A description of the development of an innovative multi-component [LC] treatment program based on central sensitization, 2024, Munipalli+

A description of the development of an innovative multi-component long COVID treatment program based on central sensitization with preliminary patient satisfaction data
Munipalli; Smith; Baird; Dobrowolski; Allman; Thomas; Bruce

OBJECTIVES
Estimates of the prevalence of Long COVID in the United States or worldwide are imprecise, but millions of people are thought to be affected. No effective treatment exists for the often devastating symptoms of Long COVID. Central Sensitization has been postulated as a causal/explanatory mechanism for developing Long COVID. No treatment to date has targeted Central Sensitization. The present cross-sectional study describes the first 140 patients treated in a multi-component treatment program that targets Central Sensitization to reduce symptom burden, improve functioning, and lower the psychological distress observed in these patients.

METHODS
140 patients diagnosed with Long COVID after an extensive medical evaluation were assessed for function, depression, and pain catastrophizing using questionnaires and patient satisfaction measures after completion of a 16-h Cognitive Behavioral Therapy treatment program focused on Central Sensitization.

RESULTS
Upon admission, patients diagnosed with Long COVID were significantly impaired in their ability to function due to their symptoms. Further, 70% of the patients were depressed. Pain catastrophizing was observed in up to 20% of patients.

CONCLUSIONS
Patient satisfaction measures were high for the sample at the end of the treatment program suggesting that a multicomponent treatment program targeting Central Sensitization is acceptable to patients. Further research is needed to explore the effectiveness and durability of this treatment approach.

Link (Journal of Psychosomatic Research)

 

Mayo Clinic, Uni North Florida (and The Stables of King Augeas I guess)

Good to know I still have a lifestyle. I thought I'd lost that when I suddenly became devastatingly sick and disabled 4 years ago.

Graded exercise and activity pacing. Impressive.

Don't watch those clocks kids. You wouldn't want to know you're awake in the middle of the night.

Was this written by the marketing department of the Sirius Cybernetics Corporation?

(whispers: "blink twice slowly")

Well done Mayo Clinic. You've cracked it, finally. I don't know what it was but this iteration is definitely the one that works.

 

We should be grateful that at least their grab-bag of 'strategies' doesn't include 'go stick your head in a pig'.

 

Also,

In other words, more than 80% of patients showed no sign of pain catastrophizing, despite having a serious disabling illness. But they're being told their problems are due to 'maladaptive cognition' anyway.

 

So a mishmash of all the old stuff, with bias and woo turned all the way to 11, is presented as innovative. The same old stuff that has never worked, but has been suggested to work for decades. Somehow you can publish a paper presenting this as innovative. Ah well.

But even more bizarre, with 150 participants this was obviously meant to be a full scale trial. Definitely expensive. But in conclusion they present it as merely acceptable, asking for a larger trial, and the published paper is merely a "we're describing what we did". Obviously because it didn't work, as otherwise this is what they would have claimed.

All passive language that pretends that people's very biased opinions is just stuff they found on the ground, to their total surprise:

"Has been identified as a primary hypothesis" literally means nothing and is completely circular. It's not even the academic version of "some people are saying", it's literally some people are saying. The people saying so being them. Which they are saying so right here.

There is so much lying and nonsense in this small sentence. Even the "known to be effective" is impressive in that it's all literally suggestions made decades ago that have never panned out and they can't ever accept that. But here they are again, innovating by developing the same thing. And providing it. And that's the conclusion. It was developed. And provided. Now give them money. Somehow.

The level of incompetence is just so extreme. Even by the standards of some small mafia-run city government this is extreme, because there are basic things you can't just fail at running a small city government, even a corrupt one, without being thrown out with torches and pitchforks.

 

Dear God. Is that the best the Mayo Clinic can come up with after 4 years of Long COVID. A non scientific study advancing the Central Sensitization theory that is now becoming a cult. Barbra Bruce should just stick to pain catastrophizing.

 

Too good

 

If I hear "stretching....yoga and tai chi" one more time, which I will for FM.

Talking down to patients from a brainless perch (bird or fish, doesn't matter).

 

How are they measuring central sensitization? (rhetorical question, I know they aren't measuring anything, they're just using vague jargon).