PAIN IS NOT JUST A PHYSICAL ENTITY

"Many years ago, I sub-specialized my practice to focus on chronic foot and ankle pain, helping those patients who did not heal successfully in spite of many attempts with a traditional medical approach," says Robert Kornfeld, DPM. "Needless to say, this population is a very irritated and hyper-sensitive one. They grow to become victimized by their pain. They have to change their lifestyle to accommodate to the pain. They have to give things up and adopt new habits. They feel controlled by their pain."

 

Dr. Robert Kornfeld

 

"Working with this population of patients has taught me many things, not only about what medical approach to take, but also what approach to take to motivate them to change. Pain is not just a physical entity. It becomes an emotional one as well. It wreaks havoc on vitality and self-esteem. I have spent a lot of time getting to know my patients. I not only treat them, I talk to them. I listen to them. I’ve honed my medical skills, but also became a coach to many of my patients as I saw them struggling with lots of issues in their lives. Pain (whether physical or emotional) has a way of opening people up to anyone who will listen and I listen intently and carefully," says Dr. Kornfeld.

 

Source: Thrive Global [10/7/20]

Courtesy of Barry Block, editor of PM News