Introducing Pain Care Occupational Therapy
At Lifeworks OT, we understand the debilitating impact of persistent pain on daily life. That’s why we offer personalized pain care occupational therapy to help you manage your pain and reclaim your life. Our team of highly skilled occupational therapists provides individualized care that is tailored to meet your unique needs.
What is Persistent Pain?
Persistent pain, also known as chronic pain, is pain that lasts longer than the typical healing time, often considered to be more than three months. There are many conditions that cause persistent pain, including fibromyalgia, lower back pain, migraines, neuropathies, and complex regional pain syndrome. Some conditions are caused by injuries or underlying health problems, while others may be more difficult to diagnose.
Our Approach to Pain Care
The Pain Care OT program take a comprehensive approach to pain care. Our therapists are skilled in assessing the impact that pain has on your daily functioning, including self-care, work/study, and leisure activities. We also assess your ability to perform tasks in various environments, not just in our clinic.
Working with you and your loved ones, our therapists focus on minimising pain and helping you participate in meaningful activities. Our treatments cover a wide range of specialist areas, including chronic pain management, palliative care, neurological rehabilitation, mental health rehabilitation, and occupational rehabilitation.
The Benefits of Pain Care Occupational Therapy
- Improved daily functioning: Our therapists will assess your ability to perform daily tasks and provide techniques and tools to help you manage your pain and improve your overall function.
- Increased participation in meaningful activities: Our goal is to help you participate in the activities that bring you joy and purpose.
- Pain management: We use a variety of pain management techniques to help you manage your pain symptoms and reduce its impact on your daily life. This includes helping you understand what is happening in your body through pain science education so you can make informed choices on what treatment approaches are right for you.
- Reintegration to work and education: Our therapists will help you get back to work and school and support you through the process.
- Community integration: We will work with you to help you access services and resources within your local community.
At Lifeworks OT, we believe in a holistic approach to pain care and strive to provide a supportive and caring environment for our clients. Our therapists use the latest research and technology to provide the best possible care, and our focus is always on helping you reach your personal goals.
Contact us today to learn more about our pain care occupational therapy services and take the first step towards a well-lived life.
The Treatment Process
Typically, the Pain Care OT program involves the following:
- Initial Assessment: Our therapists will perform a comprehensive assessment to understand your pain, its impact on your daily life, and your personal goals.
- Personalised Care Plan: Based on your assessment, our therapists will develop a personalised care plan that is tailored to meet your unique needs and goals.
- Pain Management Techniques: Our therapists will use a variety of pain management techniques, such as neurosciencebased pain education, functional goal setting, sensory re-education, and psychology-based techniques to help you manage your pain. See summary of Pain Care Interventions list below for more details.
- Assistive Technology: Our therapists will provide assistive technology, such as assistive devices, biofeedback, and monitoring tools to support your progress and help you manage your pain.
- Reintegration: Our therapists will work with you to help you get back to work and school, participate in meaningful activities, and access resources within your local community.
- Ongoing Care: Our therapists will provide ongoing care to help you manage your pain, improve your daily functioning, and achieve your personal goals.
Interventions We Offer
Our therapists use a variety of evidence-based interventions to help manage pain, including:
- Neuroscience-based pain education
- Functional goal setting
- Sensory integration/processing/modulation
- Sensory re-education
- Provision of assistive devices
- Daily routines to support habit and role adaptation
- Psychology-based techniques, such as goal setting, acceptance and commitment therapy, cognitive restructuring, distraction, relaxation, grief and loss support, and mindfulness strategies
- Incorporation of current neuroscience evidence, including graded motor imagery, body schema distortion, pain empathy, cognitive impairment secondary to pain, and the effects of poor sleep and medication
- Biofeedback techniques, such as mirrors, EMG biofeedback machines, heart rate monitors, activity monitors, apps, and diaries
- Chronic disease self-management, including joint protection, back care, ergonomic principles, sleep hygiene, energy conservation, pacing education/self-regulation, flare-up management, intimacy, and sexuality
- Reintegration to work and productive roles
- Reintegration to school and study, from high school to university level
- Community integration, including safe access to the community and services, driving, public transport use, and computer use
- Health literacy and advocacy
- Interactive neurostimulation
Graded Motor Imagery
At Lifeworks OT, many of our therapists have been trained in Graded Motor Imagery, a leading evidence-based rehabilitation program for complex pain and movement problems based on the latest research on neuroplasticity.
Supported Mental Health & Psychiatric Conditions
Lifeworks OT provides occupational therapy services for a wide range of common persistent and complex pain conditions, including:
- Fibromyalgia
- Lower back pain
- Migraines
- Neuropathies
- Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)
- Arthritis
- Chronic neck pain
- Chronic headache
- Chronic pelvic pain
- Chronic shoulder pain
- Chronic abdominal pain
- Persistent post-surgical pain.
- Phantom limb pain
- Chronic musculoskeletal pain
- Chronic pain due to nerve damage
- Persistent pain from an injury
- Chronic pain related to cancer
- Chronic pain related to multiple sclerosis
- Chronic pain related to endometriosis
- Chronic pain related to sciatica
If you or a loved one is struggling with a persistent pain condition and would like to learn more about how pain care occupational therapy can help, please contact us to schedule an appointment. We are here to support you in your journey towards pain recovery and improved well-being.