Exploration of the Experiences of Persons in the Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury Population in Relation to Chronic Pain Management

This study explores the experiences of people with traumatic spinal cord injuries (TSCI) in South Africa regarding their chronic pain management. The research highlights the ineffectiveness of standard pain treatments and the need for better education and shared decision-making between patients and clinicians. Many patients develop their own coping strategies to deal with persistent pain, which suggests current pain management approaches are not meeting their needs. There's a call for a more holistic approach that includes alternative therapies and stronger collaboration between healthcare providers and patients. The study emphasizes the importance of understanding pain beyond just prescribing medication. It suggests incorporating psychological and social factors into treatment plans, creating a therapeutic alliance between clinicians and patients, and exploring alternative pain management options.

• 1
  Standard pain management, largely pharmacological, is often ineffective in providing significant or lasting relief for chronic pain in TSCI patients.
• 2
  There is a lack of adequate education for patients regarding pain physiology and available pain management strategies, leaving them feeling uninformed and unsupported.
• 3
  Patients feel unheard and experience an unbalanced decision-making process with clinicians, highlighting the need for improved therapeutic alliance and shared decision-making in treatment plans.