Chronic pain is pain that lasts longer than three to six months. It often has no known cause, but can exist along with conditions such as arthritis, fibromyalgia, and Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS). It can also be the result of work- or vehicle-related accidents.
Health Canada reports that one in five people (across the lifespan) live with chronic pain, which can impact all areas of a person's life, including mind, body and spirit.
Learning what you can do to manage your pain
It is common to feel like persistent pain is controlling your life; self-management strategies put you back in control. When we wait for pain to be cured, our life is put on hold. Learning about persistent pain and understanding your own experience of it gives you the chance to influence it. Self-Management strategies empower you to prevent increases in pain, to modify pain, and to improve your day-to-day function and quality of life
Learn about the Pain Cycle and frequently asked questions:
The Winter 2020 issue of Island Health magazine encourages readers to live their healthiest life. Read features on how to keep your resolutions; re-thinking “diets” and some delicious soup recipes. Also included in this issue are articles about the stigma of mental illness and an Island Health Research project on dementia.
Island Health is advising that, despite significant effort to fill shifts, there is a temporary shortage of registered nurses and physicians over the holiday season resulting in a temporary service reduction at the Port Alice Health Centre.
