Maine Naturopathic Physician Continuing Education

• Expand your application of the biopsychosocial model of chronic pain by exploring an enactive approach to pain
• Recognize the clinical complexities involved in identifying malingering in chronic pain patients
• Outline relevant factors pertaining to clinical presentation, pathophysiology and treatment of chronic neuropathic pain
• Investigate the hypoalgesic effect of thoracic spinal manipulation on pain induced by temporal summation
• Explore the potential brain mechanisms involved in pain relief achieved via Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) application

• Outline a recent clinical guideline on the chiropractic management of chronic musculoskeletal pain 
• Identify a common set of recommendations from high-quality clinical guidelines that can be applied to a wide range of musculoskeletal pain conditions 
• Explore which target concepts are important to patients who improved following a pain science education intervention for persistent pain 
• Investigate whether untrained trait mindfulness is associated with differential responses to pain stimuli and whether these intrinsic differences reflect differential patterns of resting-state functional connectivity in the brain 
• Characterize the pain-based mechanisms of thoracic spinal manipulation and advance the preliminary validation of brain-based models as potential clinical biomarkers of pain

Hour 1

• Define interventional pain management and how it can be applied to help solve acute and chronic pain.
• Outline and critique different pain theories.
• Outline the Biopsychosocial model of chronic pain and explain why this model is the most comprehensive for acute and chronic pain management.
• Summarize how to integrate interventional pain management with conservative care for acute and chronic pain.

Hour 2:

• Describe common interventional pain management procedures and how to integrate them into a comprehensive plan of care.
• List the most utilized injections and when they are considered.
• Identify when a spinal cord stimulator may be considered and how it can aid conservative management.
• Explain the use of endoscopic procedures and when they may be utilized to treat acute and chronic pain.

• Explore chiropractic patients’ perceptions of discomfort, pain, and stiffness to determine if and how they differentiate among the concepts 
• Describe the relationship between the presence of an audible pop during spinal manipulative therapy and pain outcomes
• Evaluate the effect of spinal manipulation on pressure pain thresholds in a real-world clinical setting 
• Assess whether a 10-second one legged stance test can independently predict survival in middle and older aged men and women 
• Illustrate the relationship between physical activity levels and pain

• Relate the different neurophysiologic mechanisms to the development of chronic pain states. 
• Draw the pathways specific to Lamina I versus Lamina V sensory pathways.
• Discuss basic science research that supports the main theories of chronic/central pain syndromes.  
• Apply basic neurorehabilitation techniques to modulate chronic pain circuits.
• Develop treatment plans for chronic pin patients consistent with current pain models.

• This contains all courses with the educational objectives listed from Pain 116 through Pain 121

• Relate the effects of interoceptive dysfunction to the development of chronic pain.
• Draw the pathways specific to Lamina I versus Lamina V sensory pathways.
• Discuss how the interoceptive nervous system may relate to Functional Neurologic Symptom Disorder.
• Apply knowledge of how interoceptive dysfunction may negatively affect higher cortical functions.
• Design and utilize strategies that normalize interoception to improve intractable patient symptoms.

• Relate the effects of cold sensory deficit to chronic central pain states.
• Map the pathways specific to Lamina I versus Lamina V sensory afferents.
• Discuss basic science research that links C-Fiber subpopulations with hyper-excitability of sensory neurons.
• Apply techniques to gate pain processing through the Dorsal Insula/Anterior Cingulate pain switch.
• Utilize relationship between cold pathways and pain pathways to gate chronic pain.

• Identify the relationship between the ANS and chronic pain.
• Explore the cause of sympathetic maintained pain.
• Discuss the emerging role of the brain and spinal cord in CRPS.
• Apply non-invasive neuromodulation techniques for pain control.
• Formulate an effective treatment plan based on current knowledge.

• Relate the effects of failure within the DNIC to the development of chronic pain.
• Draw the pathways specific to ascending sensory and descending pain modulatory circuits.
• Apply knowledge of the DNIC, as it relates to chronic lower back pain.
• Discuss basic science research that links the PAG with the phenomena of offset analgesia and conditioned pain modulation.
• Formulate and apply treatment plans based on stimulation of the DNIC utilizing spinal cord stimulation, motor cortex activation and heterotopic noxious conditioning stimulation.

• Relate the effects of cingulate cortex activation on chronic pain suppression.
• Draw and identify regions of the cingulate cortex pertinent to pain and suppression.
• Discuss basic science research that links area’s 32, 24 and 25 with pain and its relief.
• Apply specific techniques to modulate cortical areas 32, 24, and 25 for pain suppression.
• Formulate and implement a treatment plan based on the M1-ACC pain model.

• Explain the complex multidimensional and individual specific nature of pain
• Present the theories and science for understanding pain
• Define the terminology for describing pain and associated conditions
• Describe the impact of pain on society
• Explain how cultural, institutional, societal and regulatory influences affect assessment and management of pain  
• Use valid and reliable tools for measuring pain and associated symptoms to assess and reassess outcomes as appropriate for the clinical context and population.
• Describe patient, provider, and system factors that can facilitate or interfere with effective pain assessment and management
• Assess patient preferences and values to determine pain-related goals and priorities
• Demonstrate empathetic and compassionate communication during pain assessment

• Explain the complex multidimensional and individual specific nature of pain
• Present the theories and science for understanding pain
• Define the terminology for describing pain and associated conditions
• Describe the impact of pain on society
• Explain how cultural, institutional, societal and regulatory influences affect assessment and management of pain  
• Use valid and reliable tools for measuring pain and associated symptoms to assess and reassess outcomes as appropriate for the clinical context and population.
• Describe patient, provider, and system factors that can facilitate or interfere with effective pain assessment and management
• Assess patient preferences and values to determine pain-related goals and priorities
• Demonstrate empathetic and compassionate communication during pain assessment
• Demonstrate the inclusion of patient and others, in the education and shared decision-making process for pain care
• Identify treatment options that can be assessed in a comprehensive pain management plan
• Explain how health promotion and self-management strategies are important to the management of pain
• Develop a pain treatment plan based on benefits and risks of available treatments
• Monitor the effects of pain management approaches to adjust the plan of care as needed
• Differentiate physical dependence, substance use disorder, misuse, tolerance, addiction, and nonadherence
• Develop a treatment plan that accounts for the differences between acute pain, acute-on-chronic pain, chronic/persistent pain, and pain at end of life
• Describe the unique pain assessment and management needs of special populations
• Explain how to assess and manage pain across settings and transitions of care
• Describe the role, scope of practice, and contribution of the different professions within a pain management care team
• Implement an individualized pain management plan that integrates the perspectives of patients, their social support systems, and health care providers in the context of available resources
• Describe the role of the clinician as an advocate in assisting patients to meet treatment goals

• Demonstrate the inclusion of patient and others, in the education and shared decision-making process for pain care
• Identify treatment options that can be assessed in a comprehensive pain management plan
• Explain how health promotion and self-management strategies are important to the management of pain
• Develop a pain treatment plan based on benefits and risks of available treatments
• Monitor the effects of pain management approaches to adjust the plan of care as needed
• Differentiate physical dependence, substance use disorder, misuse, tolerance, addiction, and nonadherence
• Develop a treatment plan that accounts for the differences between acute pain, acute-on-chronic pain, chronic/persistent pain, and pain at end of life
• Describe the unique pain assessment and management needs of special populations
• Explain how to assess and manage pain across settings and transitions of care
• Describe the role, scope of practice, and contribution of the different professions within a pain management care team
• Implement an individualized pain management plan that integrates the perspectives of patients, their social support systems, and health care providers in the context of available resources
• Describe the role of the clinician as an advocate in assisting patients to meet treatment goals

• Determine why communication is imperative in clinical encounters
• Classify rights and responsibilities of the patient -provider partnership
• Recognize barriers and benefits regarding improved communication
• Apply numerous strategies to improve and solidify patient interactions
• Summarize how to fix the system so providers will provide better quality visits

• Identify the ways your conscious or unconscious bias toward patient characteristics may enter the clinical relationship
• Outline ways to improve your clinical communication with patients who are elderly, poor or ethnic minorities.
• Distinguish male and female patient communication styles and plan what to do when your patient wants a different gender provider
• Compare the way Jewish, Irish, Italian, and other cultures present differently as patients and prepare your communication style appropriately
• Internalize the seven ideal interpersonal traits patients want in their health care providers

• Recognize deceptive behaviors from other people and integrate these skills
• Use tips garnered from former CIA officers to separate truth from lies
• Determine motivations for patients to lie to health care providers
• Strategize ways to avoid being lied to by your patients and staff
• Assess the consequences of lying and how it compromises clinical relationships

• Explain the Four Habits of Highly Effective Clinicians
• Show the payoffs for each of the habits and provide examples
• Demonstrate how to avoid “Door Knob Concerns” and uncover hidden problems
• Specify barriers to patient communication and how to overcome them
• Describe action steps to incorporate better communication habits into practice immediately

• Modify explanations about risks, harms and benefits to avoid miscommunication to patients
• Apply research concepts such as sensitivity and specificity to outcomes communications
• Identify weak spots in clinical trials with regard to benefits and harms
• Implement the best practitioner action to build trust in patients
• Discover strategies for better communicating with low functional health literacy patients

• Describe and utilize an effective but non-invasive treatment for warts
• Understand the risk versus benefit of diagnostic imaging radiation in children
• Recognize patterns of pain in children that might actually indicate malignancies
• Develop an understanding of pediatric atlantooccipital dislocation
• Be able to perform 5 minute infant physical examination to detect congenital anomalies of the musculoskeletal system

• Determine the epidemiology of low back pain in children and adolescents
• Assess the risk factors associated with back pain in school children
• Outline the effect of an intervention to improve sitting habits in schoolchildren
• Assess the effects of reading a book or using a computer on neck and upper back muscle activity in children

Hour 1

• Discover what primitive reflexes are and why we have them
• Understand the various possible causes of retained primitive reflexes in a child
• Outline common questions that would suggest retention of primitive reflexes
• Identify and assess eight primitive reflexes that can be easily evaluated by a doctor of chiropractic, specifically the Moro, Grasp, Spinal Galant, Rooting, Asymmetrical Tonic Neck, Symmetrical Tonic Neck, Tonic Labyrinthine, and the Landau reflexes.

Hour 2

• Further identify and assess the remaining of the eight primitive reflexes not covered in the first hour
• Detect the presence or absence of specific primitive reflexes
• Recognize the need for intervention when a retained primitive reflex is demonstrated by a patient
• Prescribe a specific course of treatment for each of the eight primitive reflexes if they are determined to be retained

• This contains all courses with the educational objectives listed from Pediatrics 116 through Pediatrics 119

Hour 1:

• Learn age-appropriate general health screening and health education for babies.
• Analyze through evidence the use of chiropractic manipulation for pregnant women.
• Identify normal growth, development and behavior and their assessment, as well as approaches to abnormalities for neonatals.
• Describe a typical pediatric examination on a neonatal.

Hour 2:

• Learn age-appropriate general health screening and health education for toddlers.
• Analyze through evidence the use of chiropractic manipulation for toddlers through young children.
• Identify normal growth, development and behavior and their assessment, as well as approaches to abnormalities from infancy through toddlers.
• Describe a typical pediatric examination on an infant 1-5 years old.

Hour 3:

• Learn age-appropriate general health screening and health education for adolescents.
• Identify the signs and symptoms of mild traumatic brain injury (through accident and sport) in children.
• Discuss and describe typical examination forms and outcome assessment tools used for the pediatric population.
• Evaluate through clinical cases and it’s management.

Hour 1

• Explain the necessity of evidence for infant healthcare
• Describe what mothers want from healthcare for their newborn?
• Outline the need for and development of the United Kingdom Infant Questionnaire
• Cite the outcomes of infant care in chiropractic practice and the adaptability of a parent-reported outcome measure to the infant population

Hour 1 

• Describe recommended health guidance for infants.
• Analyze evidence-based research with regards to the efficacy of spinal mobilization and soft tissue treatment in the infant.
• Develop a treatment plan in how to teach parents how to anticipate safety needs and promote healthy musculoskeletal practices for their babies.

 Hour 2

• Discuss important developmental changes that mark the transition from infancy to early childhood.
• Describe recommended health guidance for toddlers.
• Analyze the data surrounding chiropractic care for the toddler child, with a focus on spinal manipulation.
• Identify safety precautions that can be implemented in and outside of the office for toddlers.

Hour 3

• Discuss the developmental changes that mark the transition from the toddler to school-aged child.
• Describe recommended health guidance for preschoolers.
• Analyze the data surrounding chiropractic care for the school aged child, with a focus on spinal manipulation.
• Discuss the motor, verbal and neurological findings of developmental milestones in children.

• Compare the effectiveness of chiropractic spinal manipulation versus sham manipulation in children aged 7-14 with recurrent headaches.
• Outline current evidence on the functional changes associated with neck pain in adolescents.
• Investigate the role of chronic physical illness, mental health disorders and psychological conditions as potential triggers or risk factors for low back pain in children, adolescents, and young adults.
• Estimate whether carrying a heavier schoolbag (> 10% of bodyweight) is associated with a higher prevalence of low back pain in children between the ages 9 and 16.
• Examine the changes that are occurring in young athlete’s development and implications on movement, performance, and injury.

• Identify examples of traumatic spine, soft tissue and other commonly missed injuries
• Develop a post-traumatic diagnostic imaging algorithm and protocol 
  
• Recognize and develop an awareness for PI patient, carrier and attorney risks and liabilities
• Discuss several areas of PI documentation scrutiny including the causation statement

• Identify examples of traumatic spine, soft tissue and other commonly missed injuries
• Develop a post-traumatic diagnostic imaging algorithm and protocol 
  
• Recognize and develop an awareness for PI patient, carrier and attorney risks and liabilities
• Discuss several areas of PI documentation scrutiny including the causation statement