Controlled clinical trial of desensitization to chronic pain

Funded Activity Summary

An estimated 17.1% of males and 20.0% of females in NSW report having chronic pain. Chronic pain sufferers are major users of health services, with frequent medical consultations and high pharmacological consumption. A recent NSW population-based study found that 78% of pain sufferers had consulted at least one healthcare practitioner in the previous 6 months about their pain, and 71% of those sampled were taking regular oral analgesic medications. Disability due to chronic pain is often associated with higher levels of distress and use of healthcare services. Unfortunately, at present there are no lasting curative treatments for most chronic pain conditions and most people with these conditions are told they have to learn to live with their ongoing pain. One of the most effective ways of teaching chronic pain sufferers to live with their pain are known as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) interventions. But even though many find these methods helpful, a significant proportion of cases remain distressed by their pain. This places them at higher risk of relapse and further treatment seeking. If this group of pain sufferers could be taught more effective ways of minimising their pain-related distress, their overall functional and long-term quality of life goals could be maximised. The study has the potential to achieve a major improvement in outcomes for distressed patients with disabling chronic pain, traditionally a very intractable group. The study would also have important implications for the prevention of disability associated with persisting pain. If successful, it could alter the ways in which many health professionals advise patients to cope with their chronic pain, especially in relation to the use of the common modalities of relaxation and distraction techniques, as well as the use of pain reducing interventions. The study represents the first major clinical test of an alternative to these traditional modalities.

Funded Activity Details

Start Date: 01-01-2007

End Date: 01-01-2009

Funding Scheme: NHMRC Project Grants

Funding Amount: $349,149.00

Funder: National Health and Medical Research Council

Research Topics

ANZSRC Field of Research (FoR)

Applied economics not elsewhere classified

ANZSRC Socio-Economic Objective (SEO)

There are no SEO codes available for this funding activity

Other Keywords

chronic pain | clinical trial | desensitisation | neuropathic pain | novel therapeutic | pain | pain management | psychological adjustment | psychological treatment | psychosocial adjustment

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