Experts on Nerve Pain
Penney Cowan
| Edward Covington, M.D.
| Jim Ryser
An Interview with Penney Cowan
Founder and Executive Director of
The American Chronic Pain Association (ACPA)
For more than 30 years, Penney Cowan has been living with chronic pain. She searched for a long time for a solution for the constant, sometimes disabling pain that was "slowly taking over my life." After years of living with pain, in 1980 she was referred to the pain management program at the Cleveland Clinic.
"My pain became my identity," said Penney, who was diagnosed with fibromyalgia, a condition characterized by widespread musculoskeletal aches, pain, and " I realized immediately, that I was not the only person living with chronic pain. There were others like me - people who looked healthy but felt isolated and alone because of their pain."
Penney also realized that there were ways to manage the pain, but that she would need to take greater responsibility in the recovery process. She learned that she would need to better understand the emotional aspects of pain, to begin a modest exercise program to recondition her muscles, to examine her priorities and set reasonable goals, and more. "The skills I learned have been ingrained so I no longer get up in the morning and think about taking one step at a time. It's all second nature now," Penney said. "But getting to this point was not easy. It took a lot of work, time, and commitment. This process is what transforms your self image from one of a disabled patient to that of a functioning person who can enjoy a higher quality of life."
Eager to maintain the skills she had learned at the Cleveland Clinic and to share her experience with others, when she returned to her daily life in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Penney decided to start a support group. So she placed a notice in her church bulletin to find other people like her suffering ongoing pain-whether from a musculoskeletal disorder or from neuropathic pain, a type of chronic pain that affects the nerves in the body and is often characterized by "pins and needles," burning, or an electric shock-like feeling. Her mission was simple: to help just one person understand that he or she is not alone and that there are ways to improve your quality of life in spite of the pain. That year, two people suffering ongoing pain joined her group.
Together, the trio met regularly as the first American Chronic Pain Association (ACPA) support group, working together to manage their pain. Within a year, this one small group quickly became seven different groups as increasingly more people contacted Penney wanting to share their experiences and get involved. Unable to be personally involved with every group, Penney developed the first ACPA First Steps manual, a guide others could use to learn and maintain the skills that had been so important in her recovery.
"A support group is an important part of good pain management. These are forums that allow people to verbalize what they are going through," said Penney. "The groups urge participants to learn about their conditions, to work with their health care team as a partner, and to use the coping skills the ACPA teaches in daily life. The other group members can provide the emotional support they need to succeed."
Today , there are over 400 ACPA support groups worldwide-in almost every U.S. state, in the UK, Mexico, Australia, even as far as Russia. Around the world, these ACPA support groups help people regain their self-esteem and get back to living their lives.
As part of the ACPA's mission to empower people with information and raise awareness about chronic pain, Penney and her organization are launching It Takes Nerve , a campaign to raise awareness specifically about neuropathic (nerve) pain and help educate people to recognize the symptoms of this common yet commonly under-recognized and under-treated problem.
"People often don't realize that the symptoms they experience with nerve pain are potentially serious or even a disorder they can do something about. If you feel a constant stabbing or tingling sensation, talk to your doctor. Like all chronic pain disorders, you don't have to simply accept the pain. There are ways to manage pain and not let it control your life."
Edward Covington, M.D.
Director of the Chronic Pain Rehabilitation Program
Cleveland Clinic Foundation
Dr. Edward Covington is currently the Director of the Chronic Pain Rehabilitation Program at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation. He has been a member of the American Chronic Pain Association board of directors for 24 years and currently serves on the Professional Advisory Committee. He works extensively in the areas of pain rehabilitation and pharmacological management of pain. Dr. Covington is a frequent speaker on pain-related topics and has published articles on the physiology of pain, the psychology of pain, and pain treatment issues. He is a past president of the American Academy of Pain Medicine and has served on the American Board of Pain Medicine.
Born in Mississippi, Dr. Covington has been a Cleveland resident for 25 years. He earned his medical degree from the University of Tennessee and completed an internship at the Baptist Memorial Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee and his residency training at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. In addition to his career, he enjoys biking, skiing, and sailing.
Jim Ryser has been a person with nerve pain since age six, when he began his music career in Solon, Ohio when he started playing the violin during hospital stays due to a life-threatening birth defect. He later discovered the guitar and developed a great interest in music. Throughout his entire life, Ryser has suffered symptoms of nerve pain including sharp, stabbing sensations that would radiate down his legs and back. It seemed Ryser's destiny was already decided, but that would not stop him from living life to the fullest.
Richard Mellencamp (John Mellencamp's father) discovered Jim after he graduated from high school. Richard took Jim's demos to John Mellencamp, where they ended up with Clive Davis, president of Arista Records. Jim was offered a spot on the Arista roster immediately after the first meeting.
Success came in 1990 with the release of "Jimmy Ryser" - a self-titled debut CD. The first single, "Same Old Look" hit number 26 on the Billboard Chart and number 6 on the Gavin Chart. A tour with the Moody Blues followed that summer. Health limitations due to his nerve pain soon forced Jim to stop touring, and, in 1992, he gave up the record label to regain health. Ryser says that his pain cost him everything at one point including his music career, job, passion for riding motorcycles, and a lot of relationships.
After dealing with pain for years, Ryser developed a new attitude toward life. Having dealt with many doctors throughout his life, he soon realized what it would take to be a good doctor. He wanted to use his knowledge of his disease and the pain associated with it to help others that faced similar medical problems.
In 1993, Jim was selected among 5,000 applicants to be the "National Adult Representative for Easter Seals." He traveled the country speaking on behalf of people with disabilities. He also recorded a new song called "Just One Man" that was released as a limited edition to benefit Easter Seals.
Jim graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Indiana University with a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology. He later finished his Master's Degree in Counseling at John Carroll University and was one of two people chosen for a highly-regarded internship at the Cleveland Clinic Hospital.
Last year, Jim returned to Indiana to begin the Chronic Pain Management Rehabilitation Program at Methodist Hospital.
Today, Jim serves as an inspiration for other people with pain, successfully using a twelve-step program to help people experiencing pain manage their lifestyle to become independent again. According to Ryser, "Now that I have proper pain management tools in place, there isn't a whole lot I can't do today."