Chronic pain is an ever-increasing problem that we see regularly at OnePointHealth. Unfortunately, chronic pain can result in long term suffering and a decreased quality of life. 1 in 5 of the general population experiencing some form of chronic pain.
At OnePointHealth our Physiotherapists understand the complex factors that contribute to chronic pain and are trained in helping address it and treat it. We understand that chronic pain suffers can experience reduced activity, unhelpful thoughts and beliefs surrounding ongoing pain, repeated treatment failures, long term use of analgesics and sedative drugs, loss of job, financial difficulties, family stress, feelings of depression, helplessness, irritability, and poor sleep and physical deterioration- muscle wasting and joint stiffness.
The treatment of chronic pain is extremely multifactorial & individual to each patient. We often use several treatment techniques in combination to help provide strategies in order to help manage the pain and associated effect on daily life and overall function.
Examples of techniques that we use as a treatment tool include:
- Thorough education of chronic pain including identifying certain triggers and individualised causes of the pain.
- Desensitisation techniques to help with the pain response
- Self-pacing techniques to assist in preventing spikes and crashes in pain behaviours
- Relaxation techniques
- Dealing with flare-ups and setbacks
- Strategies to help return to activities of daily living
- Specific self-paced exercise programs
More importantly, it will often take a team of health professionals to help a patient with chronic pain so we will work with those colleagues, whether it be GPs, psychologists and even pain specialists to provide our patients with the best chance in managing their long term pain.
