Psychological Approaches To Pain

by Robert F. Read My Articles, Learn More... Algiatry is the branch of medicine that focuses on improving the quality of life through the ease of suffering. Suffering and pain can be both physical and psychological. In some cases, both types are closely connected and treating both the visible and invisible causes of pain are required for the full healing of the affected individual.

Some pain is short term and is quickly resolved when the underlying pathology (trauma) is healed. Other times the pain is more long term or chronic. Chronic pain often requires the coordinated efforts of a full pain management team that focuses on treating the person as a whole to prevent pain and suffering.

Don't just trust the online resources talk to your local doctors. A pain management team consists of several people. The common members of such a team include: occupational therapists, clinical psychologists, physiotherapists, medical practitioners, physician assistants, nurse practitioners and clinical nurse specialists. Other mental health specialists may be included in the team as well as professionally trained massage therapists.

Sometimes pain can be managed through physical treatments. Other times psychological treatments are highly effective. Still other times, the only way to effectively treat or manage the pain in through medications. Depending on the type of pain management team you’re working with, there are some who will try to avoid the chemical medications as long as possible and work with other resources first.

There are three main parts to the psychological approach of pain management. They are as follows:

•    Mindfulness meditation

•    Cognitive behavioral therapy

•    Hypnosis

Those who are more focused on traditional forms of pain management are generally skeptical about the psychological aspect of healing. They understand something they can see and touch as far as treatment is concerned, and most times they understand the use of chemicals in the body for pain management. But the psychological aspect sometimes requires more liberal thinking and an open mind.

Mindfulness mediation is a technique of thinking that’s adapted from the Buddhist Vipassana where one learns to non-judgmentally focus ones attention “on the emotions, thoughts and sensations occurring in the present moment.” This psychological approach to pain is based on a 2500 year old that is also called Insight Meditation. It should be practiced daily for maximum results.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Also called CBT for short, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is a psychotherapeutic pain management technique that addresses dysfunctional emotions, cognitive processes, maladaptive behaviors with systematic and goal oriented procedures. Psychology journals say that CBT has been proven to be effective for chronic low back pain and that it also decreases physical or psychological disabilities. Some studies suggest that this type of treatment appears to be more effective in children and adolescents with chronic pain and headaches.

Hypnosis

Hypnosis is the process of placing someone in a psychological state that superficially looks like sleep but still allows the hypnotized person a certain level of awareness they may not during regular conscious state. The effectiveness of hypnosis for pain management is disputed. Some studies show that this type of pain management technique has a very modest amount of success when it comes to treating chronic pain. Some studies show that hypnosis provides some benefit, but most studies are mostly inconclusive.

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Created on Dec 31st 1969 18:00. Viewed 0 times.

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