Every comprehensive pain center offers a psychological component as an integral part of the evaluation and treatment of their patients. Indeed, some of the major accrediting agencies for pain centers requires that psychology be part of the program. There are good reasons for this and some of these are described below.
Pain patients initially referred for psychological evaluation and treatment sometimes misunderstand the role of psychology. It is not because someone here considers your pain to be imaginary, not “real, ” or “all in your head ” This is decidedly not the case, at least not at PainCare! With very few exceptions, all patients in the PainCare program with chronic pain conditions are recommended for psychological assessment and treatment as part of their overall pain management.
As a person suffering the consequences of chronic pain, you know very well how pain can disrupt your life. Most people with chronic pain suffer from some degree of depression, anxiety, frustration and anger. They frequently suffer loss of self-esteem associated with limitations in their ability to function fully as parent, spouse, and productive individual.
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