Management of Chronic Pain
Making the journey from patient to person takes time. The isolation and fear that can overwhelm a person
with chronic pain grows over time. And the return to a fuller, more rewarding life also takes time.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Choose a Multidisciplinary Pain Program
To regain control of your life, it is important to learn how to cope with chronic pain. Although your pain may never go away, it is possible to reduce pain levels and, more importantly, to improve the quality of your life.

To do so, you may need a multidisciplinary approach to chronic pain. While many people with pain have tried
every available medical intervention without great success, sometimes these therapies are most effective
when performed together in a controlled setting.

A multidisciplinary pain program can provide you with the necessary skills, medical intervention, and direction
to effectively cope with chronic pain. Here is advice on how to locate a pain management program in your
area, what to look for in a well-defined pain program, and what other issues to consider.
                                                                                                                                            
Consumer Guidelines to Selecting a Pain Unit

Make sure you locate a legitimate program
Hospitals and rehabilitation centers are more likely to offer comprehensive treatment than are "stand
alone" programs.  Facilities that offer pain management should include several specific components,
listed below
The Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities  Toll Free Telephone: (800) 281-
6531 can provide you with a listing of accredited pain programs in your area (your health insurance
may require that the unit be CARF accredited in order for you to  receive reimbursement).
You can also contact the American Pain Society, an organization for health care providers, at (847)
375-4715 additional information about pain units in your area.
American Pain Foundation Toll-Free at 1-888-615-PAIN (7246)

Choose a good program that is convenient for you and your family:
Most pain management programs are part of a hospital or rehabilitation center. The program should
be housed in a separate unit designed for pain management.
Choosing a program close to your home will enable you to commute to the program each day.
Learn something about the people who run the program:
Try to meet several of the staff members to get a sense of the people you will be dealing with while on the unit. The program should have a complete medical staff trained in pain management techniques including:
Physician (a neurologist, psychiatrist, physiatrist, or anesthesiologist with expertise in pain
management)
Registered nurse
Psychiatrist or psychologist
Physical therapist
Occupational therapist
Biofeedback therapist
Family counselor
Vocational counselor
Massage Therapy
Other personnel trained in pain management intervention

Make sure the program includes most of the following features:
Biofeedback training
Group therapy
Counseling
Occupational therapy
Family counseling
Assertiveness training
TENS units
Regional anesthesia (nerve blocks)
Physical therapy (exercise and body mechanics training, not massage, whirlpool, etc.)
Relaxation training and stress management
Educational program covering medications and other aspects of pain and its management
Aftercare (follow-up support)

Be sure your family can be involved in your care:
Family members should be required to be involved in your treatment.
The program should provide special educational sessions for family members.
Joint counseling for you and your family should also be available.

Also consider these additional factors:
What services will your medical insurance reimburse and what will you be expected to cover?
Will you need a PCP referral?
What is the unit's physical set-up (is it in a patient care area or in an area by itself)?
What is the program's length?
Is the program inpatient or outpatient
If you choose an out-of-town unit, can your family be involved in your care?
Do you understand what will be required of you (responsibility to take care of personal needs, etc.)?
Does the unit provide any type of job retraining?

Make sure that, before accepting you, the unit reviews your medical records and gives you a complete physical evaluation to be sure you can participate in the program. Obtain copies of your recent medical
records to prevent duplicate testing. Try to talk with both present and past program participants to get their
feedback about their stay on the unit. Pain programs are difficult, but pain management can make a
significant difference in your life. You must realize, however, that much of what you gain from comprehensive
pain management will be up to you.
This website is regularly reviewed by members of the Scientific and Medical Advisory Board of the
MHE Research Foundation.
Disclaimer:   While many find the information useful, it is in no way a substitute for professional
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own physician regarding any course of treatment or medicine.  
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