Self management – a very vexing definition
Self management is one of those terms that is used to describe the aim of cognitive behavioural programmes for chronic pain. It’s even in my description of this blog! At the same time, it’s difficult to arrive at a definition of self management that “everyone” agrees upon. Self management can mean helping people to be “actively … Read more
Education or a cognitive behavioural approach?
There is a reasonable amount of evidence suggesting that self management of chronic pain is only moderately effective. Some of the factors thought to influence outcomes include the “one size fits all” approach – people with chronic pain may not all equally benefit from the same aspects of a programme; that programmes are usually delivered … Read more
Not just neural plasticity – health system plasticity
In chronic pain management there seems to be a pretty consistent pathway for people to finally get to interdisciplinary treatment. First a referral from the primary care physician or GP to one or more specialist medical people – maybe an orthopaedic surgeon, or a rheumatologist, or a psychiatrist, or a neurologist. This person will carry … Read more
Low mood and catastrophising – one is bad, two is worse
Having pain that persists creates a lot of stress, but there are many people who can limit the effect on their life and carry on. These people seem to return to their everyday activities even if their pain hasn’t settled. Then there are the other people. This group have much more trouble managing with their … Read more
More Managing Migraines without Medication
Anyone familiar with migraine will know the first signs of an impending attack. What might be a little less familiar is the precursor to the “first signs”, and what may also be unfamiliar is the thoughts that accompany those first symptoms. Today I want to talk about ways to manage this phase of a migraine … Read more
