Pain Management Plan
The Pain Management Plan is a newly developed self-help manual designed by a number of experts in pain management, in particular, Prof. Bob Lewin, Dr Frances Cole and colleagues.
It offers comprehensive advice and guidance on the management of long term pain related problems. It follows a model that has been successfully implemented in cardiac rehabilitation and is designed to be used both individually or as part of a pain management programme, delivered by either a psychological therapist or physiotherapist.
The Pain Management Plan includes explanations of long term pain and its impact on people’s lives and uses simple language and cartoons to ensure it meets everyone’s needs, whatever their level of education or ethnicity.
It is divided into two sections, part one focuses upon understanding chronic pain, the pain cycle, the impact of levels of activity, stress and relaxation. The second part focuses upon more complex issues associated with the impact of pain, such as managing negative emotions for instance anger and stress.
Goal setting is a key feature of the Pain Management Plan along with enhancing levels of activity. It explains the principles of increasing exercise in a graded way, although does not detail any specific exercise programmes to ensure its relevance for a variety of people. The manual incorporates simple weekly plans to work out realistic goals and enable patients to record their own progress.
In addition, a relaxation CD is also provided, with a range of different passive relaxation approaches appropriate for the use of chronic pain patients.
Early pilot studies using The Pain Management Plan have been very encouraging and indicated that it was a helpful tool for clients in the majority of users.
We are delighted to be able to support Dr Frances Cole in the use of The Pain Management Plan and further research in the efficacy of this product and we consider that its inclusion within our pain management programmes will be extremely valuable to our client’s overall success in achieving greater pain management and well being.