Chronic Pain Management:
Physio and Sole Clinic Re-X Program
“pronounced as Re-Acts”
Chronic Pain is a complex, multi-dimensional experience. Most people believe that pain exists because of injury, but it is more than just that.
Pain, often associated with actual or potential tissue damage, can be an extremely unpleasant experience. It affects you, both physically and mentally. While acute pain is usually associated with injury and gradually dampens with recovery, chronic pain can arise and persist even 3 to 6 months after the injury has healed. It can also occur and persist without injury.
Most chronic pain sufferers experience pain almost daily, affecting their ability to undertake daily tasks and activities that they enjoy. He or she will often get frustrated and fearful about the situation and begin to sink into a vicious cycle of pain and disability. They often lose hope of getting better and lack confidence to do things they enjoy. Gradually, this may affect one’s occupation and relationship with their significant others. They may have seen different healthcare providers, been diagnosed with different conditions, given different explanations and different treatment but the pain does not go away.
Why is chronic pain so difficult to treat?
Chronic pain is typically related to a wide range of factors.
Interventions are usually successful when treating pain that arises from a specific area (for example, an ankle sprain), but chronic pain requires all factors to be addressed.
These factors include:
- lifestyle: activity levels, obesity, drinking and smoking
- posture, how you move, unhelpful muscle guarding and reduced strength or fitness
- sleep
- thoughts, feelings, mood and stress
- relationships and support networks
- employment and financial issues
Some of the above factors may not cause pain, but studies have shown that they can add on to your pain experience. To be able to overcome your pain, you will need to understand which factors contribute to your pain and address those factors.
Everyone is different.
What can this program do for me?
The outcome of this program is simple:
| 1. Reduce pain
2. Retrain how you react/respond to your pain 3. Regain your ability to engage in activities that you enjoy 4. Regain your independence
|
What is Re-X?
Re-X is a specialised program meant for people who suffer from persistent pain conditions. In line with the best treatment guidelines for the management of persistent pain, we have put together a state-of-the art conservative treatment program specifically aimed to target your pain.
It is mainly delivered by our physiotherapists who are well-versed in chronic pain management. These physiotherapists undergo hours of curriculum and real-life patient interactions in postgraduate programmes devoted to the current understanding of chronic pain. The positive results of clinical trials using these physiotherapy interventions have successfully been conducted in the areas of chronic back pain, whiplash-related neckpain, fibromyalgia, knee osteoarthritis and pre-operative spine surgeries.
| Unlike treatment options that you may have encountered before, this program is designed to help you now, and also in the future. |
The Re-X Intervention Plan
Exercise for chronic pain
Regular exercise or physical activity can help people with chronic pain improve their physical ability and reduce symptoms. However, it is important to start exercising slowly and gently, and gradually build up as your capacity improves. Exercises for chronic pain management may be different from a healthy person seeking to improve their strength, appearance or performance. To better manage your pain, you will need to understand what types of exercise to do, as well as how and when to progress your exercises. This way, you can reduce the possibility of painful flare-ups.
Counselling for chronic pain
Psychotherapy is the gold standard treatment for helping people cope with stressful lifestyles and mood disorders. As part of a holistic treatment program, we may suggest counselling if unhelpful thoughts, stress and mood disorders are the dominant factors underlying your pain. A professional psychotherapist who employs the latest evidence-based therapies will conduct one-to-one counselling sessions. You may be encouraged to take your loved ones along.
Feel free to Whatsapp any queries to our Ask a Physiotherapist Service at 9899 7967. Our experienced physiotherapists will be more than happy to assist you.
