Chronic Pain

Chronic, or persistent, pain is probably one of the most misunderstood medical issues in our lifetime. One of the reasons for this is because it is caused by a complex set of factors, just like many other chronic illnesses; now many pain specialists consider chronic pain to be a syndrome. Contrary to acute pain, there is often not just one straightforward cause for it, making treatment tricky.

The newest model for treating persistent pain is called the biopsychosocial model. This perspective of pain management takes into account that not only should we be trying to treat the medical/biological causes of pain, but we also need to look at how our psychology (our thoughts, emotions, beliefs) affects our pain, as well as the social aspects that affect it - our relationships, our identity, our experiences with medical professionals and treatment experiences, and the stigma around it. All of this matters, and is a part of our pain experience across the board as human beings. What this absolutely does not mean, is that your pain isn’t real. Quite the opposite is true.

Everyone’s persistent pain experience is unique, but therapy can be helpful in giving you support, teaching you cognitive and behavioral skills to practice to help reduce your pain, looking at ways to improve your quality of life, changing your relationship with your pain, and considering if there are any other factors that might be worsening your pain intensity. Your pain is not your fault, and there are things you can practice and become aware of, to help reduce it.

Please contact me if you have any other questions about therapy for chronic pain.