More Americans suffer from chronic pain than from diabetes, stroke, coronary disease and cancer combined, according to the National Academy of Science’s Institute of Medicine. The suffering takes many forms, as more than 70 percent of those reporting chronic pain indicate that depression, poor concentration and/or low energy are among the effects.
Traditionally, the medical approach to pain has been to identify and treat the cause. However, reports from the Institute of Medicine show that chronic pain can outlast the illness or injury that caused it, altering the nervous system so that pain – persistent and amplified — becomes its own disease.
On a more encouraging note, research also has shown that individuals dealing with chronic pain can benefit from strategies to help manage it. One of the more successful programs in this regard, the Chronic Pain Self-Management Program (CPSMP), will be offered locally on Wednesdays, July 13 – August 17, 5:30-8:00 p.m. at University of Maryland Shore Regional Health’s Center for Integrative Medicine in Easton.
This six-week interactive program, taught by Barbara V. Jarrell, coordinator for the Mid-Shore, Chronic Disease Self-Management Program, is offered free of charge with the optional purchase of a workbook for $20. Past participants in this course have cited rheumatoid arthritis, work-related and other injuries, car accidents and various chronic diseases as the precipitating causes of their pain.
Research conducted by clinics where CPSMP has been provided have shown that overall, patients who have completed the program report less pain and dependence on others, more vitality, higher activity levels, improved mental health and greater overall satisfaction than those who have not taken the program.
The Center for Integrative Medicine is located at 522 Cynwood Lane, Suite #300 in Easton. Advance registration for the CPSMP is required due to limited class size. For information about the course, including registration, contact Barbara V. Jarrell, 410-310-2331.
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