Chronic Pain Affects 3 Million Veterans...
Pain & Pain Management
Pain is a feeling of physical or emotional discomfort, with a wide range of degrees, from mild nuisance pain to intense debilitating pain. Pain can influence a person’s physical and mental well-being, as well as daily functioning, depending on the degree and frequency.
Pain may be acute or chronic. Acute pain can be the result of actual or potential tissue damage and lasts less than three months. Acute pain often resolves over time (and sometimes completely on its own). However, at times acute pain can persist beyond three months and become chronic.
Chronic pain is complex and often brings with it a host of other symptoms and illnesses like fatigue, depression, anxiety, poor sleep, difficulty with coordination, and impaired mental function. While chronic pain can most often be successfully managed, it often cannot be cured. Examples of conditions that are associated with chronic pain include: traumatic injuries, arthritis, neuropathy, migraines, and nerve damage.
—Managing Pain—
Information from the experts for improving the experience of acute and chronic pain.
Patient Resource Group Overview The Patient Resource Group (PRG) was developed to support and advise patients, investigators, and study leadership regarding the...
Find information on talking with providers about your experience of pain and guidance on developing a plan for chronic pain relief. You'll...
It is important to honestly and openly share your experiences with chronic pain with your provider(s). You’ll want to be prepared for...
History of Pain Management
A Time Line of Pain Managment
Additional Resources for Managing Pain
Guidance from APA: Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain
APA released a clinical practice guideline for psychological and other nonpharmacological treatment of chronic musculoskeletal pain in adults, based on systematic reviews of the scientific literature.
A Q & A with Marc Rosen, MD and Steve Martino, PhD
Marc Rosen, MD, and Steve Martino, PhD, joined PMC to talk about their SBIRT trial which is studying the engagement of Veterans in pain management options when they seek Comp & Pen.
An Interview with Brian Ilfeld, MD, MS
Brian Ilfeld, MD, is studying the use of ultrasound-guided peripheral nerve stimulation to treat postoperative pain after ambulatory surgery, specifically after shoulder and ankle and foot surgery.
Integrative Health: An Interview with Karen Seal, MD, MPH
Our PMC editor sat down with Dr. Seal to talk about alternative approaches to pain management, integrative medicine, the VA’s Whole Health model for patient care, and working with the veteran population.
Opioid Disposal in the Media & CIH
As studies in Pain Management Collaboratory research nonpharmacological alternatives to chronic pain, it is important to consider what one should do with unused prescription opioids in their possession. The proper way to dispose of opioids is often unclear, and often misconstrued by the headlines.
Pain: Considering Complementary Approaches (eBook)
This 47-page eBook provides an overview of complementary health approaches for pain, including acupuncture, massage therapy, meditation, spinal manipulation, yoga, and more.
