Chronic Pain Physiotherapy
Assessment, treatment and management strategies for Chronic Pain
What is Pain?
The International Association for the Study of Pain defines pain as “an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage, or described in terms of such damage”. Pain is our body’s way of warning us when it feels under threat or in danger. It is a protective response that has evolved to allow us to survive.
What is Persistent Pain?
Persistent pain (also called chronic pain) is any pain that lasts longer than the typical time for an injury to heal. Most injuries heal within 3 months. Therefore, any pain lasting longer than 3 months is persistent pain and should be treated differently than acute pain. You can have pain even after your injury is healed and you can have pain without tissue damage.
Persistent pain is 100% real. It is caused by a change in the nerves and nervous system. Your nervous system is telling you that you are in still in danger even when that threat or danger has potentially been removed. There are many factors that can contribute to persistent pain. It is important that when being treated for persistent pain your healthcare practitioner uses a biopsychosocial approach to address all the factors contributing to your pain.
Chronic pain can exist anywhere in your body or throughout your entire body. Some common examples are chronic back pain, chronic hip pain, chronic pelvic pain, chronic tailbone pain, chronic neck pain, widespread chronic pain, fibromyalgia.
What is Persistent Pain?
Persistent pain (also called chronic pain) is any pain that lasts longer than the typical time for an injury to heal. Most injuries heal within 3 months. Therefore, any pain lasting longer than 3 months is persistent pain and should be treated differently than acute pain. You can have pain even after your injury is healed and you can have pain without tissue damage.
Persistent pain is 100% real. It is caused by a change in the nerves and nervous system. Your nervous system is telling you that you are in still in danger even when that threat or danger has potentially been removed. There are many factors that can contribute to persistent pain. It is important that when being treated for persistent pain your healthcare practitioner uses a biopsychosocial approach to address all the factors contributing to your pain.
Chronic pain can exist anywhere in your body or throughout your entire body. Some common examples are chronic back pain, chronic hip pain, chronic pelvic pain, chronic tailbone pain, chronic neck pain, widespread chronic pain, fibromyalgia.
What Is a BioPsychoSocial Approach?
A biopsychosocial approach considers all of the factors contributing to your pain within your treatment plan. Known contributors to persistent or chronic pain can be:
Physical contributors
Weakness, tightness, poor movement patterns or body awareness
Psychological contributors
Anxiety, stress, fears and worries
Social contributors
Home and work environment
Get help for your chronic pain today
What is the Treatment for Persistent Pain?
At Core Connection your Victoria BC physiotherapists we believe in a multi-disciplinary approach to treating pain. At your discretion, we will communicate with your physician and any other healthcare professionals you may be seeing. If warranted, we are happy to refer you to any other healthcare professionals that you may benefit from working with as well.
The following interventions have been shown to help with persistent pain.
Medication
Education
Physical Activity
Yoga
Mindfulness Meditation
Diet and Lifestyle Modification
Sleep Hygiene
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy