By now, you may be asking, “What exactly is this treatment that I am starting?” Before we get to the “nuts and bolts” of how this can help you, it will be useful to describe the four important components of the cognitive-behavioral approach and how they interact with one another. These four components reflect on [...]
Tagged CBT, cognitiveOpioids in Chronic Pain Management: Benefits and Risks Side effects: constipation, sleep disruption, altered mental status, itching, nausea, respiratory depression Addiction vs. Dependence Assessing whether medication improves quality of life and participation in life or diminishes them Benefits of Opioids for Pain Opioids “take the edge off pain” or “make it easier to manage it” [...]
Tagged narcotic, opioidSupplements, not Substitutes The goal is for fresh fruits and vegetables to form a major portion of the diet, to be the main course rather than a side dish. The benefits from fruits and veggies are not derived solely from the vitamins; they can therefore not be obtained from the use of multivitamin pills as [...]
Why Exercise? Decrease pain short-term, exhaustive physical exercise can evoke a transient elevation in pain thresholds. This exercise-induced elevation in pain threshold does not, however, appear to be directly related to plasma endorphin levels.Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1991 Mar;23(3):334-42 Increase ability to participate in life systematic increases in both exercise levels and expectancies of capability [...]
Stages of Change Big lifestyle changes like a change in the diet require preparation, emotional as well as logistical Pre-contemplation – Not yet acknowledging that there is a problem behavior that needs to be changed Contemplation – Acknowledging that there is a problem but not yet ready or sure of wanting to make a change [...]
As part of the pain program, a series of evidence-based lectures were given on a variety of topics relevant to pain management. This page will link you to the powerpoint slides and handouts from these lectures: Pain physiology and Proper medication use – initial lecture (slides) Nutrition – General Principles, (Pain groups Nutrition 101), Aftercare [...]
Some people feel so bad about their pain and their lack of a “productive life” that they feel guilty about even wanting to do anything pleasurable. They feel they do not deserve any pleasure. The truth is, however, that it is easier to become engaged in life again by doing something enjoyable; this is the [...]
“Effective problem solving requires setting clear goals; identifying emotional barriers (hooks) that may prevent goals from being accomplished; and identifying the small sequential steps needed to fulfill the goal”. -Managing Pain Before It Manages You, Margaret Caudill, MD, PhD Setting Goals Reminders: A goal should be measurable. Can you evaluate when the goal has been [...]
Goal-setting for this program: The trick is in setting achievable goals, i.e. ones which can be accomplished. You do not need to feel like a failure any more than you already do. A goal should be measurable. Can you evaluate when the goal has been reached? A goal should be realistic. Is it possible to [...]
Tagged CBT, goalsMost people living with chronic pain find they have limited productive time in the day, due to pain or fatigue or both. Becoming conscious of the choices we make about what to do with that time can be very helpful. For a nice analogy, see The Spoon Theory. Break up your 24-hour day into [...]