February 2022 Pain BC Newsletter |
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From our Executive Director, Maria Hudspith |
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While pain research has advanced significantly in recent years, much of the new knowledge it's generated has not yet created real world improvements to health care practice or policy. In fact, it’s estimated to take 17 years for new discoveries to become common practice. With the aim of highlighting this disparity, the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) is marking 2022 as the Global Year for Translating Pain Knowledge to Practice.
One of Pain BC’s strategic priorities is to foster research on pain and pain-related disability. We work with leading researchers across the country to inform, support and partner on exciting new research opportunities. We mobilize new knowledge into health care practice in many ways, by integrating it into clinical education and self-management programs for people who live with pain. Through the Canadian Pain Task Force, we joined many others in advocating for increased federal support to embed evidence into the work of health authorities, insurers, educational institutions and other systems.
One education initiative addressing this gap is our BC ECHO for Chronic Pain, a free interdisciplinary virtual learning community supporting health care providers to receive sustained mentorship in treating people with chronic pain. Last year, our ECHO sessions supported 634 health care providers across BC to deliver evidence-based care to people with pain.
Throughout this year and beyond, we’ll be working with our many partners across the country to hasten the translation of pain knowledge into health care practice. Discovery and innovation are key to enhancing the well-being of people who live with pain, and we’ll continue to work with our partners across Canada to mobilize this knowledge into action. |
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Pain BC programs, resources and updates |
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Upcoming dates for Pain Support and Wellness Groups Virtual groups for BC residents
Pain Support and Wellness Groups offer an opportunity for people living with persistent pain to meet regularly and build a community of support while learning about pain, pain management and coping strategies. Groups meet online every second and fourth Tuesday of the month with alternating mid-day and evening sessions. Each two-hour session will allow participants to share their experiences, discuss self-management skills and take part in gentle movements as a group.
Upcoming meeting dates and times in March (in Pacific Time):
- March 8, 2022 from 11:00AM to 1:00PM
- March 22, 2022 from 6:00PM to 8:00PM
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Our supports for people with pain |
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 | Access our free pain self-management resources, including evidence-based articles, assessment tools, and an anonymous discussion forum. |
| | | 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. |
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| 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. |
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| Gentle Movement @ Home: Guided movement and relaxation for pain during COVID-19 (and beyond)
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. |
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Upcoming Pain BC and partner workshops, webinars and courses for health care providers |
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| Pain Foundations for Allied Health Providers Pain Foundations for Allied Health Providers is an online course designed for allied health care providers to improve their understanding of chronic pain and how to address the challenges of pain assessment and treatment. This practical, compact course allows learners to develop clinically relevant approaches to chronic pain management and develop a strong grounding in pain science to support further exploration. The course is free for health care providers in BC and offered at a modest cost for providers outside of BC.
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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.
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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. |
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Other programs, opportunities and resources |
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Upcoming free webinar: Pain pain go away Cassie + Friends' next webinar takes place March 15, 2022
Pain is a common and frustrating part of many rheumatic diseases in children. Cassie + Friends' March webinar will focus on short-term and long-term strategies to help kids and families cope with day-to-day pain so they can get back to doing the things they want to do. |
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PocketWell app launched for mobile devices Free mental well-being tracking app from Wellness Together Canada
In April 2020, Health Canada launched Wellness Together Canada, an online platform to share mental health and substance use supports during the COVID-19 pandemic. Its companion app, PocketWell, was launched last month. The app helps access new resources, including a self-assessment tool and tracker to help monitor mood and mental well-being. It also connects to Wellness Together Canada, allowing access to free and confidential sessions with social workers, psychologists and other professionals. PocketWell is available for free on android as well as iOS devices. |
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Public review on HSO's new long-term care services standard Submit feedback by March 27, 2022
The Health Standards Organization (HSO) is seeking public input on a new draft national long-term care services standard. Once finalized, this document will be used inform health policy in Canada, and to develop and assess long-term care services. Anyone with an interest in providing feedback on the standard, such as people who have used long-term care services, designated supported persons, members of the long-term care workforce, and leaders and administrators in long-term care, can do so until March 27, 2022. |
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Research and engagement opportunities |
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Survey: Chronic pain and gender in veterans
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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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Study: VR study for cancer-related chronic pain
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Study: Tracking the parasympathetic nervous system and subjective state of well-being in chronic pain
The UBC Vision Lab is studying how parasympathetic activity tracked with a wearable sensor is related to emotional and physical wellbeing in chronic pain. You will be asked to wear a wrist sensor and respond to some questions for two months. If you are at least 18 years of age, a fluent English speaker, have chronic back pain and no heart disease, please contact Veronica Dudarev at studypain@psych.ubc.ca to sign up. |
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This is what migraines do to your life The author of this article speaks with 11 people to hear how their migraines impact their day-to-day life, including work, relationships and mental health. |
Our pandemic response must stop overlooking people with disabilities A recent study describes outcomes among COVID-19 patients with physical, sensory and developmental disabilities in hospitals in the Greater Toronto Area. |
| Living with fibromyalgia, an "invisible illness" On CBC's The Doc Project, Jason Herterich has several candid conversations with his family on their disbelief and the stigma surrounding chronic pain. |
CDC proposes new guidelines for treating pain, including opioid use The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)'s new suggested guidelines remove recommended limits on prescribed opioid doses, but encourage “nonopioid therapies” wherever possible. |
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© 2022 Pain BC Society. All Rights Reserved. 312 Main St Vancouver, BC V6A 2T2
Charitable registration number: 83220 0422 RR0001 |
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