How to deal with chronic pain

The waiting game
Unfortunately, given an aging population that demands an increasing level of services, the waiting period for a thorough assessment and treatment plan can be long. Many pain clinics across the country have waiting lists of a year or longer.

But once patients do get assessed at a clinic, they're likely to be greeted with a whole new approach to treatment. They may be seen by a pain specialist and a psychiatrist, as well as a neurologist and a physiotherapist – all under one roof.

It's part of the new mind shift in chronic pain management that's been burgeoning over the last 10 years. The emphasis has changed from a quick fix to patients learning how to self-manage their pain for a lifetime, explains Noble. Today, there is also more of a team approach; members of a treatment team work together on all aspects of the pain problem, including psychological, social and physical. "You really have to look at all areas of that person and not just the pain problem," she says.

Alternative therapy
Acupuncture is an increasingly important part of this new holistic approach. A mainstay of Chinese medicine, acupuncture balances the body's energy by inserting fine sterile needles under the skin at specific points along energy pathways (meridians). When treating pain, the needles are sometimes placed on the opposite body part to that afflicted with pain (on a right hand, for example, if the left hand is affected), says David A. Bray, a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine in Toronto.

There's mounting evidence that acupuncture reduces pain, especially for people with muscular, nerve and lower-back pain. German researchers recently found that patients who were treated with acupuncture over six weeks experienced a nearly 50 per cent decrease in pain intensity, while those treated with conventional treatments over the same period had a less than 25 per cent decrease in pain.

A growing body of research is uncovering the benefits of other alternative approaches to pain, too. For example, a study released last September found that tai chi, qi gong and yoga in particular improved arthritis pain, joint pain and stiffness; and in other studies, yoga improved hip extension and stride length, and reduced joint tenderness and hand pain.

As well as traditional drugs, Nicole uses the holistic approach, including massage, reflexology and meditation, to keep her pain manageable. "I think it was a wake-up call for my health," she says.

As for Kelly, both meditation and acupuncture helped reduce her pain. Recent personal issues made it difficult for her to continue these practices, but she says she wants to get back to them. "I'm open to anything that works."

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