Develop a Self Care Pain Management PlanNow that you have tried several self care techniques for managing your pain, you may want to plan for how you will use a combination of strategies in your day to day routines. This is a good time to review the module “Planning for Change.” In addition, the worksheets in each module are designed to help you personalize a self care pain management plan. You can use these worksheets to help you prepare an “action plan.” An action plan includes a list of concrete goals and actions for how and when you will use specific exercises to change your responses to your pain. It also identifies potential barriers and how you will overcome them. Developing an action plan can help keep you focused on managing your pain in ways that work for you. You may also be interested in other options for managing your pain. To explore further alternatives, you can visit the educational websites listed below to learn more about different pain management tools or approaches. We hope that you will find what works best for you. Learn More about Chronic PainThe experience of pain is very complex and can be affected by a variety of physical, psychological, and social factors. In order to find a combination of self care techniques that work for you, you may need to understand more about the nature of your chronic pain. Below are several websites that provide basic information about chronic pain: Chronic
Pain Information Chronic
Pain Pain Treatment Topics
"What
to Ask—Pain Management" "Persistent
Pain" Aging
in the Know Explore Other AlternativesMeditation and Visual ImagerySeveral of the exercises provided on this website ask you to visualize or imagine other sensations. Using visual imagery or guided imagery can be helpful for reducing or managing pain. You can use this as a technique to distract yourself from pain or to focus on your body. Imagining pleasant or comforting scenes and events can distract you from the tension or pain that you are experiencing. Imagining your own body and visualizing desired changes in your body can actually result in change. Using visual imagery can have direct effects a variety of body functions, including unconscious activities such as heart rate, breathing, and muscle tension. Guided imagery can be done on your own with an audio recording or with guidance from a professional. The following resources provide some basic information about these techniques: Guided Imagery Meditation a Hit for Pain Management
BiofeedbackBiofeedback uses visual cues as a technique for managing stress, pain, and other conditions. This technique reinforces your ability to use your mind to control your body. It requires training from a professional and involves the use of specific procedures, equipment, or software. Biofeedback machines monitor particular body functions and then provide you with immediate “feedback” on how successful you are at changing those functions. Biofeedback machines do not control your body. Research on the effects of biofeedback on pain suggest that it works best if used in combination with other approaches (Gatchel, 2004). Biofeedback, by itself, may not be sufficient to decrease pain. However, biofeedback may be very helpful if used in combination with other techniques. Below are several resources for learning more about biofeedback as a pain management technique: Biofeedback Biofeedback Biofeedback as an Adjunctive Treatment Modality in Pain Management Biofeedback: Using Your Mind to Improve Your Health Positive Thinking and HumorThere are a variety of resources that can help you explore different ways of shifting your thinking towards positive emotions. The web sites listed below have resources related to the effect of positive emotions on health, self assessment tools, and therapeutic laughter: Authentic Happiness Laff-In Group Laughter Heals Foundation World Laughter Tour Learn More About Integrative MedicineThere are a variety of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies that can be used for pain management, such as massage therapy, acupuncture or reiki. CAM includes diverse medical and health care systems, as well as a wide range of practices and products that are not considered to be a part of conventional medicine. When used alone, CAM therapies can be referred to as “alternative” therapies. When used in addition to conventional medicine, they can be referred to as “integrative” therapies. Several of the pain web sites listed above also include information on integrative therapies for pain management. The following resource provides more information about integrative alternatives, some of which may be appropriate for pain management: National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine SourcesAstin JA. (2004). Mind-body therapies for the management of pain. Clinical Journal of Pain. 2004;20(1):27-32. Barnes PM, Powell-Griner E, McFann K, & Nahin RL. (2002). Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use Among Adults: United States, 2002. Adv Data. 2004 May 27;(343):1-19. Cherniak P & Cherniak N. (2003). Alternative Medicine for the Elderly. Springer. Dillard JN & Hirschman LA. (2002). The Chronic Pain Solution: The Comprehensive, Step-by-Step Guide to Choosing the Best of Alternative and Conventional Medicine. Bantam. Institute of Medicine. (2003). Exploring Complementary and Alternative Medicine: The Richard and Hinda Rosenthal Lectures, 2001. National Academies Press. Ivker R, Anderson R, & Trivieri L. (2000). The Self-Care Guide to Holistic Medicine: Creating Optimal Health. Archer/Putnam. Koop CE & Micozzi MS. (2005). Fundamentals of Complementary and Integrative Medicin,: Third edition. W.B. Saunders Company. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2003). White House Commission on Complementary and Alternative Medicine Policy Final Report, March 2002. Wolsko PM, Eisenberg DM, Davis RB, & Phillips RS. (2004). Use of mind-body medical therapies. J Gen Intern Med. 2004 Jan;19(1):43-50. Yuan CS & Bieber EJ. (2002). Textbook of Complementary and Alternative Medicine: First Edition. Taylor & Francis.
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