A pain management programme is an eight week course designed to teach people a range of skills so that they can improve their physical function and quality of life, and reduce emotional distress.
Each programme is run by a physiotherapist, nurse and clinical psychologist who are all experienced in the management of chronic pain.
The course involves eight weekly sessions timetabled from 9.30am to 12.15pm, with three further follow-up appointments over the course of the year. During the sessions there are talks, discussions and practical sessions. The groups will not exceed ten people.
On joining the programme we ask you to commit to attend all sessions, to do the homework and to make changes! Also, you must agree not to seek other medical treatments one month prior to the course starting and up to the first follow-up.
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Explaining pain by teaching about pain mechanisms;
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Graded exercise programme;
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Relaxation programme and stress reduction advice;
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Help to use medication effectively;
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Improving sleep;
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Managing your emotions;
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Identification of valued activities and goal setting;
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Family and friends session;
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Management of flare ups/ setbacks;
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Help to tailor programme to individual needs.
If you can answer 'yes' to several of the following questions the pain management programme may be suitable for you:
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Have you had pain for most of the time for more than six months?
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Have you stopped doing many activities because of your pain?
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Does your pain make you feel irritable, anxious or depressed?
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Are you afraid that exercise and movement will make your pain worse?
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Are you worried about the painkilling medication you are taking but do not know how else to cope?
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Are you not sleeping because of your pain?
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Are the people closest to you affected by your pain?
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Have you lost confidence because of your pain?
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Do you feel that you are not coping?
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Is the struggle to control your pain dominating your life?
The programme will give you help to put into practice the ideas we have introduced during the sessions. It is based on principles and practices which have been proved to help many people with chronic pain to improve their quality of life.
To benefit from the programme people need to be able to speak English and be able to take part in a group. They need to be able to manage their self-care independently during course sessions. There is support available for people with mild hearing difficulties, visual impairments or literacy difficulties to help them to access the programme.
For people who are unable to access the group, there is a small facility for appointments to be arranged on an individual basis with the specialist nurse, physiotherapist and clinical psychologists.
