Chronic pain is defined as any pain that lingers for more than 12 weeks, and you may be surprised to learn that it affects more than 100 million Americans every year. As part of our effort to help spread awareness about chronic pain and how these complicated conditions are treated, we wanted to share this handy infographic we found on the web.
If you enjoy the infographic, check out some of these related articles that focus on the diagnosis and treatment of chronic pain in America!
Chronic pain and prescription opioids are two topics that have been making national headlines over the last few weeks. The CDC announced a new set of recommendations for prescribing opioids and the FDA has required new warnings on opioid medications to ensure labels include more descriptions of the risks, especially for abuse, addiction, and overdosing.
With all the news about the issues with opioids, there has been more interest in alternative strategies toward chronic pain management. In the past, comprehensive chronic pain management programs were a preferred strategy. Over the past ten years, most programs have disappeared due to a lack of insurance coverage. The cornerstone of all these programs is combining conservative use of medications, interventions, and the strong input of physical therapy and behavioral health treatments.
Physical therapy (P.T.) is one of the essential needs of everyone with pain in order to develop a daily exercise program. Further therapy can maximize overall capability and improve the ability to function. The goals of therapy are three-fold. To work on overall strengthening and core muscles, aerobic conditioning, and stretching. Muscle strength allows one to be able to hold up the body and perform activities. Core muscles give the spine the ability to be upright, and most of us do not have good strength in these groups, and with a strong core, spine pain is much better controlled. Pain is often caused by tight muscles, so stretching keeps the muscles at the right length and decreases spasms. All three activities are necessary. It is like a three legged stool; Without doing one of the three, the stool tips over. You need all three bases to be stable.
The next method is a behavioral health intervention, and the goal is to train the brain to help control the interpretation of sensory signals. The brain has incredible power to manage all the signals it receives. Pain sensations are specific sensory signals, and the interpretation of the signals can be consciously modified. Normally the brain would just read these sensory signals as painful. If the brain is receiving many painful sensory signals, a short circuit can occur and the pain can become centrally amplified and intensified. Using techniques taught by psychologists, one can learn to modify the perception of the pain signals and essentially ignore them. Multiple different techniques have been used successfully including progressive relaxation, self-hypnosis, mindfulness, cognitive behavioral therapy and distraction. Again, to be successful with any of these therapies, one has to be interested and willing to put in the time and effort to make the techniques work.
Acute and chronic pain can be very successfully treated and managed with a variety of techniques. Opioid medications in reality are only a very small tool to control these symptoms. Controlling the opioid misuse requires patients to move beyond the want for a simple solution that takes no work. Chronic pain is not well treated with opioids for the long-term. It takes time and effort to control chronic pain, if one does not put in the work, there likely will not be a good solution.
New research out of Canada suggests that doctors should ensure that teens who are battling chronic pain and illness should have a support system in place to address their mental health, as it can help manage physical symptoms.
The study was small, but the findings speak to a larger issue that oftentimes gets overlooked when it comes to helping adolescents with chronic pain. For their study, researchers conducted an eight-week study with 28 kids between the ages of 12 and 17 who had been diagnosed with various chronic pain conditions. The group was split in two, with one group participating in the iPeer2Peer program.
Those in the treatment program were partnered up with an adult between the age of 18 and 25 who had also been diagnosed with a chronic condition. The mentors needed to undergo a 20-hour training session prior to being paired up with a mentee. The pairs talked via Skype twice a week for at least 20 minutes a session for the first two weeks, then at least once a week for the remaining six weeks. Researchers noted than sessions routinely ran about twice as long as the minimum 20-minute scheduled session. Mentors shared advice, offered emotional support and addressed any concerns or questions the mentee had.
Mentoring Chronic Pain
At the conclusion of the eight weeks, researchers uncovered:
Researchers believe that showing teenagers that they don’t have to fight their battles alone can be a significant step in helping them cope with their chronic condition.
“Young people with chronic pain can become socially isolated and many have never met another person with chronic pain,” said lead study author Sara Ahola Kohut, a pediatric health psychologist at The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. “By having trained mentors, young people who are only a couple years older than the teens, teach coping strategies, we believed the pain coping skills might be easier to learn and practice.”
Kohut concluded that anywhere from 11 to 38 percent of children and adolescents deal with chronic conditions at that stage of their life, so we need to start addressing the issue. This program may be the answer.
“The program is easily accessible, teenagers liked it, and it helped improve the teenagers’ ability to cope with pain.”
(Below is Part 3 of a four-part series on chronic pain in high school and college. It was penned by a college student who has dealt with chronic pain throughout her academic career. The four-part series will cover four important aspects of college life – Academics, Dating, Employment and Social Life. Here’s Part 3 on how balancing a relationship and chronic pain can sometimes be overwhelming. Click these links for Part 1 and Part 2.
If you want to be in a relationship, you can. I’m not going to say it won’t be complicated at times, but you are still a human being and can enjoy being in a relationship. Some common concerns and reasons to justify avoiding relationships include worries about “burdening others with your health,” worrying about how your pain can affect the time and things you can comfortably do with your partner, and that you won’t be able to enjoy a relationship when your health isn’t stable.
I’ve thought one or more of these things at different points of my life (before, during, and after relationships), I’ve even used my health as a reason to end a relationship, but I’d also like to point out the many good parts about relationships and why you shouldn’t dismiss a relationship opportunity for the “what-if” fears associated with your health. If someone you like asks you out, I would suggest you give it a try before saying no. You’ll never know what you can or cannot do in life unless you try it. Also, don’t assume any two people or relationships are the same. People grow and change throughout life, and as such relationships are and will be different.
Honesty is EXTREMELY important in ALL concerns you may have about how to handle a relationship with at least one individual with chronic pain. Whenever I’ve been in a relationship, the person I’ve dated either knew before or relatively early on that I had back pain. I’ve often thought of my pain as a “burden to others,” but the more people I meet, the more faith I have in humanity and less I think like this. My friends, family, and those I’ve dated have all told me they are there for me whenever I need them, I’m not a burden, and they want to be there for me through the difficult times.
Because I’ve met enough people like this, I believe there is a person of this belief out there for you as well. I made sure to make it clear that I have good and bad days and sometimes that can affect what I’m up for doing (whether that is school, homework, work, or dates). Being open about how you feel when you’re with your significant other can help avoid hurt feelings if there is a time that it would be uncomfortable to go bowling or cuddle or whatever it is. Honesty early on can also allow your date to leave a relationship early on if they can’t handle being in a relationship with someone with health problems. For a different spin on things – you can consider your health as your “baggage.” After all, everyone brings something into a relationship that can complicate things, and there is no shame or avoiding it, so accept it, be honest, and move forward.
If you have chronic pain, you will know the strength you need to get through the day. It takes a similar strength to be supportive to someone else in pain, but life is easier when you are with someone who is supportive. Personally, I often find distraction as a great pain-reduction technique; so being with others (even while in intense pain) can actually be helpful. Whether I’m with a group of good friends or with a significant other hanging out, allowing my mind to be on living and enjoying what’s going on in the present has helped me get through some tough times. There are also times that my pain can prevent me from leaving my room. Knowing this about myself has allowed me to enter a relationship, inform my partner, and maintain that communication in the event plans need to change last minute. Nurturing—maybe it’s simply helping others—is an archetypal part of human nature. Professors, friends, family, and significant others are generally helpful and will look for ways to help you through whatever you are dealing with if you share what’s going on. People will be there, don’t ever feel like you have to get through everything by yourself, there is no reason to make yourself do that.
I’m guessing the next biggest problem many young adults with chronic pain worry about in relationships is being physically close with others. I know I’ve struggled with this before. I have times that whatever position I’m in, I’m in pain, or times that my body is painful without even being touched. I’d be lying if I said I’ve never been uncomfortable when hanging out with a significant other. However, I have also learned that being honest and setting those boundaries or voicing when you can or can’t or don’t want to do something (whatever the reason) is always the better route. If your significant other truly cares about you, they will understand (they may be disappointed), but they would rather look out for your health, safety, and well being than satisfy a momentary pleasure. In today’s pleasure-seeking culture, maybe this sounds outrageous, but I still think many people that are in relationships (rather than one-night-stands) are people that do care about people in a long-term way rather than just the present. When you’re in a lot of pain, it can be hard to think of the times you aren’t in pain, or think of all the good things and fun things you can do with friends or significant others.
Part 4 will be published early next week.
(Below is Part 2 of a four-part series on chronic pain in high school and college. It was penned by a college student who has dealt with chronic pain throughout her academic career. The four-part series will cover four important aspects of college life – Academics, Dating, Employment and Social Life. Here’s Part 2 on how holding a job while in school can be difficult if you deal with chronic pain. Part 1 on Chronic Pain and Academics can be seen here.
If you struggle with chronic pain, I’m sure the thought about getting and keeping full-time employment will have crossed your mind at some point or another. From my experiences I can offer suggestions and a few pieces of advice.
As you search for a job, search for a company that is employee-focused and cares about everyone in their company. Many companies will have similar positions for people of a certain major, but one of the biggest differences in the job you have comes from the company and culture at your workplace. Companies that stress work flexibility and employee support are the places to seriously consider because they will be more likely to offer flexible work hours (allow for doctor appointments, leave early on a bad pain day and work late another, etc), flexible working location (home or in-office), ergonomic work stations (sit-to-stand desks, supportive chair, etc), and other services for employees such as a gym, nurse, or physical therapists on-site.
During an interview, it is perfectly appropriate to ask questions that relate to company culture, how employees are treated and any other specific questions you have to help give you an idea of whether or not that company goes out of their way to make sure employees can comfortably and effectively get their work done. Once you have the job offer, you can ask HR more specific questions, including any concerns you might have or if they can make any accommodations before you accept the offer. When you start working (whether it’s a summer job, part-time position, internship, or full-time role) speak to your boss and project manager about your health and how it can sometimes affect how you need to work. If you don’t share this information, you won’t be able to ask for working accommodations and they won’t be able to understand what’s going on and how to help you to be successful at work.
Personally, I have found being up-front and honest really helped me because my project manager was able to look into ergonomic work stations and was very understanding if I had to leave in the middle of a day for a physical therapy appointment, go home early or even work from home on a day that my pain was bad. If you put in the effort to research the places you want to work at on sites like Glassdoor, Business Insider, and the company’s website, and you speak to your HR representative about work accommodations, I have no doubt you will be able to work in the field of your choice even while dealing with chronic pain.
Part 3 on Chronic Pain and Social Life in College will be published on Wednesday.