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Wooden mannequin with lightening bolts signifying pain in lower back

Chronic Pain: A common but invisible disease

Sep 25, 2024 - McMaster University - 60 minutes

Chronic pain, often called an 'invisible disease', is a complex and often misunderstood condition affecting nearly 8 million people in Canada. In this webinar recording, chronic pain expert Dr. Norman Buckley explores its causes, impacts, and management strategies and debunks misinformation about bogus remedies. Learn more about evidence-based approaches to managing chronic pain and helpful resources.

Learn the answers to the following questions:

01:18 What is pain?
06:14 Types and sources of pain
08:07 Acute vs. chronic pain
10:00 Prevalence and impact of chronic pain
12:16 The spiral of chronic pain
15:30 Physiological pathways of pain
19:03 Medication approaches to treat pain
23:45 Non-medication approaches to manage pain
25:51 The 'invisible disease' and interdisciplinary care
28:47 Pain information and the Internet
38:24 What is functional restoration?
43:38 The goal: A function-centred life
44:23 Helpful resources
44:34 Pain tolerance
52:04 Managing chronic joint pain with non-medication strategies
54:13 Managing neuropathic pain

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Download this one-page summary of helpful resources.

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Featured Resources

Website: Power Over Pain Portal

Topic: Pain Management

Topic: Back Pain

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Author Details

Norman Buckley

Dr. Norman Buckley is an anesthesiologist and chronic pain specialist and a Professor Emeritus in the Department of Anesthesia at McMaster University. He was the Director of the National Pain Centre for a decade and is the current Scientific Director of the Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Pain Research and Care.

References

Raja S, Carr D, Cohen M, et al. The revised International Association for the Study of Pain definition of pain: concepts, challenges, and compromises. PAIN 161(9):p 1976-1982, September 2020. doi: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000001939
Canadian Pain Task Force Report: March 2021. An Action Plan for Pain in Canada. Accessed September 23, 2024. Available at: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/corporate/about-health-canada/public-engagement/external-advisory-bodies/canadian-pain-task-force/report-2021.html
Lavand'homme P. The progression from acute to chronic pain. Curt Anaesthesiol. 2011 Oct;24(5):545-50. doi: 10.1097/ACO.0b013e32834a4f74. PMID: 21772141.

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