Chronic Pain Management in BathOur highly trained Bath Pain Management Physiotherapists can play an integral role in helping with your chronic pain. At Physioimpulse our aim is to maximise your ability to move and function, and therefore improve general health and well-being. Persistent pain, whatever the cause, can cause a significant decline in a person’s routine activities and participation, and your ability to function can be greatly affected by factors such as fear of injury, motivation and mood.
Pain can be classed as either acute or chronic. Acute pain is invariably caused by tissue damage or an irritating stimulation in relation to bodily insult or disease. Chronic pain is described as persistent pain that is not amenable to treatments based on specific remedies or to routine methods of pain control. It does not serve a biological purpose indicative of tissue damage or harm, and it may be considered a pain sensation that arises from within the nervous system rather than from an external source. With chronic pain there is a fault or malfunction of the body’s pain system where the body is unable to restore its normal balance. Chronic pain is a complicated issue and the answer is not always to have stronger and stronger pain killers. There are an estimated 14 million chronic pain suffers in England alone (Bridges 2011). The importance of adequate pain evaluation is essential in order to differentiate between acute and chronic pain so that appropriate evaluation and intervention strategies can be implemented. Below is a list of some example of causes of chronic pain.
A major focus of chronic pain intervention is the importance of increasing an individual’s function. The consequence of prolonged disuse of joints and muscles causes a physical deficit known as deconditioning, which can result in reduced mobility, reduced strength, lessened cardiopulmonary endurance, increased joint stiffness and postural strain. Exercise is a key component of pain management (PPA Standards 1998). Part of physiotherapy treatment consists of individualised physical reconditioning exercises and activities, and treatment will also need to address any long-term adaptations the body has made in its movement patterns. Our physiotherapist will provide you with exercises and stretches that are tailored to your individual needs, and can include pilates and yoga.
Hands on physiotherapy treatment (soft tissue techniques, joint mobilisations, acupuncture) can be useful to restore mobility and extensibility, and reduce sensitivity in muscles, ligaments and fascial layers that have been impacted by pain. It can also be important to learn techniques such as pacing and how to grade your return to activity; relaxation techniques, mindfulness, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT); use of modalities such as heat/ice/TENS, and use of lumbar or joint supports. Your physiotherapist can also liaise with your GP and/or other health professionals (should you wish) regarding aspects of your care such as drug therapy and psychotherapy. Traditionally, physiotherapist use clinical tests to assess and evaluate their patients. However these standardised tests do not correlate well with self-reports of chronic pain and dysfunction. Instead, improvements can be measured as improvements in activity performance and participation. Your physiotherapist may ask you to complete a questionnaire to assess how your pain interferes and affects different aspects of your life, and together you will set functional goals which give you something positive to aim for with treatment. Should you wish to discuss this further or book an appointment with our team please do not hesitate to contact us. Click on the links below for some useful resources! https://www.britishpainsociety.org/people-with-pain/frequently-asked-questions/ http://www.csp.org.uk/publications/physiotherapy-works-chronic-pain http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Pain/Pages/Gettingphysical.aspx 01225 683007
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Miles Buildings Clinic
3 Miles Buildings Bath BA1 2QS Bath Sports Centre North Parade Road Bath BA2 4ET Bath Pain Management
Prices on Request Appointments 01225 683007 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’, and this definition reflects both the subjective and multi-dimensional nature of pain. |
'Physio Impulse has changed my life, I can't recommend them highly enough. I was treated by Renu whose patience and careful explanations and well thought out individual work plan for my issues has helped to transform my daily life reducing my pain and improving issues that I've had most of my life. As long as you follow the exercise plan and ask those questions that you might think are too small or silly then I guarantee you will feel the benefit. Renu never made me feel silly (and I asked lots of questions) and understood that some weeks I was better than others and always listened carefully to my feedback to make sure we were on track. If you have any concerns that you think physio might help with I would recommend the thorough Physio Impulse assessment as your starting point.'