Details of programmes

What are the aims of the programme?
Many people with chronic pain have already developed some strategies to manage their pain. At INPUT, the aim is to further develop the helpful strategies, reduce the unhelpful ones and learn and practice new strategies. Changing the way we do things takes time and is a life long process, of which the programme is an important start point. Much of the work is done at the weekends when people start to put into practice the strategies in their own normal, daily lives.

What does the programme consist of?
Whilst on the programme people work closely with a team of staff that consists of physiotherapists, psychologists, nurses, doctors and occupational therapists. The staff teach a number of different skills. Effective pain management involves integrating all of the skills taught on the programme to address the challenge of living with chronic pain.
None of the skills attempt to cure the pain but, together, and over the long term, they aim to improve an individual’s quality of life.

These skills include
Goal setting and pacing up activities:
The Occupational Therapists teach people how to set personal goals and then break them down into mini goals with a systematic plan of how to achieve them.
The aim is for people to resume whatever activities they choose to do. This may include everyday activities, hobbies, leisure pursuits and work (including voluntary work and other responsibilities). Pacing involves gradually building up the activity in a steady and systematic way so that eventually patients achieve their personal goals despite their pain.

Physical exercise:
The Physiotherapists teach people how to exercise with chronic pain. The aim is for people to build on their all round fitness levels in order to be able to do normal everyday activities with greater ease. It is also about working on the movements and activities that are more difficult and are more tempting to modify or avoid altogether.
Each individual is guided how to make their own personal plan to steadily and systematically build up each exercise. Daily practice within the group setting enables patients to build their all round strength, fitness, balance and flexibility and achieve their short and long-term goals. People are often astonished with what they can achieve and leave with the ability and confidence to continue to improve their own fitness into the future.

Relaxation:
Muscle tension is a common response to pain and stress. The Nurses teach a variety of techniques for patients to practice frequently and in different circumstances. These skills help patients better manage any challenging situations, movements or activities, including sleeping difficulties. It can be used effectively with pacing to enable patients to build up the amount of exercise or activity they do with greater ease.


Medication reduction
The Nurses teach about different types of medication. They help each individual to weigh up the pros, cons and side effects of taking medication, often not recognised by the patient. They supervise and support gradual reduction in medication intake. Many patients often stop altogether, preferring to manage their pain using new skills.

Thoughts and beliefs:
Although much of it seems automatic, we can change what we think and the way we think when it isn't helping. Our thoughts affect our emotions, and those emotions can be hard going. Many people with persistent pain are anxious about their health and about what is and isn't safe to do, and feel depressed about all the things that they've stopped doing because of the pain and the way their lives have shrunk. Psychologists work on the habits of thinking and on what people actually say to themselves to make sure that it is not making matters worse. The techniques are learned over the four weeks, and with practice can make a very big difference to your day to day mood, your overall outlook, and your confidence in managing a more active and satisfying life despite pain.

Minimum physical requirements in order to be able to manage the programme.

People need to be able to:-
1. Get down stairs in the event of a fire or fire alarm.
2. Care for themselves, in terms of washing, dressing and personal care.
3. Travel to and from INPUT.