Counselling and Pain

When I first came across the idea that Counselling might be a useful treatment or therapy for people who suffer from chronic pain I have to admit that even I was a bit on the sceptical side.  Okay having a chat does not have the kind of side effects that some  people might  get from pain killing  medications;  but does it actually work as a treatment for pain?

Well the evidence suggests it may.   In practice it is more a way of helping people deal with, rather than, kill pain.  And as we, people with chronic pain know, this sort of thing is very important.

So how might a counselling session help with pain management?

Well it is worth noting that pain is a bit more complex than just being a symptom of a chronic illness.  It may well be a symptom of a psychological condition such as depression or anxiety.  So, of course counselling, which hopes to deal with a psychological cause, would certainly be beneficial for long term pain reduction.

Stress is also a central cause of a number of conditions which give chronic pain. A number of different counselling techniques may offer respite from stress.  So being trained by a professional in relaxation could be very valuable.

Obviously counselling would  help with chronic pain which, in part, stems from psychological factors.  However in some cases counselling can offer assistance with  other types of pain management.   This, in fact, is twofold.  Firstly because of the dehabiliting nature of chronic pain counselling provides a path to a help the person deal with the very real grief they often feel for the loss of the life they led before the onset of chronic pain.

Secondly it can help provide a framework where by the patient can re-evaluate their day-to-day lives and to help set practical goals to learn to make the most of their new lifestyle.

So how does this work in practice?  Well over to you.

We would love it if you could share with us some of your experiences of counselling for pain management.  You might like to think about your answers in terms of the following questions. However anything you have to say is of great interest:-

a)      What is your main condition which causes pain?  What do you think triggered that pain?

b)      Have you used counselling to deal with your pain?  What sort of counselling was involved?

c)       How effective did you find counselling for pain management?

d)      Would you recommend counselling for pain management for others?

Please use the comments box below to share your thoughts.

Thanks very much in advance.