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Overactive Nervous System Quiz

Please answer the following 10 questions.

Is an overactive nervous system causing or contributing to your chronic pain?

This questionnaire is designed to help you determine whether your nervous system is causing or contributing to your experience of chronic pain and will help you understand whether the book “How to Heal Chronic Pain” or the Nervous System Blueprint program is the right fit for your journey to reducing or eliminating your chronic pain.

Before starting, we recommend consulting a medical professional to rule out major structural issues, infection, cancers, or rheumatoid conditions. These are not addressed by the book or the program and require medical attention.

Start

Question 1 of 10

How long have you been in chronic pain?

 

Modern imaging of the brain tells us that the longer you have been in chronic pain, the more likely your nervous system is contributing to, or is the cause of that pain.

 

 

A

3-6 months

B

6-12 months

C

1-2 years

D

2-5 years

E

Over 5 years

Question 2 of 10

Tick the box of each symptom you have experienced regularly in your life, especially the last 3 years.

 

Each symptom listed below has been linked to an overactive nervous system. The more symptoms you experience, the more likely your nervous system is contributing to your chronic pain.

 

(Select all that apply)
A

Fibromyalgia

B

Tension Headaches

C

Back Pain

D

Neck Pain

E

Whiplash

F

Knee Pain

G

Patellofemoral Syndrome

H

Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) Syndrome

I

Chronic Abdominal and Pelvic Pain Syndromes

J

Amplified Musculoskeletal Pain Syndrome (AMPS)

K

Vulvodynia

L

Piriformis Syndrome

M

Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI)

N

Foot Pain Syndrome

O

Myofascial Pain Syndrome

P

Chronic Tendonitis (in any joint)

Q

General Chronic Pain

R

Irritable Bowel Syndrome

S

Interstitial Cystitis (Irritable Bladder Syndrome)

T

Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS)

U

Inappropriate Sinus Tachycardia

V

Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (Complex Regional Pain Syndrome)

W

Anxiety

X

Depression

Y

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Z

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

AA

Eating Disorders

AB

Substance Use Disorders

AC

Migraine Attacks

AD

Insomnia

AE

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

AF

Paresthesias (Numbness, Tingling, Burning)

AG

Tinnitus (Ringing in the Ears)

AH

Dizziness

AI

Eczema

AJ

Pseudoseizures

AK

Trigeminal Neuralgia

AL

Globus Sensation

AM

Burning Chest Pain (Resembles Acid Reflux)

AN

Difficulty Breathing

AO

Chronic Cough

AP

Spastic Dysphonia

AQ

Chronic Hives

AR

Hypersensitivity (to Touch, Sounds, Smells, Foods, Medications)

AS

None of the above

Question 3 of 10

Tick the answer that most applies to your situation.

 

While the path into chronic pain is unique, people often fall into one of two broad categories. Some have symptoms that simply can’t be attributed to a definite cause, and may have appeared “out of the blue”. Others may have had an initial accident, injury, or illness, which hasn’t healed in an appropriate amount of time. Most physical injuries take 6 weeks or less to heal. If healing is taking longer than 6 weeks, it is a sign that an overactive nervous system is contributing to your chronic pain and stopping the body’s natural healing ability.

 

A

My chronic pain began with a specific accident or has been diagnosed as a specific condition and I have matching symptoms that are improving smoothly with treatment.

B

My chronic pain began with a specific accident or has been diagnosed as a specific condition and I have matching symptoms that are not improving with treatment.

C

My chronic pain began with a specific accident or has been diagnosed as a specific condition and I have a variety of symptoms that can’t all be directly attributed to my condition.

D

My chronic pain began out of the blue with no specific accident, and no diagnostic tests have been able to uncover any organ disease or structural damage that could be directly related to my symptoms.

Question 4 of 10

Do your symptoms move to different locations in your body, or are they located in multiple areas of your body? Tick the most appropriate answer below.

 

Symptoms that change location, or symptoms that are in multiple areas of your body indicate an overactive nervous system is contributing to your chronic pain.

 

A

No, my symptoms are in the one location and do not move to different areas of my body.

B

Yes, my symptoms are in multiple locations of my body, or I have symptoms that move to different areas of my body.

Question 5 of 10

 

Please tick all answers that could be used to describe yourself.

 

There are some personality traits that are consistently attributed to an overactive nervous system and the chronic pain it causes. Thankfully, these traits are not set in stone, and new skills can be learned to maximise the benefits of these traits and minimize their detrimental aspects.

 

(Select all that apply)
A

I routinely put the needs of others ahead of my own.

B

I am a detail-oriented person.

C

I am prone to criticizing myself, either in my head or out loud.

D

I would consider myself to be a bit of a perfectionist.

E

I am completely well-adjusted and exhibit none of the traits listed above!

Question 6 of 10

In the last three months have you often felt nervous, anxious, or on edge, or have you been unable to stop or control worrying?

 

Answering yes to this question may indicate that anxiety is present in your life. Anxiety can contribute to an overactive nervous system, and an overactive nervous system can contribute to anxiety. Thankfully, treating an overactive nervous system can also decrease your experience of anxiety.

 

A

No, I have not experienced these symptoms in the last three months.

B

Yes, I have experience some or all these symptoms in the last three months.

Question 7 of 10

In the last three months have you often felt little interest or pleasure in doing things, or have you felt down, depressed, or hopeless?

 

Answering yes to this question may indicate that depression is present in your life. Depression can contribute to an overactive nervous system, and an overactive nervous system can contribute to Depression. Thankfully, treating an overactive nervous system can also decrease your experience of depression.

 

A

No, I have not experienced these symptoms in the last three months.

B

Yes, I have experience some or all these symptoms in the last three months.

Question 8 of 10

Have you had, or do you have, a significant amount of stress in your life, especially in the last three months?

 

Stress, or load as we prefer to call it, is the cumulative effect of adverse events in our life, and the higher your stress levels, the more likely an overactive nervous system is contributing to your chronic pain.

 

A

No, I do not have, or have had, a significant amount of stress in my life.

B

Yes, I have, or have had, a significant amount of stress in my life.

Question 9 of 10

 

Did your symptoms begin soon after a terrifying, traumatic, or horrifying event, or after a triggering event that is linked to that trauma?

 

Events that are perceived as traumatic commonly cause a nervous system to become overactive.

 

A

No, my symptoms began without a traumatic experience.

B

Yes, my symptoms began shortly after a traumatic experience.

Question 10 of 10

If you learned that a child you care about was experiencing everything you did as a child, would you feel sad or angry?

 

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) can be traumatic. This is sometimes obvious, and it is sometimes subtle. The things that happened to us when we were children can still affect us when we are adults, and ACEs can contribute heavily to an overactive nervous system.

 

A

No, I would be happy for any child to have the same childhood I had.

B

Yes, if a child was experiencing everything I did as a child, I would feel sad or angry.

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