Chronic pain is a multi-factorial event that can leave the sufferer facing terrible pain alone, without solutions, and sometimes not even believed by others.

Did you know that 1 in 5 suffer with chronic pain? Wait times to see a pain specialist can take up to a year or longer and risk of suicide doubles for those suffering with chronic pain. With costs spiralling to over $60 billion + annually, it is startling that the seriousness of this situation is not given more focus.

We discuss the difficulty in dealing with chronic pain as well as some strategies that are proving useful for some people.

Approaches include:

• Medications and Injections
• Physical Therapies and Laser therapies
• Exercise
• Mind-Body Approaches – like Dr. Sarno's (TMS)
• Meditation or other self-reflection exercises
• Psychotherapy

One of the big problems with chronic pain is that it is invisible and your struggle might not be taken seriously by medical professionals. You may be left without solutions or a treatment plan to address your needs.

Chronic pain is complex and one solution does not fit all. In most cases, there is a need for approaches that include medicine, physical therapies, mind-body (biopsychosocial) counselling and rehabilitation. Not everyone has the resources for all these therapies and yet without them the outcome may leave the pain sufferer with insufficient relief and ongoing pain.

Links & Resources:

• The Problem with Chronic Pain: https://youtu.be/xfl1Q5hG5Pc?t=40
• Lynn Cooper past president of the Canadian Pain Coalition: https://theprovince.com/opinion/lynn-cooper-relief-needed-chronic-pain-is-a-complex-disease-and-should-be-treated-as-such
• Canadian Pain Task Force Report: June 2019: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/corporate/about-health-canada/public-engagement/external-advisory-bodies/canadian-pain-task-force/report-2019.html
• The Mind-Body Prescription – physical reactions are connected to emotions: https://youtu.be/pHM45IXkXeM
• Canadian Pain Society: https://www.canadianpainsociety.ca/
• Suffering from Confounding Symptoms: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/26/books/review/the-deep-places-ross-douthat.html
• The Deep Places: https://amzn.to/4bSiQol
• Treating Chronic Pain takes a Team: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/09/well/live/chronic-pain-treatment.html
• Psychologist help with Chronic Pain: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/09/well/mind/psychologists-chronic-pain-therapy.html