February 16, 20107:34 am
posted by Aric Thorpe, MHR
Online pain management program shows promise
The Internet has been used in a variety of therapeutic interventions; online assessment, training, and even counseling have been among the many and increasing uses. Now an online pain management program has shown significant promise in improving coping skills, reducing depression and limiting stress in chronic pain patients. According to two studies, patients engaged in the online self-management program experienced significant improvements in behavioral, social and emotional outcomes after six months. A control group that did not participate in the program showed no significant improvement. According to Emil Chiauzzi, PhD, of Inflexxion, “Our goal is to help people communicate better with providers, understand better how they can use social support, understand the comorbid conditions, like anxiety and depression, and develop cognitive skills to help get them through their pain episodes.” The site, www.painaction.com, utilized multimedia education units, a pain inventory, general pain education, and medication risk management modules. A tour of the program can be found at http://www.painmanagement.com.
