March 2023 Pain BC Newsletter | | Addressing unmanaged pain as a driver of substance use conditions | |
Earlier this year, British Columbia made headlines as it became the first province to decriminalize possession of small amounts of drugs, including cocaine, methamphetamine, MDMA, and opioids, in an effort to reduce overdose deaths in the province. The three-year pilot project aims to reduce barriers to life-saving supports and services for people at risk of overdose, and has been met with widely varied reactions ranging from enthusiastic praise to outraged criticism.
While it remains to be seen how successful this pilot project will be in reducing deaths by overdose, one thing is certain – no one approach will end this devastating crisis.
BC needs a comprehensive plan that includes compassionate person-centred treatment and investment in upstream drivers of substance use. Unmanaged pain is one such driver and is experienced by nearly half of those who have died of overdose in BC. Policies for managing pain and substance use must be thoughtfully aligned and correspondingly ambitious.
For investment in pain management as an effective upstream intervention, pain must be recognized as a public health priority across Canada. We encourage you to read the specific recommendations to address this goal, among others, in Health Canada’s Action Plan for Pain in Canada, and to join us and the many partners in our national action network, Pain Canada, as to advocate for their implementation. Working together, we can achieve dramatically improved systems of care and support for all people with pain.
| | Pain BC programs, resources and updates | |
Get emotional support on our Pain Support Line
Book a phone appointment with us online
Living with pain can be isolating, and it may feel difficult to find help. The mental health professionals at our Pain Support Line offer emotional support and up to three follow-up calls for people with pain or their loved ones. You can book a time to connect one-on-one with a trained staff member through our new online registration option. Simply select an available time that works for you and enter your contact information, and our staff will give you a call at the arranged time.
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New Pain Support and Wellness Groups
LGBTQ2S, young adult, and BIPOC groups launched
Pain Support and Wellness Groups offer an opportunity for people living with persistent pain to meet on a regular basis to learn about self-management as well as receive and provide support by sharing knowledge, experiences and coping strategies.
We are excited to share that we have launched three new groups with sessions occurring on the third Tuesday of every month: LGBTQ2S, young adults (18-35), and BIPOC.
| | Our supports for people with pain | | Knowledge is power. Learn to manage pain and improve well-being though our library of evidence-based articles on LivePlanBe or start a customized program on LivePlanBe+. | |  | Connect with Pain Support Line staff to talk about your pain, find information on community resources, learn about pain and self-management, and much more. | | | Join an online group and build a community of support while learning about pain, pain management and coping strategies. | | | Receive one-on-one phone support and mentorship from a coach who will help you learn about self-management, regaining function and improving your well-being. | | |
Gentle Movement @ Home: Guided movement and relaxation for pain
Gentle Movement @ Home free online videos provide guided movement and relaxation designed to help people with persistent pain learn to feel safe to move again. Topics include breath awareness and regulation, body tension regulation, and movement and relaxation techniques in both seated and standing positions.
The full collection of Gentle Movement @ Home videos are available to view for free via our YouTube channel.
| | | Upcoming Pain BC and partner workshops, webinars and courses for health care providers | |
Effective Prescribing of Opioids for Chronic Pain
Pain Canada is delivering Effective Prescribing of Opioids for Chronic Pain (EPOCH) this spring. The course consists of three webinars and a capstone workshop to help health care providers deepen skills and practice in using opioid medications as part of a multi-modal approach to chronic pain management. The course is available to health care providers across Canada.
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Pain Foundations for Primary Care Providers
This practical, compact course allows physicians and nurse practitioners to develop clinically relevant approaches to chronic pain management, including non-pharmacological treatments and prescribing best practices. Learners will develop a strong grounding in pain science to support further exploration. The course is free for primary care providers in BC and offered at a modest cost for physicians and nurse practitioners outside of BC.
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Gentle Movement and Relaxation course
This free, online course will equip physiotherapists and other therapeutic movement professionals with practical knowledge and teaching resources to lead their own movement and relaxation programs for people living with chronic pain.
The Gentle Movement and Relaxation course is currently available to BC health care providers only.
| | | Pain BC relies on the generosity of our donors to deliver our programs and services. We gratefully acknowledge that many of our programs and services receive partial financial support from the Province of British Columbia, including Coaching for Health, the Pain Support Line, Pain Support and Wellness Groups, our chronic pain management workshops for health care providers, Gentle Movement and Relaxation course, LivePlanBe, Making Sense of Pain, Pain Foundations, and the Pain Waves podcast. | | Other programs, opportunities and resources | |
Cassie + Friends event: Newly Diagnosed
Free virtual session on March 28, 2023
If your child has been recently diagnosed with a chronic rheumatic disease, Cassie + Friends' March event may be of help to you. Newly Diagnosed: The First 12 Months will be presented by medical speaker Dr. Nadia Luca from the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) and includes both a parent and youth speaker. Topics will include medications and injections, communicating your child’s needs at school, and what support you can expect to receive from your pediatric rheumatology team. The session will be offered in both English and French.
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HIV/AIDS and chronic pain
In-person event in Québec City with virtual option: April 27, 2023
Chronic pain is incredibly common among people living with HIV/AIDS, yet there are currently no Canadian clinical guidelines to manage it. The Canadian HIV/AIDS and Chronic Pain Society, BCC3 study, and the Global Task Force on Chronic Pain in HIV are hosting this event as part of the larger Canadian Conference on HIV/AIDS Research (CAHR 2023). It will bring together community members, people living with HIV/AIDS, frontline service providers, scientists, and community-based researchers to make recommendations for research, service, program, and policy regarding chronic pain management and wellness of people living with HIV/AIDS. The event is free to attend in person or online, but registration is required.
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Pacific Pain Forum
In-person in Vancouver with virtual option: April 28, 2023
The Pacific Pain Forum is a full-day hybrid pain conference presented by Providence Health Care. The event will include leading voices in the international pain community who will talk about the latest advances in clinical care, research and innovations in pain medicine. The event is free for people with lived experience who join online.
| | Research and engagement opportunities | |
Study: Power Over Pain Portal for Youth
The Power Over Pain Portal for youth is an online portal designed to help young people manage their pain. Researchers are seeking participants aged 12-18 who have been experiencing pain for three months or longer. Participation will involve answering online questionnaires, using the Power Over Pain Portal for eight weeks, and optionally completing a feedback interview. All participants will receive volunteer hours and gift card compensation. To sign up, email rachelr.kelly@sickkids.ca.
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Study: Pain throughout the day
If you live with pain, does it change throughout the day? The CircaPain research team is studying how time of day impacts pain and wants to hear about your experience. This study is open to all adults who have had persistent pain for more than three months. Learn more and take the survey on CircaPain's website: circapain.ca.
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What people ask me about living with arthritis
Patient advocate Eileen Davidson shares answers to the most common questions people ask her about living with rheumatic arthritis.
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BC decriminalizes possession of small amounts of certain drugs
As part of a three-year pilot, it is no longer a criminal offence for people aged 18 and above in BC to possess up to 2.5 grams of cocaine, methamphetamine. MDMA, and opioids.
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Ten tips to make cleaning easier
Cleaning can be physically demanding for many people living with chronic pain. The author of this article shares tips that have worked for her.
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BC launches new payment model for family doctors
The new framework, which came into effect earlier this year, allows physicians to scrap the flat rate fee-for-service system and be paid instead for a range of duties.
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312 Main St
Vancouver, BC V6A 2T2
Charitable registration number: 83220 0422 RR0001
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