Pain Assessment and Management, 2nd Edition _ _________________________________________________
Self-Assessment Question 4. Individuals in which age group are using more complementary and alternative treatments for chronic pain?
yoga/tai chi/qi gong, chiropractic/osteopathic manipulation, meditation, massage, special diets, homeopathy, progressive relaxation, and guided imagery. Following is a limited list of CAM treatments commonly used in pain management. • Acupuncture is widely used for pain relief, with initial neuroimaging research supporting the modulation of brain networks needed for sensory, affective, and cognitive processing (Niruthisard et al., 2024). Recently, there has been increasing evidence to support the use of acupuncture for pain management (Donahue et al., 2021). In a systematic review, Li et al. (2020) found evidence supporting the use of acupuncture for chronic pain relief when compared to sham acupuncture, after a minimum of five weeks, to achieve 80% maximum analgesic effect. These authors report higher analgesic effects with higher baseline pain. The NCCIH (2021) identifies that acupuncture is most effective for back and neck pain, osteoarthritis/ knee pain, and headaches. • A review of the literature identified a number of studies that found mind-body exercise including tai chi and qigong to be effective in reduction of pain resulting from knee osteoarthritis (Wen, 2022). These authors were not able to determine the efficacy for chronic low back pain and no significant benefit of mind-body exercise on quality of life of older adults. There is some evidence that 12 weeks of yoga practice can reduce chronic nonspecific low back pain (Kim, 2020). In a review of the literature, Zhu et al. (2020) found that there is no significant difference between yoga and other exercise programs, including physical therapy, at reducing pain. Yoga and other exercise programs have the ability to reduce pain in the short and intermediate time frames, with the majority between 4 and 8 weeks. While the number of studies about the effect of mind-body exercise including tai chi on pain is increasing, there is a need for additional research to better demonstrate its effectiveness. • Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) were reviewed for cost effectiveness and cost benefits (Zhang et al., 2022). These authors found that more structured interventions (mindfulness-based stress reduction [MBSR] and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy [MBCT]) are less costly and more effective among patients with chronic low back pain, fibromyalgia, and breast cancer.
A) 12 to 18 years B) 18 to 30 years C) 30 to 45 years D) 45 to 64 years
MIND/BODY TECHNIQUES TO CONTROL PAIN RELAXATION TECHNIQUES In a review of the literature, Yukari et al. (2015) found that relaxation techniques either decrease pain intensity or provide pain relief. In their review of the literature, Fernandez-Rodri- guez et al. (2022) found that mind-body techniques were one of the most effective interventions for reducing pain. Other potential benefits include the following (Metikaridis et al., 2017; Onieva-Zafra et al., 2015): • Reduced anxiety • Fewer stress-related symptoms • Reduced percentage of disability • Improved mood • Increased the secretion of endorphins • Increased self esteem Some of the more common types of relaxation strategies include the following: • Guided imagery—is founded in the knowledge that the body and mind are connected (Elliott Patricolo et al., 2017). Though not well understood, it is believed that guided imagery may involve changing how the mind perceives pain (Elliott Patricolo et al., 2017). The client imagines a pleasant experience or a soothing environment; the mind becomes absorbed in this task rather than focusing on potentially painful and anxiety-producing stimuli. • Deep breathing—also known as abdominal breathing. A review of the literature suggests that pain influences respiration and paced, slow breathing is associated with reduced pain. The mechanisms underlying this effect, however, are not well-understood (Jafari et al., 2017).
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