Patient perceptions of treatment options for chronic pain

Abstract

Chronic pain and pain management are frequently discussed and debated topics in American medicine today. The patients' understanding of treatment options for management of chronic pain is a less frequently discussed topic. The purpose of this study is to explore patient perceptions of chronic pain treatment options. The framework for guiding this study was Neuman's Systems Model (1995) based on the concepts of stress, client stability, and intervention. A review of the literature was completed that revealed very little information on the topic and therefore further research regarding patient perceptions of treatment options for chronic pain was warranted. Nine patients participated in interviews and shared their experiences with treatment options and contexts or situations that influenced or affected those experiences of treatment options. Participants described their experience with chronic pain to include options available to them; the effectiveness of the methods tried; lifestyle changes associated with their pain; feelings of hopelessness for the future relative to pain resolution as well as available options; the effects of listening and understanding; and depression.