Chronic Pain and Disability Adjustment
Evidence-based support to help you manage persistent pain, restore everyday function and reconnect with a meaningful life.
Understanding Acute and Chronic Pain
Recognising the differences and their impact on everyday life
From a treatment perspective, a combination of psychoeducation, relaxation or mindfulness meditation, and increased functional activity balanced with pacing has been found to work very well in assisting people with the management of and coping with chronic pain.
The gradual increase in appropriate, values-based activity enables the person to change their relationship with their thoughts and feelings about their pain and symptoms, resulting in better coping and an improved quality of life.
Managing Chronic Pain and Reconnecting With Life
Developing practical skills for improved coping and quality of life
At LifeConnexions, we are specialists in the treatment of chronic pain and the difficulties associated with the ongoing treatment and management of this very challenging problem occurring for many people in today’s society.
Pain can be classified as either “acute” or “chronic”. Acute pain is the most common reason why patients seek medical attention. Acute pain usually has a sudden onset and is associated with tissue damage or painful stimuli (e.g., headache, skinned knee, muscle aches, labour pain). Acute pain is often adaptive because it alerts us to the presence and location of tissue injury and corrects behaviour that may be causing or contributing to it. It also reminds us when an injured body part, such as a back or knee, needs time to heal.
Chronic pain, on the other hand, refers to the continuation of pain for greater than three months despite treatment and coping efforts by the individual. It has no protective role and is not necessarily associated with tissue damage as viewed through imaging techniques such as MRI or X-ray. Chronic pain can impact all areas of a person’s life and is often associated with functional, psychological and social problems. In addition, chronic pain can have a significant impact on a person’s family and friends.
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