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  • Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners

    What are other treatment suggestions for my chronic pain?

    Related Topic
    Pain
    I take 2 x 20mg Oxycontin a day for chronic pain.

    Related to spinal fusion to repair a pars defect over 3 years ago. I also take 2 x Lyrica 75mg. I am attending regular physio - can you suggest any other pain medication regime? I have tried Tramal in the past but they were not very effective and I had unpleasant side effects.
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    Jade Hucker

    Clinical Psychologist, Psychologist

    I'm a Clinical Psychologist working in a Pain Clinic. I'm not a doctor so I'm not going to suggest any alternate pain medications (although there are many. If your GP is not experienced treating chronic pain ask for a referral to a Pain Centre/Pain Specialist). I am going to make a couple of suggestions about pain management that I hope you find helpful.
    Make sure you are engaging in ACTIVE physiotherapy which is stretches and graded exercise. PASSIVE physiotherapy, such as, massage, hands on manipulations, etc may feel good temporarily but will not help your chronic pain long term.
    Secondly, if you don't alreday know about “pacing” you need to think about how you approach activity. Many people push past their tolerances to “get things done” and end up flaring themselves up. In short, pacing is about breaking tasks up and having more frequent rests to preserve energy over your whole day.
    Finally, you might find meditation helpful. Meditation introduces a new way to relate with your pain that helps deal with the emotional responses that we have to pain. There are lots of meditation classes around, just google to see where the closest one to you is.
    All pain medications have short term or long term side effects so perhaps try the suggestions above before investigating more medications.

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    Neil Synnott

    Exercise Physiologist, Physiotherapist

    I am qualified as a PHYSIOTHERAPIST and ACCREDITED EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGIST.I primarily use the McKENZIE METHOD for assessment and management of musculoskeletal pain disorders. The McKENZIE … View Profile

    Hi,
     
    Following up on Jade's comments from a physiotherapist perspective. 

    Pain management following surgery is a multifaceted approach - GP, physiotherapist, exercise physiologist, psychologist.

    I agree with Jade that physiotherapy should include more active approaches involving education about what pain actually is, exercises and stretches specific to your needs and general exercise for physical fitness. This physiotherapy should be based around the concepts of pacing and graded exposure to improve pain and physical/ movement tolerances.

    Finally, mindfulness (similar to meditation) can help you understand what influences your pain. Eg. specific activities, circumstances, environments and your emotional responses.

    All the best, Neil

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  • Anney

    HealthShare Member

    Thank you both for the time and trouble you have taken to answer my question - most appreciated!

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  • Sandra McFaul

    Physiotherapist

    Do you suffer from chronic lower back pain or neck pain? Based in SYDNEY, Sandra is 1 of ONLY 15 Physiotherapists in Australia with ADVANCED … View Profile

    Jade and Neil have both offered good advice.  You may want to look into a book about chronic pain called “Manage Your Pain”  it is based on the concepts of pain management and written by professionals that run the chronic pain clinic at Royal North Shore Hosptial Pain Clinic in Sydney.

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  • Patricia Durning

    Clinical Psychologist, Psychologist

    Over the past fifteen years Patricia has taught at Macquarie University, worked in private practice for 12 years and was the mood disorders unit Program … View Profile

    All of the above are excellent suggestions. 

    I'd like to add that It's really important that you understand your pain and how acute pain can become chronic pain over time and what you can do about preventing that.
    . 
    Have a look at this short video put together by Hunter Medicare Local. It will help to explain a range of understandings and misunderstandings about acute and chronic pain. 

    Understanding Pain: What to do about it in less than five minutes.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4b8oB757DKc

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    Dr Simon Easterbrook-Smith

    Health Professional

    My research interests include immunology and the mechanisms of amyloid formation. The latter has implications for people who are dealing with Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease … View Profile

    Anney, I think that the clinical professionals have all offered you good suggestions.

    If you live in or close to Sydney then the Pain Management & Research Centre (http://sydney.edu.au/medicine/pmri/patient-services/index.php) is worth investigating - it has a good reputation.

    If you are not close to Sydney then this site might be of help: http://www.painaustralia.org.au/consumers/getting-help.html .

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