Client’s blog on How to Cope with Chronic Pain
Pain can be a natural response to injury and/or illness from a variety of sources.
Ongoing Pain is often referred to as persistent or chronic pain. This is pain that is regularly occurring and can be significantly affecting all aspects of life including the ability to sustain work. Sometimes the pain is persistent long after an injury or surgery (more than 3 months) or due to a condition. However some pain occurs without a known underlying cause. Whatever the reason, pain can be hugely distressing and problematic and many people need specialist rehabilitation to support them in coping and living well with pain.
Persistent Pain is the thing that is interrupting function, affects motivation and increases worry/anxiety, that affects our sleep. Pain is what gets in the way of being able to take part in social activities or to go to work, and help is needed to be able to still do these things despite the pain.
Diagnoses include but are not exclusive to
• Fibromyalgia
• Arthritis and other joint problems
• Back pain
• Headaches/migraines
• Traumatic injury
• Repetitive stress injuries when the same movement over and over puts strain on a body part
• Complex regional pain syndrome
• Pelvic pain e.g. Endometriosis
• Abdominal pain e.g. Irritable Bowel Syndrome
• Hypermobility syndromes e.g. Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome
In all likelihood there will have been referrals for medical investigations to ascertain any underlying cause of the pain. Our comprehensive assessment by one of our skilled clinicians will include a full review of this medical history.
We support people who are living with persistent pain to manage their symptoms through our practical and realistic rehabilitation programmes. These follow a comprehensive assessment and are collaboratively discussed according to individual need and aspirations e.g. to be able to drive for a longer distance or to be able to stand for longer, or indeed return to employment.
Persistent Pain may develop into a separate diagnosis in circumstances where clinically pain would not be expected to be present. For example, if pain is still present and interfering with normal activities beyond 3 months after expected time of healing. This can point to other things going on, such as changes in the brain in the ways that information is processed in relation to pain.
A positive pain cycle can be established through a person learning skills and strategies to help manage their specific pain in line with their individual lifestyle, and this can improve function.
NHS provision can have limited resources available for the rehabilitation aspect which means people do not always receive an individually tailored approach that meets their specific needs and takes into account the full picture.
Clinical research has indicated that timely intervention to alleviate the pain cycle at the earliest point is crucial. The longer it goes on, the more embedded it becomes, with associated pain behaviours, altered lifestyles and prolonged use of medication.
Quality, efficient, specialist intervention with a holistic perspective of the individual is essential, which our rehabilitation programmes provide.
Core Standards for Pain Management Services in the UK, by the Faculty of Pain Medicine
It’s that time of year again when I decide that the moment has come to create a list of intentions and resolutions. Once the initial momentum of a shiny, fresh new year has dissolved into the relentless greyness of January and February it can be only a matter of time before the resolutions are pretty much discarded amidst a haze of vague guilt.
It’s that time of year again when I decide that the moment has come to create a list of intentions and resolutions. Once the initial momentum of a shiny, fresh new year has dissolved into the relentless greyness of January and February it can be only a matter of time before the resolutions are pretty much discarded amidst a haze of vague guilt.
Our Executive Manager and Specialist Clinician reflects on what basis is it possible to maintain to be an expert in something given our emphasis on our role as an expert persistent pain and fatigue rehabilitation provider.
Does the very thought of planning a holiday leave you feeling exhausted? The thought of a long journey and sleeping in a different bed is enough to raise your anxiety levels before you even consider the expectations of yourself or others regarding what you will actually do whilst on holiday. Isn’t it supposed to be pleasurable or at the very least somewhat relaxing?
