Pain psychiatry
Chronic pain, or pain that is present for long periods of time or recurring, often causes much more than just physical distress. It can also bring about mental and emotional suffering, which in turn can lead to more and more physical pain.
At the Centre for Pain Medicine, our psychiatrists seek to recognise potential psychological problems, and if possible, link these problems to the patient’s chronic pain. Pain patients are extremely likely to suffer from psychological illnesses such as depression, anxiety or personality disorders, while nearly two-thirds are affected by severe sleep disturbances. Above all, the vicious cycle of pain, fear and depression must be recognised quickly and treated in a multidimensional fashion. Many psychiatric illnesses are intrinsic to chronic pain. These illnesses must be diagnosed and treated in an appropriate manner.
Modern pain therapy
Modern pain therapy has evolved from past models based entirely on physical treatments to new “multimodal” therapeutic approaches. Multimodal therapy simultaneously combines physical, psychological and social treatments, and thus corresponds to the “biopsychosocial” pain and therapy model. As per this model, a psychotherapeutic (see “pain psychotherapy”) and/or psychiatric assessment with treatment are indispensable to the successful treatment of chronic pain.
