Your body is aching and the pain feels unbearable. The last thing you want to hear is, “it’s all in your head.” For people with chronic pain, the discomfort is very real, and they know all too well they feel it in their bodies. “If you are lying in bed and hurting, the pain is your whole world,” says Joseph
Hullett, MD, board certified psychiatrist and senior medical director for OptumHealth Behavioral Solutions in Golden Valley, Minn. Enter cognitive behavioral therapy as a method of pain management. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a form of talk therapy that helps people identify and develop skills to change negative thoughts and behaviors. CBT says
that individuals -- not outside situations and events -- create their own experiences, pain included. And by changing their negative thoughts and behaviors, people can change their awareness of pain and develop better coping skills, even if the actual level of pain stays the same. “The perception of pain is in your brain, so you can affect physical pain by addressing thoughts and
behaviors that fuel it,” Hullett tells WebMD. What can CBT do for you? Cognitive behavioral therapy helps provide pain relief in a few ways. First, it changes the way people view their pain. “CBT can change the thoughts, emotions, and behaviors related to pain, improve coping strategies, and put the discomfort in a better context,” Hullett says. You recognize that the pain interferes less with your quality of life, and therefore you can function better. CBT
can also change the physical response in the brain that makes pain worse. Pain causes stress, and stress affects pain control chemicals in the
brain, such as norepinephrine and serotonin, Hullett says. “CBT reduces the arousal that impacts these chemicals,” he says. This, in effect, may make the body’s natural pain relief response more powerful. To treat chronic pain, CBT is most often
used together with other methods of pain management. These remedies may include medications, physical therapy, weight loss,
massage, or in extreme cases, surgery. But among these various methods of pain control, CBT is often one of the most effective. To help provide pain relief, cognitive behavioral therapy:
If you want to try CBT for pain management, first talk with your doctor. They may know of a cognitive behavioral therapist who specializes in chronic pain or be able to point you in the right direction. Most cognitive behavioral therapy for pain control consists of weekly group or individual sessions lasting 45 minutes to two hours. Expect to attend between eight and 24 sessions, with
possible “booster” sessions to refresh your skills. “When you begin, the therapist will evaluate your pain, including the history and your current pain management methods,” says Katherine Muller, PsyD, director of the cognitive behavioral therapy program at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City. Your doctor will also do a general psychological assessment to identify any issues that may be making the pain worse. “The therapist will then work with you to design a specific treatment plan,” Muller says. Muller notes that CBT is usually covered by insurance. “However, in some cases, insurance companies won’t cover the treatment unless it is for pain AND a psychiatric diagnosis,” she says. Check with your insurance company about your individual coverage. Finding a CBT TherapistCognitive behavioral therapy is an increasingly popular treatment for all kinds of problems, pain relief included. As a result, more and more professionals call themselves cognitive behavioral therapists these days, even when they don’t have the proper training. To find a legitimate cognitive behavioral therapist who can help with pain management, do the following:
How to Get the Most from CBTTo maximize the pain control power of CBT, do the following:
Which strategies are Behavioural intervention for pain management?Mindfulness treatments, including mindfulness-based stress reduction, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, and mindfulness meditation, foster an awareness of the sensation of pain without judgment or emotional response.
Why is CBT effective for pain?Pain causes stress, and stress affects pain control chemicals in the brain, such as norepinephrine and serotonin, Hullett says. “CBT reduces the arousal that impacts these chemicals,” he says. This, in effect, may make the body's natural pain relief response more powerful.
What are 3 different types of pain management?Key pain management strategies include:. pain medicines.. physical therapies (such as heat or cold packs, massage, hydrotherapy and exercise). psychological therapies (such as cognitive behavioural therapy, relaxation techniques and meditation). mind and body techniques (such as acupuncture). community support groups.. What are common cognitive techniques for reducing pain?Using CBT, you can learn to stop these thoughts and replace them with helpful thoughts. This kind of thinking also involves calming your mind and body. You can use one or more techniques. These may include meditation, yoga, muscle relaxation, or guided imagery.
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