Treatment Options 

Physical and Occupational Therapy | Massage Therapy | Physical Activity | Medication | Self-Managment
Staying Connected 

Podcasts and Videos on Treatment

Utilizing Science, Technology and the Arts to Transform Pain - Prof. Diane Gromala, who has suffered from chronic pain for several decades, provides an overview of the exciting potential of new technologies and interaction design in helping to improve the lives of people who live with long-term chronic pain.
Finding Relief for Chronic Pain – A podcast featuring doctors and patients from UW Medicine Center for Pain Relief on the importance of finding the source of chronic pain and new techniques for treating chronic pain.
Pain Management: Getting to the Root of the Problem - A podcast featuring Dr. Roizen and Dr. Dews, who describe several holistic remedies and treatment options for different types of chronic pain.
The Latest in Treatment for Chronic Pain - A podcast featuring doctors associated with the UW Medicine Center for Pain Relief on recent trends for treating chronic pain.
Chronic Pain Management - A podcast featuring Dr. Gatchel and Dr. Schatman as they answer listener questions, provide resources and share what they are doing to help patients have access to a variety of treatments.
Pain Management in Women over the Life Cycle - This series from University of California explores the management and treatment of pain in women from childhood through maturity.

Physical and Occupational Therapy 

Chronic pain treatment may include seeing a physical therapist, which has many benefits. Physical therapy can help relieve chronic pain and stiffness. A physical therapist can increase confidence with exercise, help relax tense muscles and teach you more about your body and movement. Similarly, occupational therapists teach you how to reduce strain on your joints during daily activities while maintaining physical fitness. They will show you how to improve your home and work environments to reduce motions that may aggravate your pain. They also may recommend aid devices for daily activities.

Resources

• What is Occupational Therapy? – Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists
• Occupational Therapy and Pain Management -  Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists
• How can a Physiotherapist Help? – Canadian Physiotherapy Association

Massage Therapy  

Registered massage therapists are trained in the assessment of soft tissue and joints of the body, and the treatment and prevention of injury, pain and physical disorders.

Resources

• Massage Therapists Association of British Columbia
• Chronic Pain and CAM: At a Glance – National Centre for Complimentary and Alternative Medicine 

Physical Activity   

Physical activity helps improve physical and mental health. It also plays a vital role in the managing you chronic pain. If approached properly, physical activity helps reduce stiffness and pain, increase energy and stamina, improve sleep quality and promote weight loss and long-term weight management.

It’s important to consult your doctor or physical therapist about a routine that is moderate and will strengthen the appropriate muscles in your body. There are many fitness centres and organizations that have exercise programs which target people with arthritis and fibromyalgia. You can also find more information on simple steps to incorporate physical activity into your everyday life. 

Resources

• Yoga for People in Pain Webinar - Neil Pearson, PT, provides research that supports that yoga can be beneficial to help manage chronic pain. Hosted by CIRPD and Pain BC.
• Research Reviews on Exercise for Chronic Pain - Reviews put together by the Cochrane Library on whether exercise is beneficial for various forms of chronic pain.
• Tips to Lose Weight – Dr. Stan Lubin gives us tips on sticking with exercise to lose weight.
• Types of Exercises – Types of exercises to use for self-management from the Canadian Pain Coalition.
• Fight Arthritis Pain Podcasts  - Podcasts on Psyching Yourself Up To Exercise, Range of Motion Exercises and Managing Your Movement from the Arthritis Foundation
• Life is Now Webcasts on Pain and Pain management – Neal Pearson provides a variety of educational webcasts and videos on pain and pain management. Particularly by using yoga as a means of management.
• Focus on Your Wellness Videos - Focus on Your Wellness lecture series presents videos on varying topics related to healthy living, eating habits and lifestyle changes.
• Yoga for Chronic Pain - List of exercises that can help people with chronic pain relax, and potentially relieve some of their pain.
• Arthritis Today - Well-Rounded Workout - Tips, tricks and tools to achieve a well-rounded workout.
• Range of Motion and Strengthening Exercises - Experts at the University of Washington provide videos for increasing range of motion and strength for people with arthritis and chronic pain.

Medications  

There is a range of over the counter and prescription medications used for treating chronic pain. It is best to check with your physician as to what is best for you.

Answers about Opioids and Chronic Pain - CIRPD
Opioids: Friend or Foe? Webinar - CIRPD
Pain Medications: A Pharmacist's Perspective Webinar - CIRPD

Self Management 

Living with chronic pain can be challenging. Health professionals and researchers have found that self-care and life skills play vital roles in a person's pain and fatigue management. Taking action to improve physical fitness, reduce stress and improve sleep quality can contribute to the successful management of your condition and can reduce your pain levels. Self-management can give you more control over your life.

The Arthritis Society runs Chronic Pain Self-management Programs all over Canada and the Centre for Aging, University of Victoria runs Self-Management Programs in British Columbia. CIRPD also provides various tips on evidence-based approaches to self-management.

Resources

• Chronic Pain Self-Management: Past, Present and Future Webinar - Dr. Patrick McGowan reviews the concept of self-management and how peer-led self-management programs are implemented in communities. Hosted by CIRPD
• Mindfulness Based Stress Relief as a Strategy for Reducing Pain Webinar - Linda Turner speaks about Mindfulness Based Stress Relief's ability to improve overall wellness as well as to help in managing chronic pain. Hosted by CIRPD
• Building Hope: The Way through Pain to Self-Management Webinar - Neil Pearson, PT builds hope for how to work towards self-management and recovery based on some of the latest research in pain management.
• Self-management Approaches for Chronic Pain – A variety of self-management information and resources from the Canadian Pain Coalition.
• Health and Stress Management with Mindfulness - Steven D. Hickman, Psy.D. discusses Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) a particular way of paying attention: with mindful intention, in the moment, without judgment.
• Meditation for Chronic Pain – An article explaining the health benefits meditation has on chronic pain.
• Self-Help Strategies and Lifestyle Changes – Fibromyalgia Network
• Guided Meditation Video – Take a break from stress with this guided meditation video from Mayo Clinic.
• Mindfulness Meditation Podcasts - Created by the Mindful Awareness Research Center at UCLA
• Incorporating Mindfulness into Everyday Living - Rezvan Ameli, Ph.D shows us how to integrate mindfulness into day-to-day living to reduce stress and enhance the quality of life.
• Video on Chronic Pain Self-Management - Dr. Marc White, Executive Director of CIRPD
• Self-Management: A Patient's Perspective - Dave Thomson, Volunteer with CIRPD 
• Distraction Therapy for Chronic Pain - Dave Thomson, Volunteer with CIRPD
• Breaking the Cycle: An Overview of Self-Help – King’s College London 

Staying Connected  

An important aspect of managing chronic pain is staying connected with your family and friends as well as connecting with others who share similar experiences with arthritis.

For services and support groups in British Columbia, check out our BC Consumer Resource Guide

Resources

• Faces of Pain – This advocacy campaign invites people to share their personal experiences with chronic pain.
• Family Involvement – Fibromyalgia Network
• Arthritis Answer Lines – Canada-wide help line for information on arthritis
• Arthritis Society Programs and Services – Canada-wide support groups, education and information centres
• Understanding Chronic Pain Patient Information Resources hosted by the Canadian Pain Coalition

Last Updated: July 7, 2011
Reviewed by: Marc White PhD, Scientific & Executive Director, CIRPD