Sean Mackey

In this engaging conversation, Dr. Sean Mackey, Chief of Pain Medicine at Stanford, explores the fascinating duality of pain—both physical and emotional. He discusses innovative pain management strategies like acupuncture, mindfulness, and nutritional approaches, while challenging the misunderstandings surrounding opioids and their role in treatment. Dr. Mackey also sheds light on how stress, memories, and even emotional connections influence pain perception, offering practical tools for individuals to better manage their pain and improve their quality of life.

Sean Mackey, a renowned pain medicine professor at Stanford, dives deep into the complex nature of chronic pain. He discusses the evolutionary purpose of pain and how different individuals experience it uniquely. Mackey explores various treatment strategies, from traditional medications to innovative techniques like TENS, emphasizing the intertwined nature of physical and psychological factors. He also shares insights on the impact of sleep on pain sensitivity and the historical evolution of pain management, providing a comprehensive view of this multifaceted challenge.

Sean Mackey, a Stanford pain management professor, discusses the FDA's groundbreaking approval of Journavx, a non-opioid painkiller that blocks nerve endings without addiction risks. He explains who would benefit and the drug's limitations. Burkhardt Militzer, a UC Berkeley planetary scientist, shares exciting insights about potential multi-layered oceans beneath Neptune and Uranus, suggesting they may explain the planets' strange magnetic fields. This intriguing merger of health and space exploration opens new avenues for scientific understanding.