22/08/2022
Chronic pain is a severe cause of disability amongst the Australian population, affecting 1 in 5 Australians in 2016 data (ABS 2017). Chronic pain is defined as pain that lasts greater than 3 months, the normal expected healing time frame for injury and illness.
Chronic pain is caused by an initial injury, which is impacted by biopsychosocial aspects of an individual’s lifestyle leading to increased pain sensitivity, especially around the original pain location. Common lifestyle changes post injury leading to chronic pain include: activity avoidance, social isolation, loss of sleep, and mood disturbances.
Treatment is often centred on desensitizing pain signals through:
- Exercise
- Positive communication reflecting on outlook, goal setting and re-enablement (CBT).
- Targeting lifestyle factors: sleep, stress, social connectivity, diet.
- Analgesic medication
Lynne (below) has been working with LiveWise Health to re-enable her movement and incorporate some of the strategies above. She has found a vast improvement in quality of life and feels more in control of her life through physiotherapy. She can do more tasks at home by herself, without pain limiting her.
If you need assistance with pain management, LiveWise Health can support you. There are also specialist pain physiotherapists throughout Melbourne who can manage more complex cases if you cannot find a solution.
References
ABS 2017. Survey of Health Care, Australia 2016. ABS cat. no. 4343.0. Canberra: ABS. Findings based on AIHW analysis of ABS microdata
