Chronic Pain Self-Management

Helping Patients Self-Manage Their Pain

The Wood Buffalo PCN offers a three-week course called the Chronic Pain Self-Management Program which was originally developed in Stanford University.

Research on this program has shown that participants are able to reduce their experience of pain, feel more vitality in their daily lives, reduce their dependence on others, and improve their mental health and resilience. It has been shown to reduce chronic pain by 20-40%.

Cost of Participation

There is a $15 fee for the materials provided in the course, which include a workbook and a resource book.

Applicable Pain-Related Conditions

This program has been developed for people who have been diagnosed with Chronic Pain. Conditions which might be appropriate for this program include:

Chronic musculo-skeletal pain (neck, shoulder, back injuries, etc.)
Persistent headaches or migraines
Crohn’s disease
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
Arthritis
Diabetic Neuropathy (nerve damage due to Diabetes)
Multiple Sclerosis
Repetitive strain injury
Fibromyalgia
Whiplash injuries
Chronic regional pain syndromes
Chronic pelvic pain
Post-surgical pain lasting longer than six months
Neuropathic pain
Post-stroke pain

Topics Covered in The Course

What is Chronic Pain?
Problem Solving
Dealing with Difficult Emotions
Fatigue & Sleep
Communication
Healthy Eating
Using Your Mind to Manage Symptoms
Medications
Exercise & Chronic Pain

How To Register

If you are not yet a patient of the Wood Buffalo PCN, you will need to be referred by your local family physician.

If you have previously been referred to the WB PCN for another program, this program is available to you through our inter-program referral policy. You are welcome to discuss it during your next visit with one of our clinicians, and they will arrange to have you enrolled in the course.