Pain Management Programmes are based on well established research and are used internationally to assist people like you with chronic pain. Pain management means assisting you gain a greater understanding of your ongoing pain, plus provide strategies and coping skills to enable you to manage your pain more effectively. Our programmes are based on a cognitive behavioural approach and the focus is specifically on assisting you to understand your pain, to enable you to use skills in your daily life to enjoy, rather than endure the activities you want to engage in. This may be at home or in the work place where ever it is; most of you will have specific goals and changes you wish to make.
At the Comprehensive Pain Assessment we discuss with you about what we consider is the best we can offer to assist you with your pain management. In other words we help you to be in control of your life despite pain, and we prefer to treat you as a person (not a patient), whose pain is real, and to help you move forward in your life.
Your programme will include some of the following: understanding your pain, and the many factors that affect it, self-regulation, biofeedback, TENS trials, hydrotherapy, developing a Home Exercise Programme, couple counselling, managing pain at work, understanding and managing your thoughts and emotions that occur with pain as you work towards the changes you choose to make in your life. Other important areas include pacing of activity, planning and prioritizing, flare-up management and relapse prevention, managing stress and pain interactions.
The following health professionals may assist you in self-managing your pain:
Clinical Psychologist
Occupational Therapist
Physiotherapist
Registered Nurse
Social Worker
Vocational Specialist
What is the Multi-disciplinary Persistent Pain Management Programme (MDPPP)?
This is a group programme that is led by an interdisciplinary team of clinicians, and is based on a self-management approach. Our aim is to help you learn to manage pain in the workplace and at home, as well as develop goals and plans for the future.
Entry to the programme is via screening interview with two of the team members, to make sure that this is the right time and the best next step for you. The team members will discuss your personal goals and how the programme might assist you to accomplish them.
There are usually 4 to 8 group participants, providing an opportunity to share experiences and learn from each other, as well as from the clinic team. The programme is designed to assist you to understand your pain, increase your functional abilities, reduce your distress and develop ways of managing your pain every day. This is an opportunity for you to learn and discover ways of being in control of your life despite pain, so you can move ahead with your goals.
The programme runs from Monday to Friday between 9am and 4pm, for 3 weeks. It includes a variety of activities such as simple exercises, discussion sessions, hydrotherapy, body control techniques (example: relaxation skills), work and home activity skills, and goal-based reviews -- where are you at and where are you going? We also assist you to understand and manage the role of thoughts and emotions in the experience of pain.
Here are a few comments from recent group participants:
Patient 1
Before coming on this course I was 'waiting' for? and only surviving each day. I now know that I can still have fun, laugh and 'live' my life even with chronic pain. I feel inspired to go and practice all my new skills so I can become more able to live an exciting, full life. I am now taking control again of my life.
Patient 2
Extremely satisfied with knowledge and support freely given by staff involved in the programme. Glad I was accepted onto the programme as I feel I have greatly benefitted from this experience.
Patient 3
I would recommend this programme to anyone with chronic pain. I have learnt so many valuable things that will help me to have a much happier future. Best choice I ever made. Thank you to everyone at Pain Management.
For further information on the Multidisciplinary Persistent Programme go to: MDPPP Brochure (coming soon)
Individual Pain Management Programmes (Activity Focused Programmes)
The aims are the same as described for the MDPPP programme, and each person for this programme attends a small group and/or individual sessions with different pain management clinicians. The attendance for this type of programme is once or twice weekly.
For those individuals whose needs are not best served by group work, the team members can also provide one-on-one sessions. A recommendation for one-on-one sessions is made at the evaluation appointment. These sessions address issues surrounding pain and its management and may include relaxation therapy, biofeedback, TENS trials, behavioural aspects, customised exercise or functional programme, couple counselling, vocational guidance etc.
Family, Work, and Friends
It is often difficult for family and friends to support you in helpful ways. We encourage appropriate support, and/or ways of asking, or letting them know if you require assistance, encouragement, or just time out. This is an important part of being in control of your life despite pain. Your family, friends or workplace personnel are welcome to be involved – please talk it over with us.