Mind and Body Management Strategies for Chronic Pain and Rheumatoid Arthritis

Abstract

Chronic pain (CP) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) pose particular challenges for the individual. Although biomedicine inevitably plays a role in the reduction or control of some symptoms for people living with chronic pain, directed self-management is also increasingly recognized as an important tool. Self-management can address pain-associated symptoms of CP and RA, and often has broader aims, such as promoting positive well-being. Forty-six interviews with people experiencing CP and 46 interviews with those living with RA-associated pain were analyzed. Our analysis uncovered three broad strategies adopted by participants: body management, mind-management and mind-body management. The analysis demonstrated that for those living with pain, a sense of well-being is achieved not through pain control alone, but also through various mind/body techniques for managing pain, accepting new limits, and adjusting the way people relate to themselves. These self-management strategies are an important adjunct to biomedical care for those experiencing chronic pain.

Redefined by illness: meta-ethnography of qualitative studies on the experience of rheumatoid arthritis

“…''Choose to leave things undone'' (p. 383). ''It's what's best for your illness and that's the driving force behind most decisions'' (p. 385) [43] ''To make the best of a bad situation'' (p. 661) [30] Use of time (pacing, planning, prioritization) [48] ''Trying to 'get on with things''' (p. 1578) [44] Body management (''You can fight it''); Mind management (''I can't do that''); Mind-body management (''Don't live against it, live with it''); Pacing (p. 1046) [35] ''They learned to live with [it]'' (p. 42); Conserve energy (p. 42); Transformation [36] ''I get through the day. I don't have anything else to give'' (p. 39) Unburdening of social role obligations (p. 43) [40] ''I have almost learned to live with it'' (p. 109) [33] Pacing; re-prioritizing activities (p. 701) …”

“…These are issues a person ''has to get used to'' [43], which could take some time: ''It took years until I could sort of build a personal relationship with the disease'' [40]. Once the grieving for the past life is over, disease ''denial'' is free to move from acknowledgement and on to acceptance [44]. The components of this process have been explored and include ''grieving while growing'', ''cultivating resilience'' and ''confronting negative feelings'' [45].…”

Self-Management of Chronic Pain: The Role of Religious Faith

“…(2011) found that distraction techniques, taking baths, and avoiding activities which might aggravate pain were commonly used by women with fibromyalgia. Shariff et al (2009) reported the use of mind and body management of pain which included distraction and pacing strategies. Participants in our study adopted similar strategies and these were not exclusively embedded in their religious beliefs (i.e.…”

Self-Management and Support in Chronic Pain Subgroups: Integrative Review

“…25 In addition, 2 studies noted how self-efficacy was strongly associated with exercise SM behavior and that self-directed strategies facilitated a sense of well-being and pain management. 26,27 Two studies by Ersek and colleagues 28,29 noted contrasting findings in physical function, pain, and disability. The latter was an RCT, while the former was nonexperimental.…”