Pain Management Commons^™

The Effectiveness Of Art Therapy As A Treatment Modality In Improving Quality Of Life For Adults With Chronic Pain, Kayley Nelson

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

The efficacy of art therapy is explored in the context of improving the quality of life and mental health of individuals experiencing chronic pain. The exploration and examination of previous research on chronic pain and art therapy have led to various interconnected themes that tie together the needs of this population with the healing aspects of this treatment method. Through gathering data on both the negative impact of chronic pain and the healing aspects of art therapy and exploring research on chronic pain art therapy groups already in action, it can be deduced that future research may further illuminate the ...

Knowing What We Know: Leveraging Community Knowledge Through Automated Text-Mining, Justin Gardner, Jonathan Tory Toole, Hemant Kalia, Garry Spink Jr., Gordon Broderick

Advances in Clinical Medical Research and Healthcare Delivery

No abstract provided.

Reiki For Recovery: Incorporating Japanese Health Practices To Increase Contemporary Resiliency In American Health, Leif Peterson

Master's Projects and Capstones

The Japanese health practice of Reiki attempts to maximize the latent ability of the human system to heal itself. The Reiki system, established over a century ago, combines multiple Asian health traditions, experimenting with practices that maximize the natural processes of the body to perform its own repairs. Reiki encourages healthy behaviors that balance the mind and body, return the human system to a lowered stress level, and allow for an optimal recovery state for the patient. This paper illustrates how this Japanese health-affirming method can be integrated and utilized within existing health and medical practices. An area that is ...

The Use Of Mindfulness Meditation To Increase The Efficacy Of Mirror Visual Feedback For Reducing Phantom Limb Pain In Amputees, Nicolas Sebastian Mills

Doctoral Dissertations

Phantom limb pain is a chronic pain condition that negatively impacts the lives of over half of amputees, and results in considerable morbidity. Currently, there is no gold standard for treatment for phantom limb pain. However, a frequently used intervention is the use of mirror visual feedback, in which the amputee watches the reflection of the adjacent non-amputated limb move and exercise. In the last few decades, mindfulness-based interventions have been increasingly used with individuals living with different types of chronic pain. This study attempts to discover if the addition of a mindfulness-based intervention, such as guided meditation, will augment ...

Emotional And Social Functioning Of Parents Of Youth Presenting For Intensive Interdisciplinary Pain Treatment, Jenny Scheurich

Research Days

Background: Parents of youth with chronic pain experience significant emotional distress and social difficulties, and in turn, their distress impacts the health and functioning of youth with chronic pain. However, few studies have examined the specific emotional and social needs of these parents, and even fewer have tested intervention strategies specifically targeting these needs. Intensive interdisciplinary pain treatment (IIPT) for youth with chronic pain leads to improvement in the youth’s physical and mental health and has been associated with reduced anxiety and depression in parents. IIPT often include treatment modules aimed at parental pain management strategies, such as psychoeducation ...

Understanding Illness Encouragement And Pain Acceptance In Pediatric Patients With Abdominal Pain, Scott Wagoner

Research Days

Background: Parents can respond to their child’s abdominal pain in a variety of ways, and parental illness encouragement (e.g., spoiling, letting child stay home from school) is known to relate to longer periods of illness. Modeling and reinforcement of the “sick role” has been used to explain these processes. Many pediatric patients with abdominal pain will continue to experience symptoms in adulthood, so having a full understanding of what pain management techniques patients adopt is crucial. This study explored the impact of parental illness encouragement on how patients engage in valued activities (i.e., activity engagement) and prioritize ...

Sex As A Moderator In The Relationship Between Post-Operative Pain And Analgesics Administered In Children Undergoing Elective Surgery, Amber M. Osorno, Michelle A. Fortier, Zeev N. Kain, Brooke N. Jenkins

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

About 85% of children who undergo elective surgery experience pain post-operatively and many do not receive proper pain management care after discharge. Most parents lack an understanding of proper pain care management using analgesics upon discharge. Research reveals that adults rate girls as more sensitive to pain and that they display a greater amount of pain in a pediatric post-operative environment. In adulthood, women report more sensations of pain and have a higher pain tolerance, which can be attributed to physiological characteristics. Nonetheless, the social differences by which boys and girls experience pain and express their pain cannot be denied ...

Experience Of Loss And Resilience In Persons With Chronic Pain, Lauren Abshire

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Chronic pain is one of the most common concerns people seek medical treatment for, yet it is historically difficult to treat. The current best evidence practice in chronic pain treatment is through a multidisciplinary team with psychologists implementing cognitive behavioral therapy or acceptance commitment therapy. These approaches are efficacious in decreasing pain-related behaviors and improving mood and quality of life. Resilience has also been shown to mitigate the impact of chronic pain. However, the sense of loss or grief related to the experience of chronic pain has been inadequately explored in the research literature and may be related to poor ...

The Association Between Type-2 Diabetes Pathophysiology & Exercise Adherence, Sydney Raymond

Senior Honors Projects

According to the American Diabetes Association, 1 in 3 Americans will be diagnosed with diabetes. While some of these individuals will be prescribed medications as part of their treatment, most will also be advised to begin an exercise program to assist with blood glucose control. Additionally, while regular exercise is associated with lower HbA1C and decreased insulin/medication dependence, it is estimated that only about half of those diagnosed with diabetes will adhere to their exercise plans. Social, psychological, and physiological factors all play roles in affecting ones ability to adhere to an exercise regiment, and individuals with Type 2 ...

Super Placebos: A Feasibility Study Combining Contextual Factors To Promote Placebo Effects, Jay A. Olson, Michael Lifshitz, Amir Raz, Samuel P. L. Veissière

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Background: Ample evidence demonstrates that placebo effects are modulated by contextual factors. Few interventions, however, attempt to combine a broad range of these factors. Here, we explore the therapeutic power of placebos by leveraging factors including social proof, positive suggestion, and social learning. This study aimed to test the feasibility of an elaborate “super placebo” intervention to reduce symptoms of various disorders in a pediatric population.

Methods: In a single-arm qualitative study, participants entered an inactive MRI scanner which they were told could help their brain heal itself through the power of suggestion. The sample included 11 children (6–13 ...

A One-Session, Brief Acceptance And Commitment Therapy Workshop For Chronic Pain Patients: A One-Sample Pretest-Posttest Prospective Exploratory Study, Kelly Anne Thomas Ms

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Chronic pain affects one in every four persons (NIH, 2010). For individuals residing in rural communities where chronic pain treatment is often not accessible (Artnak et al., 2011), a one-session brief mental health intervention is a critical healthcare need. More specifically, acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) for chronic pain is a novel treatment approach in need of more research (Society of Clinical Psychology, 2016). This current study contributes to the gap in the literature by implementing an ACT workshop in a rural healthcare setting for individuals with chronic pain. It was hypothesized that the workshop would increase adaptive coping mechanisms ...

Athletes, Opioids And The Athletic Therapist, Jacqueline Vandertuin

Publications and Scholarship

Elite-level athletes often identify with the “athletic role” and embody personality characteristics associated with it. As such, athletes often have a “play at all costs” mentality which creates significant issues when injured. Frequently, athletes will play through pain and injury and rely on pain-relieving medication (PRM) to allow continuation of play. This reliance can pose significant risks to the athlete, including addictions to PRM and prevent the health care providers (HCP) from accurately assessing injuries. In 1995, pain was identified as the “fifth vital sign”, ensuring that physicians recognize the importance of pain management. This resulted in pharmaceutical companies expediting ...

Medical Knowledge As A Recalcitrant Epistemological System: An Application Of Standpoint Epistemology In The Analysis Of Marginalization Within U.S Healthcare, Abby Deshazo

CMC Senior Theses

Research on healthcare disparities outside the field of epistemology tend to miss the true origins of oppressions imposed on marginalized individuals by the U.S healthcare system. This happens because of the false belief that these oppressions are reducible to social or political oppressions. By employing the perspective of a standpoint epistemologist, we can better identify the origins of these oppressions and subsequently consider more appropriate solutions. The standpoint epistemologist’s perspective (1) provides an intuitive case for the role individuals’ schemas play in the evaluation of what healthcare professionals know; (2) situates medical knowledge within epistemology, leading us to ...

And The Stars Look Very Different Today, Amy Rogin

The STEAM Journal

A personal reflection about synesthesia

Screening, Brief Intervention, And Referral To Treatment For Pain Management For Veterans Seeking Service-Connection Payments For Musculoskeletal Disorders: Sbirt-Pm Study Protocol, Steve Martino, Christina Lazar, John Sellinger, Kathryn Gilstad-Hayden, Brenda Fenton, Paul G. Barnett, Brad R. Brummett, Diana M. Higgins, Paul Holtzheimer, Kristin M. Mattocks, Tu Ngo, Thomas E. Reznik, Alicia M. Semiatin, Todd Stapley, Marc I. Rosen

COVID-19 Publications by UMMS Authors

BACKGROUND: Veterans with significant chronic pain from musculoskeletal disorders are at risk of substance misuse. Veterans whose condition is the result of military service may be eligible for a disability pension. Department of Veterans Affairs compensation examinations, which determine the degree of disability and whether it was connected to military service, represent an opportunity to engage Veterans in pain management and substance use treatments. A multisite randomized clinical trial is testing the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment for Pain Management (SBIRT-PM) for Veterans seeking compensation for musculoskeletal disorders. This telephone-based intervention is delivered through ...

Nursing Students’ Knowledge And Attitudes About Pain Management And Opioids, Hedieh Hatami Sirjani

Health Services Research Dissertations

Statement of the problem: healthcare professionals’ knowledge of using opioids for pain management safely is critical in preventing opioid abuse and overdose. Undergraduate curricula of health professional schools, including undergraduate nursing programs, need to improve and adopt a comprehensive education regarding this issue.

Method: the first project was a systematic analysis of the literature regarding the educational interventions’ impact on healthcare professional knowledge and practice behavior regarding prescription opioids. The second project was a qualitative study of nursing students to explore their experience, self-efficacy, and knowledge of prescription opioid use for pain management and whether they feel the need for ...

Prevalence Of Pain On Admission By Level Of Cognitive Impairment In Nursing Homes, Catherine E. Dube, Reynolds A. Morrison, Deborah Mack, William M. Jesdale, Anthony P. Nunes, Shao-Hsien Liu, Kate L. Lapane

Open Access Publications by UMMS Authors

Purpose: To provide contemporary estimates of pain by level of cognitive impairment among US nursing home residents without cancer.

Methods: Newly admitted US nursing home residents without cancer assessed with the Minimum Data Set 3.0 at admission (2010-2016) were eligible (n=8,613,080). The Cognitive Function Scale was used to categorize level of cognitive impairment. Self-report or staff-assessed pain was used based on a 5-day look-back period. Estimates of adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR) were derived from modified Poisson models.

Results: Documented prevalence of pain decreased with increased levels of cognitive impairment in those who self-reported pain (68.9 ...

Group Acupuncture Therapy With Yoga Therapy For Chronic Neck, Low Back, And Osteoarthritis Pain In Safety Net Setting For An Underserved Population: Design And Rationale For A Feasibility Pilot, Arya Nielsen, Ray Teets, Steffany Moonaz, Belinda J. Anderson, Eve Walter, Mirta Milanes, Donna M. Mah, M. Diane Mckee, Benjamin Kligler

Open Access Publications by UMMS Authors

Chronic pain is prevalent in the United States, with impact on physical and psychological functioning as well as lost work productivity. Minority and lower socioeconomic populations have increased prevalence of chronic pain with less access to pain care, poorer outcomes, and higher risk of fatal opioid overdose. Acupuncture therapy is effective in treating chronic pain conditions including chronic low back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, and knee pain from osteoarthritis. Acupuncture therapy, including group acupuncture, is feasible and effective, and specifically so for underserved and diverse populations at risk for health outcome disparities. Acupuncture therapy also encourages patient engagement and ...

Improving Patient-Provider Communication About Chronic Pain: Development And Feasibility Testing Of A Shared Decision-Making Tool, Nananda Col, Stephen Hull, Vicky Springmann, Long Ngo, Ernie Merritt, Susan Gold, Michael Sprintz, Noel Genova, Noah Nesin, Brenda Tierman, Frank Sanfilippo, Richard Entel, Lori Pbert

University of Massachusetts Medical School Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Chronic pain has emerged as a disease in itself, affecting a growing number of people. Effective patient-provider communication is central to good pain management because pain can only be understood from the patient's perspective. We aimed to develop a user-centered tool to improve patient-provider communication about chronic pain and assess its feasibility in real-world settings in preparation for further evaluation and distribution.

METHODS: To identify and prioritize patient treatment goals for chronic pain, strategies to improve patient-provider communication about chronic pain, and facilitate implementation of the tool, we conducted nominal group technique meetings and card sorting with patients ...

Creatively Exploring Self: Applying Organic Inquiry, A Transpersonal And Intuitive Methodology, Larisa J. Bardsley Phd

The Qualitative Report

This article explores the merit of using Organic Inquiry, a qualitative research approach that is most effectively applied to areas of psychological and spiritual growth. Organic Inquiry is a research approach where the psyche of the researcher becomes the instrument of the research, working in partnership with the experiences of participants and guided by liminal and spiritual influences. Organic Inquiry is presented as a unique methodology that can incorporate other non-traditional research methods, including intuitive, autoethnographic and creative techniques. The validity and application of Organic Inquiry, as well as its strengths and limitations are discussed in the light of the ...