Empowering Patients to Manage Chronic Pain

Chronic pain affects not just a patient’s physical health, but also their mental and emotional well-being. At UT Health Austin, health social workers work with chronic pain patients on the often complicated relationship between their physical and mental state.

“Health social workers can help patients identify activities, thoughts, and emotions that may affect their pain experience,” says Mikaela Frissell, LCSW, a licensed clinical social worker in UT Health Austin’s Musculoskeletal Institute. As a member of UT Health Austin’s Health Social Work care team, Frissell collaborates with various care teams, including the Back and Neck Pain Center within the Musculoskeletal Institute, to provide comprehensive support for patients experiencing chronic pain.

Learn how the Back and Neck Pain Center care team works to identify and address the cause of your pain.

<br>“Patients are referred to me to explore the psychological and social factors that influence their pain, but that this does not mean their pain is only in their head,” shares Frissell. “I help patients identify the psychosocial aspects of their pain early on in their treatment so that they have a more comprehensive understanding of their overall health. Addressing these factors is just as important as other interventions they may be using, such as medication or physical therapy.”

The Role of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

While some patients experience pain as an immediate result of wear and tear or injury, other forms of pain may not have such a concrete explanation. Although the cause of chronic persistent pain remains unknown, it is thought to be related to an imbalance in the nervous system that keeps the body in a state of physiologic stress.

“Your body learns to respond to certain situations with physical sensations,” explains Frissel. “When you’re in a constant state of stress, you may start to feel pain throughout your body. The physiological effects of stress include generalized muscle tension, often felt in the head, jaw, neck, or back.”

The goal of treatment is to understand how stress and other factors may activate the nervous system and how strategies such as meditation, mindfulness, or yoga can bring the nervous system back into balance.

Explore the relationship between nervous system activity, sleep disruption, and chronic pain.

<br>“A health social worker can empower patients to control this stress response in an effective way,” shares Frissell, who guides patients through this process using a therapeutic framework known as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). “CBT enables patients to explore the connections between thoughts, behaviors, and emotions. By focusing on change in one of those areas, we can influence the others.”

In the context of chronic pain, this framework teaches patients strategies for stress management. Patients in a constant state of pain may avoid situations due to fear of a painful flare, which can lead to missing out on activities that they enjoy. Through CBT, they can work toward returning to these activities.

CBT can also offer patients a new approach to thinking about their pain. “Staying focused on your pain can cause a vicious cycle of heightened stress leading to further pain,” warns Frissell. “Training your brain to reevaluate how you think about pain can promote nervous system regulation.”

Strategies for regulating an overactive nervous system include:

• Activities that promote a “flow state,” such as crafting or gardening
• Breathing exercises
• Meditation
• Physical exercise
• Relaxation exercises, such as progressive muscle relaxation

“Patients who undergo CBT can continue to apply these strategies long after they finish treatment,” says Frissel. “Our goal is to empower patients to take charge of their own wellness even after therapy has ended.”

Learn more about UT Health Austin’s commitment to empowerment.

<br>Well-Rounded Well-Being

By helping patients overcome their pain, Frissell aims to bring patients closer to achieving their goals in every area of their lives. “Health social workers consider how a patient’s relationships, career, and emotional needs may impact their well-being,” notes Frissell. “We help patients explore solutions to challenges that might hinder their ability to thrive.”

Learn more about the important role UT Health Austin health social workers can play in your health journey.

<br>“I ask patients how their lives would change if their pain went away, whether that be engaging in fulfilling hobbies or spending time with those they care about,” continues Frissell. “Once patients have a better understanding of the factors influencing their chronic pain, we can focus on improving their quality of life in meaningful ways.”

“By guiding patients toward a holistic understanding of their well-being, health social workers equip patients to pursue a healthy lifestyle long after they leave the clinic,” adds Frissell.

For more information about the Musculoskeletal Institute or to request an appointment, call 1-833-UT-CARES (1-833-882-2737) or visit here.