Your low-back ache can be considerably aggravated by your thoughts and notions. Try a bit of CBT, and you might just be talked out of causing debilitating pain to yourself
Roughly 80% of the world suffers from this at some point in their life. It is singularly responsible for more sick leaves and disability than any other disorder in the world. Popularly characterised by a lady whimpering ‘ooh, aah, ouch!’ on the telly, lumbago or low-back pain is what we’re talking about, and talking about the pain is exactly what the doctors are advising to its victims! The study was conducted by Professor Sarah E Lamb and her colleagues from The University of Warwick and the University of Oxford, and their findings were published in the peer-reviewed medical journal The Lancet. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), a short-term treatment that challenges and reframes negative beliefs, has been judged as an economical option to aid recovery by this study. While back pain is a physical problem, a person’s mental make-up affects the way he/she manages their health, which can significantly benefit or deteriorate the patient’s condition. The study found that people who were provided with CBT group-support sessions experienced greater physical fitness and enjoyed a better quality of life than those who were given a one-off advice session.
CBT sessions involve talking about beliefs relating to physical activity, helping resolve negativity and teaching patients to relax and be less fearful about their situation. Most people’s reaction to lower-back ache is to avoid activity, which only goes on to make the muscles more stiff and so contribute to the existing pain. CBT ensures people don’t fall into this vicious circle, and instead provides advice on appropriate activities they should pursue for faster recovery. At the Indian Spinal Injuries Centre, CBT is an accepted tool for the treatment of backaches and a psychologist is a member of the team treating backaches. Dr. H.S. Chhabra, Chief of Spine Service & Medical Director, explains, “Cognitive-behavioural therapy can change the way our mind influences our body. When we shift our thinking away from the pain and change our focus to more positive aspects of life, we change the way our body responds to the anticipated pain and stress.” CBT is usually used to treat anxiety, substance abuse, personality, eating and psychotic disorders. “How we think and respond to pain can contribute to the perception and perpetuation of pain. If we take it negatively, i.e. panic at the thought of pain, it can trigger physical changes like muscles spasm. The spasm in turn generates more pain, which in turn increases the spasm. This can thus set-in a vicious cycle increasing the pain even when the stimulus remains the same. However, if we think positively, this cycle does not set in and the pain does not increase,” asserts Dr. H.S. Chhabra. He further explains, “Cognitive-behavioural therapy for back pain has generally three components: Understanding that thoughts and behaviour play a central role in how we experience pain; Learning skills, such as relaxation techniques, to help reduce muscle tension and divert attention from the pain; And applying these skills in every day life.” The whole exercise is aimed at helping people to get back to enjoyable activities and finding relief from their pain.
Back pain is one of the most common ailments, which cuts across sections of society, and affects from the office-goer to the neighbourhood milkman. When it is caused by an infection, cancer or an injury, there is need for serious steps, but for other cases, acupuncture and yoga have been noted to be helpful. Though talking yourself out of pain has to be the simplest solution yet.
Roughly 80% of the world suffers from this at some point in their life. It is singularly responsible for more sick leaves and disability than any other disorder in the world. Popularly characterised by a lady whimpering ‘ooh, aah, ouch!’ on the telly, lumbago or low-back pain is what we’re talking about, and talking about the pain is exactly what the doctors are advising to its victims! The study was conducted by Professor Sarah E Lamb and her colleagues from The University of Warwick and the University of Oxford, and their findings were published in the peer-reviewed medical journal The Lancet. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), a short-term treatment that challenges and reframes negative beliefs, has been judged as an economical option to aid recovery by this study. While back pain is a physical problem, a person’s mental make-up affects the way he/she manages their health, which can significantly benefit or deteriorate the patient’s condition. The study found that people who were provided with CBT group-support sessions experienced greater physical fitness and enjoyed a better quality of life than those who were given a one-off advice session.
CBT sessions involve talking about beliefs relating to physical activity, helping resolve negativity and teaching patients to relax and be less fearful about their situation. Most people’s reaction to lower-back ache is to avoid activity, which only goes on to make the muscles more stiff and so contribute to the existing pain. CBT ensures people don’t fall into this vicious circle, and instead provides advice on appropriate activities they should pursue for faster recovery. At the Indian Spinal Injuries Centre, CBT is an accepted tool for the treatment of backaches and a psychologist is a member of the team treating backaches. Dr. H.S. Chhabra, Chief of Spine Service & Medical Director, explains, “Cognitive-behavioural therapy can change the way our mind influences our body. When we shift our thinking away from the pain and change our focus to more positive aspects of life, we change the way our body responds to the anticipated pain and stress.” CBT is usually used to treat anxiety, substance abuse, personality, eating and psychotic disorders. “How we think and respond to pain can contribute to the perception and perpetuation of pain. If we take it negatively, i.e. panic at the thought of pain, it can trigger physical changes like muscles spasm. The spasm in turn generates more pain, which in turn increases the spasm. This can thus set-in a vicious cycle increasing the pain even when the stimulus remains the same. However, if we think positively, this cycle does not set in and the pain does not increase,” asserts Dr. H.S. Chhabra. He further explains, “Cognitive-behavioural therapy for back pain has generally three components: Understanding that thoughts and behaviour play a central role in how we experience pain; Learning skills, such as relaxation techniques, to help reduce muscle tension and divert attention from the pain; And applying these skills in every day life.” The whole exercise is aimed at helping people to get back to enjoyable activities and finding relief from their pain.
Back pain is one of the most common ailments, which cuts across sections of society, and affects from the office-goer to the neighbourhood milkman. When it is caused by an infection, cancer or an injury, there is need for serious steps, but for other cases, acupuncture and yoga have been noted to be helpful. Though talking yourself out of pain has to be the simplest solution yet.
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