Chronic Pain Management provided by Hampshire & Surrey Psychology
Our psychologists are experienced in providing assessment and treatment for managing chronic pain, for which there is no medical cure.
What is Chronic Pain?
Although it can be unpleasant, pain is something that we all experience and it acts as an effective warning system that alerts our body to injury, damage or the potential threat of injury. This type of pain (acute pain) usually resolves with the removal of the painful stimulus and with some healing, rest and treatment. Unfortunately sometimes the pain does not resolve, and this is known as chronic pain. Many people with chronic pain will have tried lots of different ways to get rid of the pain, such as medication, injections and even surgery, but without success.
Sometimes there is an underlying medical condition that explains the pain, however there are times where no medical explanation or diagnosis can be provided. This is difficult to understand and can lead people to seek out further investigations to no avail. We have learnt from research that even after an initial injury may have healed and when nothing has been identified by scans like an MRI, ongoing pain can alter nerve pathways and the central nervous system can become highly sensitised through a process known as ‘central sensitisation’- a hyperactive warning system. For example, light touch, changes in temperature and pressure can cause a lot of pain due to this heightened sensitivity.
Some medical conditions that may lead to chronic pain are:
- Musculoskeletal (e.g., back pain, arthritis)
- Spinal cord and nerve injury
- Fibromyalgia
- Complex regional pain syndrome
- Diabetes
- Post-surgical pain
Pain Assessments
Chronic pain often results in the emergence of a complex set of physical and psychosocial changes. Whilst it is important to understand the biological basis of pain, we also recognise the importance of cognitive, emotional, behavioural and social aspects of pain. All these areas are of great importance in the overall experience of pain and the interrelationship of these is often referred to as the biopsychosocial model of pain. The assessment we provide is informed by this model.
When you come to the pain management appointment you will be assessed by one of the psychologists. The appointment should take around 90 minutes. During this time the psychologist will ask you many questions and may also ask you to fill in some standardised questionnaires and measures. This specialised assessment will provide us with a detailed pain history and a better understanding of how the pain is impacting on your life.
At the end of the consultation there will be time to explain and discuss any pain management plans or treatment options. These may include:
- Education about pain pathways in the body and what happens with chronic pain
- Dealing with emotional issues connected with pain such as frustration, guilt, depression or anxiety
- Learning helpful pain management techniques such as pacing, relaxation and mindfulness
- Setting and achieving goals to connect with valued activities
- Exploring different ways of thinking so as to reduce the influence of unhelpful thoughts that may be holding people back or getting in the way of achieving goals
Our pain psychologists are experienced in supporting clients with all of the above. We use a range of psychological approaches that have been proven to be effective in this area, such as cognitive behaviour therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, and mindfulness based work. It may also involve being referred to other professionals if we feel that their input is required. We have close links with physiotherapy colleagues who can provide expertise in optimising physical functioning.
Assessments can be conducted at the Hampshire Psychology in Petersfield, Rownhams, Southampton, Southsea and Bournemouth.
What is Chronic Pain Management?
Pain management aims to improve and maximise people’s functioning and quality of life, in spite of continued pain. It involves looking at strategies aimed at keeping the pain to a manageable level, as well as finding ways to engage with valued and enjoyable activities. Pain is a physical process, but anyone who lives with chronic pain will know that it affects how they think, feel and behave. Therefore pain management involves making changes to how one deals with difficult thoughts and emotions connected to pain, so as to reduce the amount of psychological distress and suffering that accompanies physical pain. It also involves changing old habits and learning new ones.
Pain management often starts with acknowledging that there is no complete medical cure for the pain, and that therefore one is going to need to find a way to move forward in life even though pain is part of the picture. This is clearly a very difficult thing to do, and many people will have spent years trying to find a cure or solution to the pain until they come to this point of acceptance. Before engaging in pain management it is important to have had the underlying condition investigated by medical doctors and to have tried any appropriate treatments that may help to cure or alleviate the pain.