Interdisciplinary pain rehabilitation programs

“For so long I had been searching for a cure for my pain. Injections, pain medications, surgeries, massage, chiropractors, herbals… I tried everything. Nothing worked. My family, my doctor and I were frustrated and demoralized. I had never heard of an interdisciplinary pain rehabilitation program. My pain is still there but now I feel like I have my life back. I'm using all of the tools I've learned in the program to manage my pain. I feel like I have control over my life again. Now I'm making plans for the future rather than barely surviving through the day.” A 45-year-old woman after completing a 3-week interdisciplinary pain rehabilitation program Interdisciplinary pain rehabilitation programs (IPRPs) are the embodiment of the biopsychosocial model of care for patients with chronic pain. The biopsychosocial perspective suggests pain results from one's perception of the pain based on sensory phenomena, as well as beliefs and appraisals that interact with emotional factors, social influences, environmental reinforces and behavioral responses. All too frequently, the interaction of these factors contributes to significant distress and debilitation in the context of persistent pain. Treatment that is based on a biopsychosocial model addresses the biological basis of pain symptoms and teaches the patient techniques to gain a sense of control over the effects of pain by modifying the affective, behavioral, cognitive and sensory facets of the experience. There appears to be no other treatment that more effectively addresses these important components of chronic pain than IPRPs.