Fibromyalgia Pain Management - A Different Approach

This article, guest-authored by a member of the Fibromyalgia Friends' Support Group, is an indepth look at a three week pain management program in the UK. Steve will provide us with enough detail so that hopefully his experience will benefit you as well.

Ok, so you have been in pain for years, it has affected your life - you may have lost your job, your marriage, even your will to carry on. You have spent countless hours and even more cash looking for that something that will take away the pain, diets, drugs and gadgets to release you for ever from this cage that you have been put in. Sound familiar? Yes, we've all been there, but there is an alternative that lies largely within us. I have recently been shown that alternative and I'd like to share it with you.

I live in the UK, and have access to free medical treatment funded by the state. Many of you will not be so fortunate, but I believe the programme I am about to describe may be available through insurance and other medical schemes. Well, here it is - I was referred to the programme by my rheumatologist to help me to cope with chronic pain that has been plaguing me for many years as a result of a childhood back injury, rheumatoid arthritis, and now Fibromyalgia. I waited a year for a place, since only 10 patients at a time can be treated and the programme is 3 weeks long. Details of the organizations and professionals involved, together with details of the programme can be viewed here: http://www.bath.ac.uk/Centres/PMU/what.h...

We're not going to take away the pain, but ...........

That's one hell of a thing to say to a patient starting treatment for chronic pain!! However, that is the first point that was put across to us - the pain will probably be no different at the end of the 3 weeks, but you will be better able to cope with it and it will affect you less. You see, until you accept the pain as a fact of life and stop being angry with it, you will continue to be wound up by it. You probably know that already, but it's true.

You're going to have to change your habits (!) .....................

Not exactly what you might be thinking. When we have an increase in pain, we generally react in a similar way to it - make a face, stop what

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