework through understanding what they’re experiencing and why, and what can be done to help with it. You can see this relief in their presentation, and then when we go on to actually provide the goods, make changes in life, their life gets a whole lot better and it’s really […]

From The Biomechanical To The Bioplastic: A Clinician’s Pain Journey

March 15, 2019 • 1918 MIN

What Happens For You & Your Clients When You Move From The Old ‘Biomechanical’ To The New ‘Bioplastic’ Science of Pain? If you believe pain ‘oozes’ out of structures like pus out of an abscess, you’re not alone. Almost everyone does. In fact, the foundation of almost all clinical pain education thinks of pain in […]

Yoga For Pain: Applying The Science of Pain Through The Art of Yoga

March 15, 2019 • 1994 MIN

“Yoga & Pain” or “Yoga For Pain”?  Is there even a difference? Well, yes. One doesn’t incorporate modern pain science into its practice. (Maybe assuming… “We’ll just focus on Yoga and your pain might improve.” The other does incorporate up-to-date pain science into its practice. Now, you’re using yoga (& meditation) intentionally towards improving pain. […]

Are You A ‘Fixer’ Or A ‘Facilitator?’

March 14, 2019 • 1645 MIN

  One leads to burnout. The other? Transformation. What’s the difference between a ‘fixing’ and a ‘facilitating’ mindset? Who is the person who has control over a client’s outcomes? And what happens when the clinician changes their perspective from a ‘fixer’ to a ‘facilitator of change’ with their clients? A discussion with Lianne Dyche, LCSW […]

Obesity, The Gut, Surgery, & Pain

February 25, 2019 • 1829 MIN

A discussion with Dr. Erika La Vella Erika La Vella, DO is a bariatric surgeon who focuses on helping people with morbid obesity to lose weight and improve their health. But surgery is only one ‘tool’ she uses to facilitate this. In this interview, we talk about seeing and addressing the entire ‘pattern’ of obesity […]

Talking Pain With Mark Kargela, DPT (A Reverse Interview)

February 12, 2019 • 2879 MIN

Talking ‘pain’ is one of my favorite things to do so when Mark Kargela, DPT of Modern Pain Care asked about doing a live chat with his Facebook Group I gladly said, “Yes.” Then he was kind enough to share the audio for a podcast. Thank you, Mark, for sharing the interview and for all you […]

When & How Do You Introduce Pain Science To Your Clients?

February 12, 2019 • 1079 MIN

A Discussion With Sharna Prasad, PT When clinicians first start learning about the science of pain one of the big stumbling points is,  “How DO I Use This In My Practice?!?” Part of that is understanding when & how to introduce your client to pain science. In this interview, Ms. Sharna Prasad provides some insights into how she has successfully incorporated her […]

A Dancer’s Journey With Pain In Her Physical Therapy Practice

February 8, 2019 • 2306 MIN

Sara Slack is a physical therapist with a background in dance and education. Initially, her exposure to treating pain in her practice was what most clinicians had (e.g. minimal training, difficult encounters). However, over time, she has invested in learning and incorporating the science of pain into her practice. In this discussion, we talk about […]

Working Beyond The ‘Safety Net’–Helping A Population With Trauma To Transform Their Pain

January 8, 2019 • 2434 MIN

A conversation with Lianne Dyche, LCSW. Lianne Dyche stumbled into the care of pain with a question she asked when she just started working for Linn County Mental Health. That question was, “Where do you need help?” That question is reflective of much of what Lianne does as she has the uncanny ability to listen […]

After Transforming Her Own Pain After Thirty Years of Physical Therapy Practice, Now She’s On A Mission…

January 5, 2019 • 2406 MIN

What happens when the therapist, who treats chronic pain, experiences chronic pain herself?

Is our Healthcare System Answering or Amplifying The “Paindemic”?

December 18, 2018 • 3484 MIN

Melissa Cady, DO is an anesthesiologist and fellowship-trained pain specialist. In this episode, we discuss the problems she sees in the pain world from her perspective as an anesthesiologist… (e.g. What is it like to meet someone five minutes before their scheduled back surgery…and realize that no other conservative care had been discussed previously?) And […]

Can Things Get Better After 60+ Years of Living in Pain?

December 13, 2018 • 2048 MIN

If you ever have the pleasure of meeting Ms. Maureen 'Mo' Forrest the first thing you notice about her is her enthusiasm, energy, and kindness. And if you ask her why... Well, let's just say you're in for a surprise. Because Mo has a story that begins with childhood trauma, fear, and 60+ years of pain. But ends with a life transformed.

A Life Once Trapped ‘Inside’ Pain Is Now Back ‘Outside’

December 13, 2018 • 2842 MIN

Growing up in Montana, Jean Beriault fell in love with the outdoors.  Camping, hiking, biking,...she did it all.Then she started her career in law enforcement and loved that too. (And discovered that many of the 'bad guys' weren't, necessarily, 'bad' but were instead trapped by addiction) Over time, though, she began noticing more pain...and more pain...until she ended up somewhere she never thought she would be.On high doses of opioids and unable to do the outdoor activities or the job she loved. 

Beyond ‘Pain Management’ —How To Transform Your Pain & Your Life

December 11, 2018 • 2150 MIN

Cindy’s Personal Story of Transformation Cindy’s story begins similarly to many others. One day she had a headache. Then, over the ensuing weeks and days, she experienced more headaches until, finally, they were constant. But while trying to find solutions for them…she continued to get sicker and sicker. More physicians led to more prescriptions until she was taking 19 different medications per day. More specialists led to more specialists until she was receiving 30+ injections (PER SESSION) and undergoing multiple other medical procedures. & More diagnoses (including an autoimmune disorder, a malabsorption syndrome, and an ‘incurable’ chronic pain condition.) But no answers. Until, one day, while lying in a hospital bed thinking she was going to die she asked, “But what will happen to my horses?” And that’s where the story gets interesting.

The One Where We Talk About Addiction…

September 29, 2018 • 68 MIN

The worlds “Addiction” & “Pain” often get used in the same sentence. Sometimes it even seems people use the words interchangeably. But there is a difference and it’s important…especially if we want to have a rational discussion about improving health and healthcare. In fact, it could be argued that the misunderstanding & mistreatment of addiction […]

Understanding Pain with Aging in the Willamette Valley Part Two.

August 15, 2018 • 0 MIN

Listen to “7/24/18: Dr. Kevin Cuccaro with Straight Shot Health | Part 2 in our “Understanding Pain” series | Aging In The Willamette Valley” on Spreaker.

What Side Effects From Pain Treatments Do You Want? The Good? Or The Not-So-Good?

June 28, 2018 • 875 MIN

All ‘treatments’ have side effects but while we typically think that side effects are bad they don’t have to be. However, what treatment you choose will affect which types of side effects you end up with. Interestingly, when we start understanding pain and facilitating change the side effects can be profound. (And profoundly good) More […]

How Beliefs & Feedback Systems Can Keep You From Your ‘Pain Goals’

June 28, 2018 • 831 MIN

Positive & Negative feedback loops are found everywhere.  They’re what allow a plane to arrive at its destination (generally on time) and they also allow your body to function. However, you can also find positive and negative feedback loops at work in belief systems and THESE feedback loops & the beliefs that anchor them are […]

What If You Only Paid For Results With Pain Treatment?

June 28, 2018 • 674 MIN

Simple Question: What if you were only paid if your client got results from your treatment?  Or, if you’re the client, you were 100% financially responsible for any treatments you pursued? How would that change your practice (or what you are willing to pay for)? Unfortunately, in our current world of “Pain Management,”  Price-to-Value ratios […]

Muddled Models…Why (& How) People Get The Biopsychosocial Model Of Pain Wrong

April 13, 2018 • 839 MIN

Luckily for us, Firefighters understand Fire well. They know HOW fires are constructed but they also understand HOW fires behave. More importantly, they’ve figured out how to simplify (but not ‘dumbify’) very complex processes into easy-to-use and understand models. Unfortunately, in the ‘Pain World’ we’re not there yet.  Instead, there seems to be an ever-increasing need […]

Demonstrating That The “Impossible” Is Possible For Pain, A Conversation With Dr. Beth Darnall

April 10, 2018 • 1916 MIN

One of the more upsetting (out of the many upsetting aspects) of the ‘pain world’ is a persistent but false belief that patients who were prescribed opioid medications can’t come off of them. In fact, some doctors describe a ‘Lost Generation’ of pain patients.  They believe these patients because of the duration of time they’ve […]

Do You Understand Pain? If So You Have A Responsibility (almost didn’t publish this)

March 7, 2018 • 879 MIN

I almost didn’t publish this episode.  However, I am because it is important for people to understand that misinformation on pain continues to get distributed. Unfortunately, even in places where it should not be occurring. Background: A listener to Straight Shot Health asked me to listen to an episode from another ‘pain podcast.’ So I […]

Surviving The Raging River Of The Healthcare System With Upper Back Pain

March 7, 2018 • 1384 MIN

Here’s an analogy of the Healthcare System (at least in the United States): Imaging you’re thirsty and want a drink of water.  However, the only water available is from a single river…and that river is a raging torrent of white froth, rocks, and tumultuous waterfalls. Plus the shores of the river are rocky and steep. […]

Stress Isn’t The Problem…It’s How You See Your Stress That’s The Problem

March 7, 2018 • 1118 MIN

Stress…stress…stress.  Everywhere you look someone is talking about “Stress Management” or the “Problem of Stress.” But they’re missing the point.  Stress, in and of itself, is NOT a bad thing! In fact, stress is necessary for a healthy life because it causes growth (in all facets of health–physical, emotional, spiritual, community, etc.) Instead, the problem […]

Why Is There No ‘Fancy’ Intro To This Podcast (Plus Listener Questions)

March 7, 2018 • 1546 MIN

Do you enjoy listening to the same intro over and over again for podcasts you subscribe to?  If so, I’d like to know why? I’m not sure, after the first episode or two, how that intro helps the listener? Anyway, this episode discusses why I took the intro out of this podcast (even though it […]

Things To Think About With Pain (Q&A Neuropathy, Back Pain)

March 7, 2018 • 1062 MIN

When people optin to the Straight Shot Health email list, I ask them, “Why’d they sign up?” and, “What questions do you have?” Then I read those responses. This episode talks about some of those questions. (Lots of rambling but the last 5-10 minutes has a KEY point on when to decide aggressive interventions such […]

Is Pain A ‘Thing’ Or Is It An ‘Experience’? (You Know The Answer. Here’s Why It Matters…)

February 13, 2018 • 427 MIN

A “lost” episode from early 2017. (This episode was created before “Thing vs. Action vs. Experience.)

Why You Should Question What AnyoneTells You About Pain (Including Me)

February 12, 2018 • 663 MIN

A “lost” episode from 2017. Who can you trust when it comes to pain?    

How I Know When Someone Doesn’t Understand Pain

December 14, 2017 • 356 MIN

  “Your pain is coming from…         “Your pain is constructed from…”

How We Think About Work (& Pain) Is Flawed. Here’s Why

December 14, 2017 • 1976 MIN

This is short Ted talk (8:02 minutes) presented by Barry Schwartz Ph.D. that I recommend everyone watch. You can find it here. While the topic itself is interesting and thought-provoking. (Quick summary: How we think about job creation and work is flawed and this has important implications to how you life and work.) It is […]

When Should You Have Back Surgery?

July 21, 2017 • 2459 MIN

  Are you thinking about back surgery or have you been told by a surgeon that back surgery “could be done”? Has someone said, “We could do surgery…If you ‘fail’ all these other therapies first…”? Or maybe you’re considering surgery because it’s “The Last Resort.” If so, then you’re going to want to listen to […]

Do We Have An Epidemic Of Cutting, Poking, And Drugging, For Profit?

April 30, 2017 • 2316 MIN

  The Healthcare system in the United States is well known as the most expensive, least beneficial, healthcare systems in the world. We spend more money and get worse results than any other industrialized country out there. This, of course, is ‘bad.’ But is it worse? Is all the cutting, poking and drugging we do […]

“This Is NOT Your Mom’s Arthritis”…Except Actually It Is…And IT DOESN’T MATTER! (‘New Arthritis Report’ Part Two)

March 12, 2017 • 271 MIN

Straight & Honest Answers About Pain

New Report Says “Up To 25% Of Americans Have Arthritis”…Here’s Why It Doesn’t Matter

March 12, 2017 • 535 MIN

New Report Says Up To 25% of ALL American’s Have Arthritis!!!! Give me a break. This isn’t a catastrophe or even something to be significantly concerned about…unless you don’t understand pain.  

How We Commonly Treat ‘Pain’ And Why It Doesn’t Work.

February 7, 2017 • 2359 MIN

A video for this episode is available at straightshothealth.com  

Why Do Pain Conferences Not Talk About Pain?

February 7, 2017 • 516 MIN

Healthcare providers go to conferences for continuing education and one of the biggest topics now is the prescription opioid epidemic. Yet these conferences, usually labeled as ‘pain conferences,’ RARELY (if ever) focus on pain. Instead, they talk around pain (addiction, medical treatments for addiction, how to write opioids and put patients on ‘medication agreements.’) But they […]

What’s The Difference Between Acute Pain & Chronic Pain? Or Is There One?

February 7, 2017 • 602 MIN

Note:  See straightshothealth.com for triangle diagrams of acute vs. chronic pain. Our healthcare system loves to talk about ‘acute’ pain and ‘chronic’ pain like they’re completely different things. But guess what?  They aren’t. What’s different is how the components that create pain are put together. Understanding this is critical (especially for healthcare providers).    

Is Firewood The Same Thing As Fire? No? Then Why Do We Say ‘Firewood’ Is The Same Thing As Pain?

February 7, 2017 • 1243 MIN

Firewood is used to start a fire but you wouldn’t take a piece of firewood and try to roast a marshmallow over it.  Unfortunately, in medicine, we commonly mistake the ‘firewood of pain’ AS PAIN. And if you think that causes some problems… you’re right!

What Do Pain & Fire Have In Common And Why It Matters

February 7, 2017 • 1349 MIN

A few notes for this episode:  1)  There’s a visual of the ‘Pain Triangle’ available at Straightshothealth.com.  2)  I get…passionate…when talking about pain and when I’m passionate I talk fast.  3)  The first 8 minutes of this episode are in ‘mono (one speaker).’  The rest of the episode is in ‘stereo (both speakers).  Why?  I […]

Is Fibromyalgia ‘Incurable?’ If so…What Does It Mean When Someone Is ‘Cured?’

June 10, 2016 • 2001 MIN

A little while back I attended a pain workshop put on by my friend, Howard Schubiner, M.D. In the workshop, Howard presented (& taught) his approach towards treating his chronic pain patients. An approach Howard has used for years to help his patients become well. Well. Not ‘managed.‘ And when I say, ‘well’ we’re not […]

Guru-ism, The Science of Pain And The Future Of Pain Care (A Conversation With Lorimer Moseley, PhD)

April 27, 2016 • 2690 MIN

What if you had severe back pain for six years but couldn’t explain why?  And what if what you thought or were told about pain didn’t add up or make sense? Well, our guest had those personal experiences and guess what he did? He got his Ph.D. and started producing some of the best, most […]

Injections For Back Pain…What’s The Evidence?

January 30, 2016 • 2135 MIN

  Today’s guest on Straight Shot Health Talk is Dr. Janna Friedly. Dr. Friedly is a Rehabilitation Medicine specialist and an amazing researcher with a special interest in the treatment of back pain. Her publications on back pain and back pain treatments are some of the best around…and generate a fair amount of controversy. Probably […]

Do Painkillers Kill Pain? Or Just Kill?

January 9, 2016 • 2541 MIN

  Pain Killers, Profit, & Pain. A massive mess of misinformation and misfortune.

Is Your Doctor ‘Sick’ Too?

December 8, 2015 • 3100 MIN

  Healthcare is dysfunctional. That’s a given and (almost) everyone recognizes this. But what’s it like on the inside and what does it do to those who work within the system? (And why are so many physicians killing themselves?) Links:  Ideal Medical Care Articles by Dr. Wible on KevinMD

The Science Of Sleep (From Somni)

December 1, 2015 • 2165 MIN

We sleep roughly 1/3 of our lives. Yet why is it that something that should be so easy can be so hard? And does it matter? (Hint:  Yes) An interview with Sleep Specialist,  Dr. Jess Payne. Links:  Somni Jessica Payne, Ph.D.

How To Fail Small (& Why You Would Want To)

December 1, 2015 • 2377 MIN

Quick Warning:  This episode has some great (and important) information in here.  It does have a few *gasp* four letter words. If you’re easily (very easily) offended, you might consider not listening to this episode. However, I wouldn’t recommend it. This is, truly, one of the most important concepts to ‘get’ if you want to […]

‘Fake Addiction,’ Chronic Pain And Why It Matters

November 10, 2015 • 2722 MIN

Pseudoaddiction is a term used in “Pain Medicine” quite a bit…. Widely published, talked about, and even taught to other physicians the impact of pseudoaddiction is felt everywhere in the pain world. But how did pseudoaddiction become so ingrained in the chronic pain paradigm?  And how much evidence supports it? Would you believe… virtually none? Andrew […]

What Have You Been Doing This Summer (aka Why Has Straight Shot Health Been So Quiet?)?

August 4, 2015 • 266 MIN

A quick update on Straight Shot Health. (No, we’re not going anywhere and good things are coming!)

What To Do When Your Heart Beats To A Different Drummer (Drugs, Burn It Or Something Else…?)?

May 19, 2015 • 1533 MIN

Atrial Fibrillation is the most common type of abnormal heart rhythm. Basically, if you have it, your heart beats like a drunken drummer, and it puts you at risk of having a stroke (blood clot in the brain). Treatments recommendations generally are to drug it or shock it (i.e. get your heart to play ‘in […]

The 5 Beliefs You Need To Improve Your Health (& Change Your Life)

April 29, 2015 • 1281 MIN

There are five beliefs you need to have in order to improve your health. However, these beliefs aren’t just for your health…They’re for your life as well. What are they? Well here are the first three: 1) Do you believe in (& want) the result? The result being something like weight loss, running 3 miles, […]

Want To Get In Shape? Here’s Where To Start (& It Isn’t With Exercise)…

April 21, 2015 • 2902 MIN

If you’ve been listening to Straight Shot Health Talk for any amount of time you know that eating right and exercise are two of the Fundamental Four for wellness. Most of us also know that being “in shape” feels better than being “out of shape.” Still we struggle to get started. Often we say it’s because we’re […]

How My Hometown Hospital Scammed My Mother With ‘Prevention’ Screening

April 19, 2015 • 2110 MIN

My mother is one of the healthiest people I know.   She stays active and moves daily. She pays attention to what she eats. She has a strong social life with friends and family (good relationships are important for health). Most of the time, we see eye-to-eye on health and wellness.  I often hold her […]

Is Low Cost, Affordable, And Quality Health Care A Myth? (Hint: It’s Not… And Doctors AND Patients Love It!)

April 3, 2015 • 3043 MIN

What does the future of healthcare hold? Is it bleak or promising? Will you be able to get the care you need when you’re sick? Will you have to choose between affordability and satisfaction? Will it help you when you’re sick or, better yet, keep you healthy to begin with?   Or will ‘bandaids’ be […]

How To Exercise Your Brain & Body (& Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease)

March 24, 2015 • 2306 MIN

Can You Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease?Alzheimer’s Disease is the most common form of dementia in the world. It is also the 6th leading cause of death in the United States. Standard medical treatments like medication do not improve or prevent it. In fact, they only delay progression of symptoms for about 6 months. So here are […]

What Homeopathy & Spine Surgery Have In Common

March 13, 2015 • 1299 MIN

Should health insurance pay for placebo therapies? Some people say “No” especially when it comes to “alternative” medicine. However, what about other more invasive and riskier “placebo” treatments? Hundreds of thousands of these “standard” medical therapies are performed every year… …and in this episode we discuss whether or not insurance pay for them as well. Links for […]

What Everyone Needs To Know About The Business Of Back Pain…Part 2

March 8, 2015 • 1602 MIN

Further reading: Prescription drug facts from the CDC An eye opening account of how a pharmaceutical company marketed misery to make themselves billions of dollars.   Another account of that story is here. Here’s an interesting story about what happened to the people using Oxycontin that Purdue Pharma used in their sales videos (needless to say […]

What Everyone Needs To Know About The Business Of Back Pain…Part 1

March 6, 2015 • 2685 MIN

At some point in life everyone (or almost everyone) will experience back pain. Everywhere. It doesn’t matter if you live in Djibouti (where it’s hot when you hurt) or Russia (where it’s cold…). Back pain happens. Just like it’s been happening to us for hundreds of thousands of years. However, what is a relatively new phenomenon is chronic pain […]

Making You “Sick” For Money…Big Pharma & Disease Creation…

March 1, 2015 • 1662 MIN

9 of the top 10 largest pharmaceutical companies spend more on marketing than they do on research and development of new drugs.   Why? Is it because they want to make sure all who might need one of their drugs knows about it (and then can “talk to their doctor about getting it…”)? Yup. And that […]

The Reason You See Your Doctor (It Probably Isn’t What You Think).

February 26, 2015 • 1059 MIN

Why do you see your doctor? This should be a simple question but, like most things when it comes to healthcare, it’s a bit more complex than people think. However, the answer can have a significant impact on what happens next. How? Because the wrong approach can create unintended ripples…    

The Difference Between “Bleeding Neck” And “Empty Bed” Care

February 24, 2015 • 1907 MIN

Imagine you’re walking down the street when suddenly the picture window next to you blows out. You’re shocked and stunned but feel okay…until you feel a wetness at your shirt color. Fearfully you look down and see blood running freely.  And you know it’s yours. What do you do? Well, you’re going to try and […]

Do You Have Back Pain?

February 23, 2015 • 409 MIN

If you have back pain please take the “The Back Pain Survey“ (If you don’t have back pain…please share this page with anyone who does whom you care about!). The Back Pain Survey is a chance for you to tell me about your back pain. This is important because there is a TON of misleading […]

Can Your Choice Of Treatments Harm You? The Answer Is ‘Yes’….Here’s Why

February 12, 2015 • 588 MIN

What are active therapies? What are passive therapies? Is it even important to understand the difference? The quick answer is “Yes.” And in this episode of Straight Shot Health Talk we talk all about them 🙂 However, here’s a quick and dirty definition of Active vs. Passive therapies. Active therapies are treatments you perform with or without the […]

How To Succeed When Setting Health Goals

February 5, 2015 • 942 MIN

Changing your lifestyle to create better health is hard!  (If it wasn’t we would never need New Year’s Resolutions 😉 ) However, there are some science-based strategies proven to work and in this episode of Straight Shot Health Talk we talk about one of the best. It’s called “Mental Contrasting with Implementation Intentions” and it […]

How Things Work In The U.S. Healthcare System (& Why You Need To Know This)

February 4, 2015 • 0 MIN

  I just read a piece by the New York Times titled… Medicare Payments Surge for Stents to Unblock Blood Vessels in Limbs And it upset me. Greatly. Because this IS how things work in the US Healthcare system. First a new procedure is introduced that has the potential to become a new income stream. […]

I Walked Into The Hospital With A Headache But When I Walked Out…

January 13, 2015 • 3109 MIN

Jeff Pledger, is a Senior Financial Analyst for Verizon where he has worked for the past 23 years   Despite his busy schedule he is involved in many non-profit organizations.   These have included leadership roles in Verizon’s employee resource group, Disabilities Issues Awareness Leaders (DIAL), which advocates for Verizon employees and customers with disabilities.   He is […]

Would You Rather Have “Pain Management” Or Cure Your Pain?

January 5, 2015 • 2233 MIN

Dr. David Schechter attended Princeton University and graduated with a degree in Biochemistry. Accepted to the medical school at New York University he was on his way to a “traditional” path in medicine. However, after searching for solutions for his nagging knee pain he met Dr. John Sarno…and his career path changed. Dr. Sarno, best […]

Can You “Unlearn” Your Pain?

December 28, 2014 • 2134 MIN

Many of us know what it is like to fly but we don’t understand how “flight” works. So when we get on an airplane we trust that the pilot does.   Most of us also know how to drive a car but we don’t understand the mechanics of the engine. So if we have car […]

Why A Back Surgeon Doesn’t Recommend Back Surgery (For Most Patients).

December 21, 2014 • 1593 MIN

Thinking about back surgery? You’re not alone. 500,000 Americans have spinal fusions every year and the most common reason is for “chronic pain.” But before you decide to have surgery consider these facts: Right now there are no ‘good’ ways to predict who will get better with these major surgeries. (A flip of the coin is […]

How To Get The “Inside View” When Finding Your New Physician

December 16, 2014 • 0 MIN

  Finding a new physician can be stressful especially with the multitude of “rate your doctor” websites and other confusing information available. Here are two tips.   They go together and are useful when trying to find a new physician. Ask a doctor who they would take their family member to. Don’t rely on “Patient […]

After Breaking His Back (Twice) & Years Of Chronic Pain, Here’s How Mark Owens Beat His Back Pain…& Found His Life Again.

December 14, 2014 • 3515 MIN

International best selling author of The Cry of the Kalahari, Mark Owens spent over 23 years in the wilds of Africa.  There he found a harsh land of severe drought, violent storms, and sudden brush fires.  He and his wife also survived encounters with curious lions and armed bands of poachers! However, he discovered the […]

Why Your Doctor Can’t Find Anything Wrong With You…

December 8, 2014 • 2430 MIN

When you know you’re sick how come doctors can’t figure out why? It’s not an uncommon scenario.  You feel sick and you aren’t sure why.  So you go to your doctor’s office…but leave with more questions than you started with. “There doesn’t seem to be anything wrong with you…” …but that obviously isn’t true because […]

How To Hack Your Way To Healthy Eating

December 2, 2014 • 1540 MIN

Diana Keuilian from RealHealthyRecipes.com joins us today to talk about healthy eating. As a parent who knows just how important it is for families to eat healthy…I’m embarrassed to admit my family still has processed food in our house… But my excuse of “we’re too busy” won’t cut it anymore! Why? Because Diana is a busy […]

How To Never Grow Old

November 20, 2014 • 0 MIN

Do you feel more aches and pains with age?  Are you worried you just can’t do the things you used to do? Are you concerned about ‘getting around’ as you get older or think you’re just “too old?” If so, this is the episode for you. My guest is Dan Ritchie, PhD.   Dan has […]

Quick Shot of Health: 5 Things In Less Than 5 Minutes You Can Do To Decrease Your Risk of Heart Attack

November 19, 2014 • 376 MIN

Health can be hard but here are 5 simple things you can do today to decrease your risk of having a fatal heart attack: 1) Walk for 5 minutes for every hour you sit at work. 2) Eat one extra fruit or vegetable each day. 3) Everyday, be thankful for three good things. 4) Use […]

Quick Shot of Health: How To Swallow Pills

November 13, 2014 • 260 MIN

Hate pills but need to take one? Here are a few techniques to make things a bit easier: The “Pop Bottle Method” for tablets (the uncoated large pills) And The “Lean Forward Method” for capsules (the slick, oval ones). Great animations of both of these techniques are available at NPR.org Link to the original study: […]

How To Exercise With Injuries

November 12, 2014 • 2027 MIN

Rick Kaselj from ExercisesForInjuries.Com joins us today. In this episode he answers: Should you exercise when injured? How would you do it? Why is exercise and movement important–especially when you’re injured? Plus a few more. Rick has a bunch of specific exercise programs for different injuries (including back, shoulder & knee injuries). You can find […]

If Your Dream Was Shattered…What Would You Do?

November 4, 2014 • 1437 MIN

John Holt was a bookish kid…until he found Muay Thai. With a new found love of the martial arts he trained incessantly, became a professional fighter and made his way to the World Kickboxing Championship. His dream was coming true… …until it was lost. Sinking into depression he became, as he describes it, a “before” […]

5 Myths About Back Pain…From The Media On Tiger Woods

September 8, 2014 • 2169 MIN

I get five emails from Google every week. Each email contains recent news articles or blog posts about particular health topics. One of those emails is on back pain and…as I talk about in this episode…I have a hard time reading that one. There are SO many bad “myths” on back pain already but when […]

4 Lessons On Your Health… From The Airlines

August 27, 2014 • 1650 MIN

What can thinking about airplanes tell us about healthcare?  More than we may think… Things like… What should be your goal when you get on an airplane (or go into a hospital)? Why a common way to pick your airline doesn’t mean it’s safe. How can a key airline strategy improve healthcare (& your own […]

What Would You Do If You Were 23 and Had 5 Years To Live?

August 21, 2014 • 2430 MIN

  Danny Heinsohn was  23 years old, had just graduated from college and was leaving for Europe in two days. Then he heard news no one wants to hear… “Most people with your disease only live five years.” 10 years later, he started his foundation My Hometown Heroes. His story of struggle, survival and the […]

“They Want To Cut Out My Colon!” To Cupcake Wars Champion… The Story of Kyra Bussanich

August 14, 2014 • 1770 MIN

Kyra Bussanich, the three-time winner of the Food Network’s “Cupcake Wars,” is our guest today. She’s the owner and chief baker at Kyra’s Bake Shop in Lake Oswego (listed as one of the “Top 10 Reasons To Visit Portland”) and author of “Sweet Cravings:  50 Seductive Desserts for a Gluten-Free Lifestyle.” She was also diagnosed with Crohn’s disease while […]

What A Busy Mom Of 5 Has Learned About Health, Stress & Living…an Interview With Katie The Wellness Mama

August 7, 2014 • 1609 MIN

Katie of WellnessMama.com joins us today. We talk about her experiences with health and why she started her blog. The focus of this interview is how Katie educated herself about health and took control of her lifestyle. Good stuff and always enjoyable talking with her. Things discussed in this episode… Hank Green on Epigenetics 

First Do…More Injections? The Money Behind The Medicine

July 24, 2014 • 2212 MIN

Links to points discussed: Institute of Medicine, Conflict of Interest, & their report  Relieving Pain in America, A Blueprint for Transforming Prevention, Care, Education, and Research. The original Institute of Medicine report “Relieving Pain…” and it’s number of “100 million Americans” with chronic pain is widely quoted and the data is bad.  I pulled the […]

3 Simple Steps For Healthy Choices…Answering Another Listener Question.

July 18, 2014 • 1879 MIN

In a world with too much information… where do you start? Here’s a simple 3 step solution to figuring out how to make your healthy choices. Some of what we talk about in today’s episode: School of Fish (and a fascinating Wikipedia entry on shoaling & schooling fish behavior) White Bears & Thought Suppression:   Dr. […]

How Much Do We Need To Move? And Other Listener Questions…

July 3, 2014 • 1911 MIN

I ask every person who subscribes at StraightShotHealth.com what their health fears or frustrations are. I read every response. Today’s episode was based on questions from Katrina and Curt. Some of the studies and articles mentioned in the episode are below (all should be clickable links): Sitting linked to certain cancers. Sitting too much is […]

Why Having An Annual Physical Could Be The Worst Decision You Make

June 26, 2014 • 1689 MIN

Annual physicals are supposed to keep us “healthy” but do they really? Here’s how what you think you’re supposed to do for your health may actually harm you. Links: The $50,000 Physical (JAMA) Overscreening for Prostate Cancer Overscreening for Colon Cancer The Danger For Hunting For Cancer (Time article) Overtreatment is Taking A Harmful Toll […]

Change Is Vital For Your Health…Here’s How To Do It

June 20, 2014 • 2118 MIN

In 2014 it’s estimated the United States will spend $3,800,000,000,000 on healthcare. That amount of money is greater than the GDP of Germany ($3.4 Trillion and also the world’s 4th largest economy). Yet what do we get? We’re 42nd in the world in life expectancy and our health outcomes are worse than most other countries–including less […]

Why Is Work-Life Balance Harmful To Health?

June 12, 2014 • 1356 MIN

How often have you heard the term “Work-Life Balance”?  Or seen articles saying how “Work-Life Balance” is getting worse?       In today’s episode we talk about why the entire idea of Work-Life Balance is wrong and how trying to maintain it could worsen health… And what we should be focusing on instead. Click […]

3 Wise Choices When It Comes To Health

June 6, 2014 • 1672 MIN

For today’s episode we talk about “Choosing Wisely” for health. What is Choosing Wisely? Well it’s a campaign created by the ABIM Foundation to “spark conversations between patients and providers.” Does it work?  I’ve got my own opinion for another time… Instead we’ll go over 3 recommendations:   One for back pain, another for colds […]

The First Step To Good Health

May 28, 2014 • 1020 MIN

What is the First Step to good health? This isn’t a rhetorical question because knowing this step is the KEY for good health…and a good life! This episode is probably the most important episode I’ve done to date. I also HIGHLY recommend reading Dr. Carol Dweck’s book!