In the 5th of this series on the key principles of the biomedical model we look at reductionism, or the idea of dividing the body and health into systems and structures. So far we have covered specific aetiology, germ theory, Cartesian Dualism, objectivity and experimentation, and there are two more pieces in the biomedical jigsaw after this week’s look at one of the most important structural elements of healthcare practice. Early on in the history of medicine it was realised that the body and health were so complex that they would be better understood by being broken down into component parts. Ancient and pre-modern notions of health and the body had concentrated on broadly holistic … [Read more...] about What is the biomedical model #5
Wired into Pain
This post was originally published on Medium on 6th February 2018 (link) and is reposted here with the kind permission of Tom Jesson. A scientific revolution shows us that for centuries we have misunderstood pain. I am a Physiotherapist. Almost every person I see in clinic is in pain, and most already have an idea about what has caused their pain. If they are old enough, they might say ‘overuse’, or ‘wear and tear’; if they are younger, they might say ‘bad posture’ or ‘tight muscles’; if they have had a scan, they might say a ‘slipped disc’ or a ‘bone spur’. We accept these explanations prima facie. We consider pain to be a readout on the state of the … [Read more...] about Wired into Pain
New book – A Sociological Approach to Acquired Brain Injury and Identity
This new book comes from CPN member Dr Jonathan Harvey. Jonathan is a brain injury survivor and a social scientist who specialises in neurological rehabilitation. Jonathan recently completed a PhD at the Open University (2015), entitled ‘Navigating the complexities of acquired brain injury: theorising everyday activities in identity (re)construction’. Inspired by the author’s own personal experience of sustaining acquired brain injury (ABI), this path-breaking book explores the (re)construction of identity after ABI. It offers a way of understanding ABI through a social scientific lens, promoting an understanding that is generated through close engagement with the lives and experiences … [Read more...] about New book – A Sociological Approach to Acquired Brain Injury and Identity
Lovely short film about recovery and rehab following Guillain-Barré
Touch Compass Dance Company, based in New Zealand, has released the latest short film in their DanceBox series in time for International Dance Day, this Friday 29 April. Flipped: My Body Stopped To Let Me Remember, the newest collaboration in the company’s poignant and boundary-pushing series, is a five-minute glimpse into dancer Renee Ball’s inspiring journey from paralysis to performer. Six years ago Renee Ball’s life was flipped on its head. Midway through a Bachelor of Dance Studies, the 19-year-old contracted Guillain-Barré Syndrome and within a few days she was paralysed. Initially only able to communicate through blinks and clicks, five years of rehabilitation has seen most of … [Read more...] about Lovely short film about recovery and rehab following Guillain-Barré