To handle the challenges involved with diagnosing and treating chronic spine pain, the spine rehabilitation team combines its skills into a multidisciplinary, integrated spine-care approach. Our program incorporates:

Education

Some of the lectures describe pain mechanisms, explain how something can be solid, stable, and healed and still hurt and explain the difference between acute pain (short-term, warning) and chronic pain (long-term, non-warning).

• Patients learn to dispel myths and misunderstandings about the spine.
• Patients are taught a wide array of exercises and cognitive skills that affect spine health and emotional well being. What is understood is much easier to deal with than what is not understood.

Physical and Aerobic Conditioning

Patients learn the benefits of physical exercise and conditioning to increase:

• Strength—using proper body mechanics
• Flexibility—developing supple muscles
• Endurance—developing staying power

Coping Skills

We use the term "coping skills" to refer to a variety of skills and techniques taught for pain management. All of these skills have a psychological component to them. Coping skills are sometimes referred to as "mind-body" techniques because they integrate both the mind and body for pain management.

Coping skills are taught in a group setting, using psycho-educational and group therapy/support techniques. While we validate the experience and stress of chronic pain, we do not dwell on pain. Instead, we focus on moving toward a more functional future.

Relaxation exercises to deal with stress and pain:
We teach various breathing and relaxation exercises to help patients learn to decrease unnecessary muscle tension and release the naturally occurring pain relieving responses by the body. We teach patients about these naturally occurring processes as a way of increasing their perceived control over their pain.

Imagery to focus on things other than pain:
We talk with patients about the relationship between stress and pain, and help them identify better ways of managing their current stressors through problem solving, cognitive restructuring, and identifying myths.

Cognitive behavioral and mind/body techniques for pain management:
We work to build self-esteem and self-efficacy, helping patients rediscover a better quality of life. We look at personal strengths and talk about how people view and operate in the world in different ways. We extend this discussion to different ways people cope with the stressors related to chronic pain.

Self Esteem Training

People with long-term pain may need help addressing self-esteem issues arising from:

• Not contributing financially
• Not helping around the house
• Not interacting with family as you would like

Vocational Exploration  

During the Spine Rehabilitation Program, you will meet with a vocational specialist to:

• Identify your vocational interests, work values, and transferable skills
• Clarify your goals
• Explore how networking, informational interviewing, and volunteering can be effective tools for your job search
• Expand your job seeking skills, including resume and cover letter writing and improving interviewing skills
• Learn more about the current job market and career opportunities