Pain Treatment Center

Brighton - Surgery Center at Sawgrass

It is difficult for anyone without personal experience to understand the full impact of chronic pain. Persistent pain limits the ability to fulfill responsibilities at work, home, and in the community, disrupting routines and creating multiple stressors. Fewer opportunities to engage in pleasurable and meaningful activities and the resulting isolation are some reasons why depression and anxiety are so common with chronic pain. Over time, patients and their families may become worn down both physically and emotionally and feel that chronic pain is taking over their lives.

The role of the psychologist  is to help you learn various techniques for controlling your pain and the changes in your life it has caused, and also to help your treatment team understand the impact of chronic pain on your health, emotions, behavior, and overall quality of life and, in turn, how this might impact various aspects of your treatment. Behavioral medicine treatment may be recommended in addition to treatments provided by other members of your team.

Behavioral medicine treatment is based on the principle that the active participation of the patient in all aspects of treatment is the key to success. We believe that your pain is real, not “all in your head,” or exaggerated. You are the expert on your pain and our goal is to provide the services, support, and tools to put you back in charge of managing your pain and life.

Behavioral medicine treatment typically consists of a combination of education, training, coaching, and counseling: This might include:

Education on basic principles of chronic pain and its treatment, and on developing a program of healthy behaviors, including exercise and nutrition, that can help break the vicious cycle in which pain continues long after the original injury has healed.

Training in techniques to reduce or better control pain levels and negative emotions. These include biofeedback, deep muscle relaxation, stress management, visualization, self-hypnosis, distraction, and relaxed breathing. Selecting the right mix of techniques and modifying them to each patient’s needs and goals largely determines whether they are a successful part of a pain management strategy.

Coaching and education to help you increase the success of treatment by becoming a more active and effective participant and leader. This includes becoming your own expert in tracking symptoms and treatment response, setting goals and priorities, communicating effectively with providers, and becoming your best advocate in negotiating the complicated array of agencies, clinics and bureaucracies involved in your care.

Counseling can help relieve depression, anxiety, fear and anger. Identifying and changing the negative thoughts that often accompany chronic pain, such as helplessness and hopelessness (and worthlessness) can improve your ability to effectively participate in your treatment. When mood improves, patients often experience an increase in pain tolerance and even a reduction in the intensity of pain and its interference in meaningful and enjoyable activities.

Counseling also often helps families and couples deal with the stress and conflict that pain can put on relationships. In addition, involving family members in treatment can, improve understanding, communication, and cooperation, and better use the talents and strengths with which the family has used to meet other challenges in the past.