Twenty percent of adults experience chronic pain, and many report that it limits their abilities to participate normally in daily activities. Chronic pain may be the result of various health conditions, while sometimes it also occurs for no known reason long after an injury has healed. Occupational therapy , a scope of practice that seeks to empower individuals to overcome obstacles to daily tasks, can be helpful in overcoming the mentally and physically debilitating nature of chronic pain. 

Chronic pain is any pain that:

Common conditions that often contribute to chronic pain include:

As it persists, chronic pain may radiate physically, meaning that the pain spreads to different areas of the body. Coupled with lack of movement, chronic pain can increase discomfort throughout the muscles and joints and lead to muscle atrophy. 

Common mental health struggles resulting from chronic pain include:

Occupational therapy approaches chronic pain with a biopsychosocial perspective by considering the biological, psychological, and social factors and their interplay. With such a broad treatment context, occupational therapists can help individuals:

Concurrently, occupational therapy guides individuals in implementing evidence-based strategies for managing their chronic pain. These strategies are effective lifestyle changes that may include:

Providing synergistic health care that includes mental, emotional, and physical health, Thrive Wellness Reno offers occupational therapy in addition to our many other integrated wellness services. Our occupational therapy services guide clients in developing and maintaining autonomy despite any physically or mentally limiting conditions, including chronic pain. Collaborating with interdisciplinary clinicians, our occupational therapists wholly consider the mind-body interaction when integrating customized interventions for each client. Reach out to learn more. 

While all Thrive Wellness locations offer interdisciplinary clinical teams who collaborate to treat eating disorders, perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs), and additional mental and behavioral health conditions, programs and services may vary by location.

Dr. Meadow Deason earned her doctorate of occupational therapy at Huntington University and is a licensed doctor of occupational therapy (OTD). As an occupational therapist, she has extensive clinical experience in neurological and physical rehabilitation, fall prevention education, community-based services, home health, and mental health. Dr. Deason is also trained in oral motor function assessment, feeding therapy, therapeutic pain education, home modification, aging in place, brain injury rehabilitation, sensory integration, integration of primitive reflexes, neuromuscular rehabilitation, upper extremity rehabilitation, behavioral management, ergonomics, and mindfulness. She partners with individuals and their loved ones to overcome emotional, physical, and social barriers to holistic health through meaningful activities designed to develop, recover, modify, or maintain skills for thriving in everyday life.

Prior to becoming an occupational therapist, Dr. Deason gained years of experience in early childhood intervention, social services, treatment, foster care, special education, and business.

When she is not helping her clients live their life to the fullest, she enjoys skiing, hiking, biking, and paddleboarding with her family.

The post Coping With Chronic Pain Comprehensively Through Occupational Therapy first appeared on Thrive Wellness.