Integrative medicine for chronic pain

Abstract

Introduction:Integrative medicine inpatient treatment has been shown to improve physical and mental health in patients with internal medicine conditions. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of a 2-week integrative medicine inpatient treatment in patients with chronic pain syndromes and the association of treatment success with patient-related process variables.Methods:Inpatients with chronic pain syndromes participating in a 2-week integrative medicine inpatient program were included. Patients’ pain intensity, pain disability, pain perception, quality of life, depression, and perceived stress were measured on admission, discharge, and 6 months after discharge. Likewise process variables including ability and will to change, emotional/rational disease acceptance, mindfulness, life and health satisfaction, and easiness of life were assessed.Results:A total of 310 inpatients (91% female, mean age 50.7 ± 12.4 year, 26.5% low back pain, and 22.9% fibromyalgia) were included. Using mixed linear models, significant improvements in pain intensity, pain disability, pain perception, quality of life, depression, and perceived stress were found (all P < 0.05). Ability to change and implementation, disease acceptance, mindfulness, life and health satisfaction, and light heartedness/easiness likewise improved (all P < 0.05). Improved outcomes were associated with increases in process variables, mainly ability to change and implementation, disease acceptance, life and health satisfaction, and light heartedness/easiness (R2 = 0.03–0.40).Conclusions:Results of this study suggest that a 2-week integrative medicine inpatient treatment can benefit patients with chronic pain conditions. Functional improvements are associated with improved ability to change and implementation, disease acceptance, and satisfaction.

Postural awareness and its relation to pain: validation of an innovative instrument measuring awareness of body posture in patients with chronic pain

“…This is a secondary analysis of data from two observational studies that were conducted at an academic medical center in Germany [ 31 ] ( Lauche, manuscript in preparation ). The primary aims of the observational studies was to investigate the effects of either a 2-week inpatient or a 10-week semi-stationary integrative medicine treatment on chronic pain.…”

Being aware of the painful body: Validation of the German Body Awareness Questionnaire and Body Responsiveness Questionnaire in patients with chronic pain

“…The intervention is based on the mind–body program of the Benson–Henry Mind/Body Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School [ 26 ] and the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program of the University of Massachusetts [ 27 , 28 ]. The intervention has been shown to decrease pain intensity in patients with chronic pain [ 29 ]; in addition to teaching mindfulness, it incorporates a number of interventions that have been shown to improve body awareness, such as yoga and qigong/Tai chi [ 30 – 31 ]. These interventions were practiced about 60 to 120 minutes during each meeting, and patients were encouraged to also practice at home [ 25 ].…”

Development and implementation of an inpatient multidisciplinary pain management program for patients with intractable chronic musculoskeletal pain in Japan: preliminary report

“…Because their method involves interdisciplinary pain management, results may differ from our multidisciplinary program; however, the improvements in pain, mental health, and coping outcomes are similar to our results. The program at the University of Duisburg-Essen in Germany 52 is a multidisciplinary pain management program consisting of a team of physicians, nurses, and mind–body therapists. Patients are hospitalized for 2 weeks; treatment methods are similar to our multidisciplinary approach and include physiotherapy, exercise, stress reduction, and nutritional education.…”