What makes pain sticky for some people? And can we help unstick it?
Everyone has experienced pain. And recovered from it too. This is usually a predictable process; both in terms of the causative nature of the pain experience e.g., tripping up and landing heavily or burning yourself whilst cooking, and the time frame needed to recover i.e., your body repairing itself and the pain associated with damage settling.
Description
Taal scholing: Engels - Geaccrediteerd register algemeen - Kwaliteitshuis (SKF en KRF): 3 punten - ProQKine: 4 punten
Everyone has experienced pain. And recovered from it too. This is usually a predictable process; both in terms of the causative nature of the pain experience e.g., tripping up and landing heavily or burning yourself whilst cooking, and the time frame needed to recover i.e., your body repairing itself and the pain associated with damage settling. There are times, however, when pain remains long after the expected healing and recovery time. In other words, the pain has become 'sticky' and difficult to shake off or get rid of.
We are going to explore some of the proposed mechanisms for pain’s 'stickiness’, looking at plasticity at multiple interconnecting levels in our biology, from molecular to behavioural. We will also discuss the features, characteristics and life experiences that mean someone is more susceptible to developing a longer lasting pain experience. In other words, why someone is more vulnerable.
Given this vulnerability and pain ‘stickiness’ is there reason to be hopeful for someone’s recovery? What role can and should clinicians take in the recovery process? How can we help people ‘unstick’ their pain and embrace a brighter more vibrant future?
Learning outcomes
- Attendees will be able to recognise the influencing factors when pain persists in a person
- Attendees will be able to identify what role they play in the treatment of someone with persistent pain
- Attendees will be able to discuss and critically analyse the chances of recovery for a person with persistent pain