Pain management coaching, or chronic pain coaching, is an effective method of pain control. It aims to equip you with the tools, techniques and strategies to change your perception of pain and reduce the impact it has on your life.
By looking at the different factors that may be contributing to your pain such as stress, sleep and lifestyle, and helping you recognise the thoughts and feelings behind it, chronic pain coaching can help you understand your pain and learn how to tackle it.
Imagine chronic pain is like trying to drive a car with four flat tyres. Medication alone will inflate one of those tyres (and comes with its own issues). To inflate the other three tyres, we’ll work together on a set of three strategies:
We work on lowering the pain stress responses through:
We learn how you can limit these triggers by:
Pain relief is only effective up to a point. We talk about how you can prevent flare-ups of pain by:
Together, we set functional goals and daily action plans that allow you to improve your symptoms, wellbeing and self-belief, so you can make gradual progress towards achieving your goals.
My sessions are client-led, so we focus on the issues or areas you want to focus on.
Chronic pain is pain that has been experienced for over three months. It can either be secondary – caused by an underlying condition such as arthritis or endometriosis, or it can be primary, which, to use NICE’s definition, has “no clear underlying cause, or the pain or its impact is out of proportion to any observable injury or disease.”
Regardless of the cause of pain, or the lack of one, the brain has a large part to play in how we sense and feel it.
Our beliefs, emotions, relationships and stress levels can all influence our pain. Pain messages can also be reinforced by poor diet or lack of exercise. The more the brain is in pain, the harder those message are to control.
Pain management coaching will help you identify the stressors that exacerbate your pain, and then find a way to calm those messages. And by making changes to the way you think, we can begin to change the way you feel.
People who suffer from long-term pain are prone to catastrophising. This is when your whole day, week, month and even year is foreshadowed by thoughts about your pain. You may want to go for a walk, but you tell yourself that it’s going to be painful. These negative thoughts set your brain on high alert and your pain can become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
By understanding the thoughts surrounding your pain, you can begin to get a better grip on the factors at play, and look at ways of minimising them.
When you suffer from long-term pain, fear is constantly with you. Fear of the pain itself; of not performing at work or losing your job; fear of falling out of touch with family or friends; of exercising or socialising – fear can begin to control your life as much as your pain.
Pain management coaching can help you take away the fear and get you to a point where you feel comfortable exercising, seeing a friend for coffee or going into work. By chipping away at the perceived fears you hold around your pain, you can begin to regain control.
Chronic pain affects between one-third and one-half of the UK’s population, according to a review published by the British Medical Journal. There’s a suggested trend towards increased prevalence with increased age, to as much as 62% in the over 75 age group, although chronic pain in those aged 18-39 may be as high as 30%.
According to a 2017 survey by Public Health England, persistent pain is more common in females than males, among Black people, obese people and those leading a sedentary lifestyle.
Medication is most likely your primary source of pain control. However, it’s only masking your pain, not tackling it.
The medical path can prove frustrating, because you’re not treated as an individual. Whether you have primary or secondary pain, and whatever the symptoms, you’ll follow a set route – one of pain medication.
Medication is only effective up to a point and you may still suffer pain, which can lead you to feeling depressed. A study showed that over 60% of people with chronic pain suffer from depression. In which case, you may be prescribed antidepressants. None of these things address the root cause of your pain.
Chronic pain coaching gives you the tools to help yourself. By identifying the factors and stressors behind your pain and giving you a better understanding of it, you can begin to manage it.
Right now, you’re probably at the end of your tether and wondering if you’ll ever be able to live a life free of pain. While you may not ever be completely pain-free, you can enjoy the life you wish to lead.
Setting achievable goals can help to move you towards a new positive mindset. However, pacing yourself is very important. Often, once people begin to feel better, they do too much and set themselves back. During your pain management coaching sessions, we’ll discuss setting realistic goals that can be celebrated at every step.
No. Although I am a trained nurse, I don’t interfere with any of your medical interventions, your prescribed pain control or the advice of your medical professional or specialist. This allows me to help you regardless of your diagnosis – whether it’s lower back pain, sciatica, arthritis or fibromyalgia. We don’t treat the diagnosis, we treat your pain.
My role is to listen, support and work with you. Together, we’ll look at the whole picture: your history of illness, including your family history, your lifestyle, beliefs and emotions and connect the dots to find the roots of your long-term pain.
However, with your permission, I’m happy to work with your GP, pain clinic or pain management team. I believe the best results can be achieved by working together.
Many people who suffer from long-term pain don’t eat properly. When pain is consuming your every move, it’s difficult to cook a nutritious meal, and you could understandably resort to microwave meals and takeaways.
We’ll look at your general health and diet in relation to your pain and talk about more balanced nutrition if it’s applicable. I can also put you in touch with some excellent nutritionists if you would like more focused advice on your diet.
I offer a free 20-minute consultation to anyone interested in having chronic pain coaching. If you’d like to book your session, please contact me or fill in the online form.