Mind and Body Management Strategies for Chronic Pain and Rheumatoid Arthritis

Citation

Shariff F, Carter J, Dow C, Polley M, Salinas M & Ridge D (2009) Mind and Body Management Strategies for Chronic Pain and Rheumatoid Arthritis. Qualitative Health Research, 19 (8), pp. 1037-1049. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049732309341189

Abstract
Chronic pain (CP) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) pose particular challenges for the individual. Although biomedicine inevitably plays a role in the reduction or control of some symptoms for people living with chronic pain, directed self-management is also increasingly recognized as an important tool. Self-management can address pain-associated symptoms of CP and RA, and often has broader aims, such as promoting positive well-being. Forty-six interviews with people experiencing CP and 46 interviews with those living with RA-associated pain were analyzed. Our analysis uncovered three broad strategies adopted by participants: body management, mind-management and mind-body management. The analysis demonstrated that for those living with pain, a sense of well-being is achieved not through pain control alone, but also through various mind/body techniques for managing pain, accepting new limits, and adjusting the way people relate to themselves. These self-management strategies are an important adjunct to biomedical care for those experiencing chronic pain.

Keywords
analysis; body; care; challenge; Control; Interview; Interviews; LIMITS; Living; Management; Mind; Pain; PARTICIPANTS; PEOPLE; Play; reduction; Role; Self Management; self-management; Strategies; STRATEGY; Symptoms; Techniques; Well Being; WELL-being

Journal
Qualitative Health Research: Volume 19, Issue 8