Transcript AgrAbility Living with Chronic Pain

Living with Chronic Pain
A Presentation by the
American Chronic Pain Association
What is Chronic Pain?
 Chronic pain is pain that:
- continues a month or more
beyond the usual recovery period
for an injury or illness or
- goes on for months or years due
to a chronic condition.
 The pain may not be constant but
disrupts daily life.
 It also can interfere with sleep,
keeping you awake a night.
Pain Can Be Confusing
• You may wonder:
•Is this really pain?
•My injury has healed. Why do
I still hurt?
•How did I get it?
•Am I just imagining it?
•How can I explain it to my
doctor?
People with pain need
validation.
Why it is Important to Involve the Caregiver in
Manage Your Pain
 When pain is not properly managed,
it can end up controlling the way you
and those around you live.
 Many people with pain:
• Feel hopeless and depressed
• Experience sleep problems
• Have difficulty performing daily
activities such as walking, going
to work or even wearing clothing
It is important to talk with your doctor
about all these feelings.
Talking to Your Doctor About Pain
Prepare for your visit
 Before you go to the doctor, write down exactly what
you think is wrong. Also include the following:
-
list only the new symptoms
include over the counter medicines taken
methods of relief tried, i.e. heat, message, exercise
changes in your daily level of functioning
changes in mood, appetite and sleep
questions you have
if possible take someone with you
Talking to Your Doctor About Pain
Prepare for your visit
Print out Nerve Man to show
where your pain is and how
it feels.
www.ittakesnerve.org
• Tools
• Where does it hurt
Talking to Your Doctor About Pain
Prepare for your visit
Use the Quality of Life Scale to
explain the impact pain has on your
daily life.
Talking to Your Doctor About Pain
 Medications
- Medications can be an important
tool to help you manage nerve pain.
- They may help reduce the pain and
allow you to get to sleep.
- All medications have benefits and
risks.
- Talk with your healthcare provider
about medications that may be right
for you.
Talking to Your Doctor About Pain
 Become part of the treatment
team.
 Take an active role in the recovery
process.
 Work with your doctor to find
ways to best manage your pain.
 Your goal: Reduce sense of
suffering and improve quality of
life.
You can live a full life in spite of pain
The Truth About Pain
Even when you and your doctor have done
everything medically possible for your
condition, there may be a level of pain
that you will need to live with.
The Truth About Pain
You can live with chronic pain.
Learning to Live With It
Ten Steps from Patient to Person
STEP 1: Accept the Pain
Learn all you can about your physical
condition. Understand that there may be no
current cure and accept that you will need to
deal with the fact of pain in your life.
Learning to Live With It
Ten Steps from Patient to Person
STEP 2: Get Involved
Take an active role in
your own recovery.
Follow your doctor's
advice and ask what you
can do to move from a
passive role into one of
partnership in your own
health care.
Learning to Live With It
Ten Steps from Patient to Person
STEP 3: Learn to Set
Priorities
Look beyond your pain to the
things that are important in
your life. List the things that
you would like to do. Setting
priorities can help you find a
starting point to lead you
back into a more active life.
Learning to Live With It
Ten Steps from Patient to Person
STEP 4: Set Realistic
Goals
We all walk before we run.
Set goals that are within your
power to accomplish or
break a larger goal down into
manageable steps. And take
time to enjoy your successes.
Learning to Live With It
Ten Steps from Patient to Person
STEP 5: Know Your Basic
Rights
We all have basic rights. Among
these are the right to be treated
with respect, to say no without
guilt, to do less than humanly
possible, to make mistakes, and
to not need to justify your
decisions, with words or pain.
Learning to Live With It
Your Basic Rights
• The right to act in a way that
promotes your dignity and self
respect.
• The right to be treated with respect.
• The right to make mistakes.
• The right to do less than you are
humanly capable of doing.
• The right to change your mind.
• The right to ask for what you want.
• The right to take time to slow down
and think before you respond.
• The right to feel that you don't have
to explain everything you do and
think.
• The right to say "no" and not feel
guilty.
• The right to ask for information.
• The right to feel good about
yourself.
• The right to ask for help or
assistance.
• The right to disagree.
• The right to ask "why?"
• The right to be listened to and
taken seriously when expressing
your feelings.
Learning to Live With It
Ten Steps from Patient to Person
STEP 6: Recognize Emotions
Our bodies and minds are one.
Emotions directly affect physical
well being. By acknowledging and
dealing with your feelings, you can
reduce stress and decrease the pain
you feel.
Learning to Live With It
Ten Steps from Patient to Person
STEP 7: Learn to Relax
Pain increases in times of
stress. Relaxation exercises are
one way of reclaiming control
of your body. Deep breathing,
visualization, and other
relaxation techniques can help
you to better manage the pain
you live with.
Learning to Live With It
Ten Steps from Patient to Person
STEP 8: Exercise
Most people with chronic pain
fear exercise. But unused muscles
feel more pain than toned flexible
ones. With your doctor, identify a
modest exercise program that you
can do safely. As you build
strength, your pain can decrease.
You'll feel better about yourself,
too.
Learning to Live With It
Ten Steps from Patient to Person
STEP 9: See the Total Picture
As you learn to set priorities, reach goals,
assert your basic rights, deal with your
feelings, relax, and regain control of your
body, you will see that pain does not need
to be the center of your life. You can
choose to focus on your abilities, not your
disabilities. You will grow stronger in your
belief that you can live a normal life in
spite of chronic pain.
Learning to Live With It
Ten Steps from Patient to Person
STEP 10: Reach Out
It is estimated that one person
in three suffers with some
form of chronic pain. Once
you have begun to find ways
to manage your chronic pain
problem, reach out and share
what you know. Living with
chronic pain is an ongoing
learning experience. We all
support and learn from each
other.
Learning to Live With It
Ten Steps from Patient to Person
Track Your Progress
When you understand what triggers your pain, you can begin to
work on ways to reduce and deal with it.
ACPA Manuals
You Are Not Alone:
Join a Support Group
Support groups can:
 Help you put your pain in
perspective and connect with
others dealing with similar
challenges.
 Allow people with pain and their
families to share their experiences
and offer mutual support.
 Provide a place to learn coping
skills to help you live well in spite
of your pain.
Where to Go for Help and Information
American Chronic Pain Association
www.theacpa.org
1-800-533-3231