Chronic Pain Management Programs

There are a wide variety of chronic pain conditions that improve with physical therapy, including headaches, fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and sports injuries, as well as neck pain, back pain, and knee pain. Physical therapists working in chronic pain management programs use massage, movement therapy, exercise, manipulation of joints, ice, heat, and electrical stimulation to help individuals with pain. Preventive measures are also stressed in sessions with physical therapists. For instance, they might emphasize the importance of good posture and practical shoes for the prevention of pain and long-term maintenance of pain relief.

There are many benefits to using acupuncture for chronic pain. Pain in the back, shoulders, and neck are the most common uses of acupuncture for chronic pain. It is also often used for severe headaches and the pain that comes with osteoarthritis.

This treatment modality has proven to be safe, with few, if any, side effects. For clients interested in a holistic approach to pain treatment, in which addictive painkillers are not prescribed, acupuncture offers a healthy alternative. In addition to treating pain, acupuncture is used to treat dry mouth, insomnia, anxiety and depression, and a host of other medical conditions. It is especially useful when used in combination with additional treatments and may be part of the customized, well-balanced plan of chronic pain management programs.

Acupuncture pain relief can be beneficial and involves the use of disposable, stainless steel needles about the thickness of a human hair, which are inserted into the skin at acupoints determined by the acupuncturist to be the areas requiring treatment. The acupuncturist may move the inserted needles up, down, or around at different speeds and depths. Most clients receiving acupuncture for their pain have reported that the treatment is virtually painless with little discomfort. At Westwind Recovery®, acupuncture is usually a weekly treatment. Sometimes pain relief comes immediately but sometimes repeated visits are necessary to gain long-lasting results.

Using mindfulness for pain recovery requires two skills: the ability to manage one’s thoughts and the ability to relax. Using both skills at the same time is called “mindfulness,” which means focusing on and letting go of one’s thoughts simultaneously. Research has shown that mindfulness can be a highly effective treatment for chronic pain.

Studies show that mindfulness changes the brain patterns associated with pain, and these changes can actually alter the structure of the brain itself over time, meaning that long-term relief is sometimes an outcome.

A wide variety of techniques can be used when approaching mindfulness and pain. While most people think of meditation when they hear the word mindfulness, meditation is not the only way to find a mindful state. A simple inquiry is a quick and easy way to detach from pain-producing thoughts.

Instead of “Ouch, this pain is always there, it never lets up!” one might ask, “Is there anything new about this pain?” to bring on mindfulness. Another well-known mindfulness technique is called the “body scan.” In this technique, one stops and gradually notices every part of the body, from the crown of the head to the tips of the toes, paying close attention to any area that carries pain, stress, or discomfort.

Westwind Recovery® has partnered with TRIPP, a virtual reality technology company specializing in wellness. TRIPP has created a mindfulness virtual reality meditation therapy using virtual reality headsets to give clients a mindfulness experience to invite mindfulness and calm into their daily lives.

One of the chronic pain management program modalities used at Westwind Recovery® is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Abbreviated as “ACT,” this therapy is based on the principle that all humans experience certain emotions, thoughts, memories, and unpleasant physical sensations. Problems are caused by trying to avoid or alter the experience.

This avoidance is especially true when resisting or avoiding feelings that arise from the pain, which causes more pain. ACT differs from traditional cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in that ACT teaches them to notice, accept, and embrace them, especially previously unwanted ones. There is no right or wrong way to approach one’s thoughts when it comes to pain recovery. Still, some modalities are more successful than others, depending on a person’s unique psychological orientation. That’s one reason we insist on creating an individualized treatment plan for each of our clients.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for chronic pain promotes mindful awareness by helping one separate thought from troublesome feelings associated with thought. This awareness is the acceptance part of ACT and is a tool that is well-known as part of 12-step programs. It involves surrender rather than a futile attempt to control the uncontrollable (which is, in Buddhist terms, what “attachment” is).

This therapy helps the individual get in touch with a transcendent sense of self, known as “self-as-context”—the person that is always there observing and experiencing and yet distinct from one’s thoughts, feelings, sensations, memories, and ego. The goal of ACT is also to help the individual clarify his or her values and take action on them, bringing more vitality and meaning to life in the process. The commitment part of ACT comes from making a commitment to clarify personal values and then behaving within them.

Call us today to plan your individualized chronic pain management programs in Los Angeles. Contact Westwind Recovery® for alcohol and drug rehab and addiction therapy programs.