Self Care

Pain Guide

Two similar, but distinct problems lead to the experience of pain.

1. Pain caused by damage of a body part.
   • This usually requires professional help (e.g., medications, surgery, etc.).
2. Pain caused by the brain sending a signal in response to a damaged body part.
   • Sometimes pain continues after the injury heals. Pain can also be felt if there is not an obvious injury.
     • This is an example of chronic pain.

The key to successful pain control is self-management.

• Self-management can be used with or without other treatments.
• Since pain starts in the brain, how we feel it can be influenced by whatever else is happening in the brain
• Because you have the most influence over what is happening in your brain, you can have a great deal of influence over your pain.

Please watch this video that talks about how self-care can be helpful in managing chronic pain.

Managing Pain: A Wholistic Approach (Run time: 4:07 minutes)