explain
pain
6
section
113
page
Here are a few important things we now know
about explaining pain. We have learnt a lot in the
last ten years from research projects (many based
on this book) in several countries and from the
thousands of clinicians who now explain pain as a
part of everyday practice. A few things have
become clearer.
1.
It doesn’t help if it is boring! For all you
clinicians out there, explaining pain
successfully requires practice, educational and
coaching skills, knowledge, the ability to adapt
knowledge and skillful delivery.
2.
People without any training in the health
professions or biology can understand the
biology of pain, even though some health
professionals think that they can’t.
4
3.
Learning about pain biology reduces the threat
value of pain
1,9-11
. Reduced threat will reduce
the activation of all of our protective systems:
sympathetic, immune, endocrine andmotor.
Some people learn pain biologymore easily than
others, but nearly everyone can, regardless of
education and language, given the right
opportunities.
4,5
4.
Combining pain biology educationwith
movement approaches will increase physical
capacity, reduce pain and improve quality
of life.
2,3
5
. Understanding why somany things affect pain
actually reduces their effect on pain.
5
One aim of understanding the biology of pain is to
facilitate what is called ‘deep learning’, inwhich
information is retained and understood and applied
to problems at hand.
97
Just learning about what to
do, but not learning why, can be thought of as
‘superficial’ or ‘surface’ learning, which is when
information is remembered but not understood or
integratedwith attitudes and beliefs.
164-166
So,
understand
asmuch as you can about what is
causing pain, not just what you should do about it.
Remember – knowledge is the great liberator!
