Caring for Clients with Chronic Pain
About the course
This course provides a comprehensive understanding of chronic pain management in care settings. It equips healthcare and social care professionals with evidence-based knowledge on the causes, impact, treatment approaches, and ethical considerations involved in supporting individuals with chronic pain.
What will you learn
Understanding Chronic Pain and Its Impact
- Define chronic pain, its causes, types (neuropathic, nociceptive, mixed), and prevalence.
- Recognise common conditions (arthritis, fibromyalgia, neuropathy, migraines).
- Understand the physical, psychological, and social impact of chronic pain.
- Identify misconceptions and stigma affecting pain sufferers.
Pain Management Approaches and Techniques
- Explore pharmacological treatments, including NSAIDs, antidepressants, and opioids, with a focus on safe prescribing.
- Learn about non-pharmacological strategies such as physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).
- Understand self-management techniques, including pain diaries, pacing strategies, and lifestyle modifications.
Communication and Emotional Support in Pain Management
- Develop empathetic communication skills to improve trust and engagement.
- Learn to use structured pain assessment tools (Numerical Rating Scale, McGill Pain Questionnaire).
- Understand the emotional impact of chronic pain and explore psychological support strategies.
- Encourage client independence through assistive devices and lifestyle adaptations.
Ethical, Legal, and Professional Responsibilities
- Understand ethical principles such as informed consent, autonomy, and beneficence.
- Recognise safeguarding concerns (medication misuse, financial exploitation).
- Explore best practices in pain relief while ensuring medication safety.
- Learn about emerging trends, including VR therapy, wearable devices, and digital pain management tools.
Course Content
References
Reference List
- British Pain Society. (2019). The Impact of Chronic Pain on Employment and Quality of Life. Retrieved from [www.britishpainsociety.org](https://www.britishpainsociety.org)
- Eccleston, C., Fisher, E., Fenton, B., & Morley, S. (2017). Psychological interventions for chronic pain in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis. The Lancet, 390(10093), 698-707.
- Fayaz, A., Croft, P., Langford, R. M., Donaldson, L. J., & Jones, G. T. (2016). Prevalence of chronic pain in the UK: A systematic review and meta-analysis of population studies. BMJ Open, 6(6), e010364.
- Geneen, L. J., Moore, R. A., Clarke, C., Martin, D., Colvin, L. A., & Smith, B. H. (2017). Physical activity and exercise for chronic pain in adults: An overview of Cochrane Reviews. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, (1), CD011279.
- Goyal, M., Singh, S., Sibinga, E. M., et al. (2021). Meditation programs for psychological stress and well-being: A systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Internal Medicine, 174(3), 357-368.
- Hooten, W. M. (2016). Chronic pain and mental health disorders: Shared neural mechanisms, epidemiology, and treatment. Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 91(7), 955-970.
- International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP). (2020). Chronic Pain after Surgery: Incidence and Risk Factors. Retrieved from [www.iasp-pain.org](https://www.iasp-pain.org)
- Jensen, M. P., Turk, D. C., & Melzack, R. (2019). The measurement of pain in adults. In Handbook of Pain Assessment (3rd ed., pp. 11-36). The Guilford Press.
- Jones, L. E., Kulkarni, B., & Watson, P. J. (2020). The effectiveness of virtual reality for chronic pain management: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Pain Reports, 5(2), e823.
- Matthias, M. S., Krebs, E. E., Collins, L. A., Bergman, A. A., Coffing, J. M., & Bair, M. J. (2010). “I’m not abusing or anything”: Patient-physician communication about opioid treatment in chronic pain. Patient Education and Counseling, 80(1), 72-78.
- McWilliams, L. A., Cox, B. J., & Enns, M. W. (2003). Mood and anxiety disorders associated with chronic pain: An examination in a nationally representative sample. Pain, 106(1-2), 127-133.
- Public Health England. (2019). Opioid prescribing in England: Review and recommendations. Retrieved from [www.gov.uk/phe](https://www.gov.uk/phe)
- Racine, M. (2018). Chronic pain and suicide risk: A comprehensive review. Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry, 87, 269-280.
- Samulowitz, A., Gremyr, I., Eriksson, E., & Hensing, G. (2018). “Brave men” and “emotional women”: A theory-guided literature review on gender bias in healthcare and pain management. Pain Research & Management, 2018, 6358624.
- Smith, S. M., Sager, C. B., & Black, C. M. (2022). The role of digital interventions in chronic pain self-management: A systematic review. Journal of Pain Research, 15, 183-195.
- Vowles, K. E., McEntee, M. L., Julnes, P. S., Frohe, T., Ney, J. P., & Van der Goes, D. N. (2015). Rates of opioid misuse, abuse, and addiction in chronic pain: A systematic review and data synthesis. Pain, 156(4), 569-576.
- van Ryckeghem, D. M. L., Crombez, G., Goubert, L., et al. (2021). Why do patients with chronic pain feel invalidated? A comprehensive review of the literature. Pain, 162(10), 2350-2361.
- World Health Organization (WHO). (2021). Global report on chronic pain and its impact on health systems. Retrieved from [www.who.int](https://www.who.int)

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