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Respond to two peers’ responses with a minimum of 250 words

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Use APA-style format for references

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Peer-reviewed articles

Peer1: Heather Vangorkum

The best way to cope with pain can depend on a variety of factors, including the type and severity of the pain, the individual’s overall health and lifestyle, and their personal beliefs and attitudes towards pain and its management.

In our text, the author explores the key determinants of behavior such as family, environment, ethnicity, and religion which also connects these concepts to personal experiences (Gurung, 2019). This suggests that the approach to pain management can be influenced by those factors.

Each method of pain management has its pros and cons. For instance, medication can provide quick relief but may have side effects and the potential for dependency. Physical therapy and exercise can be effective for certain types of pain but require time and effort. Psychological techniques like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can help change pain perceptions but may require professional guidance.

Psychology offers a comprehensive perspective on pain, recognizing it as a complex experience that involves not only physical sensations but also emotional and cognitive components (Blatchley, 2022).

Multidimensional Nature of Pain: Pain is not just a physical sensation resulting from tissue damage. It also has cognitive, emotional, and motivational components (Blatchley, 2022). The way we perceive pain can be influenced by our thoughts, emotions, and even our expectations (Fields, 2009).
Biopsychosocial Perspective: This perspective considers biological, psychological, and social factors in understanding pain.
Cognitive Processing: Our understanding and evaluation of pain strongly depend on cognitive processes. Experiencing pain consciously requires cognitive processing, and our perception of pain is influenced by learning and recall of previous experiences (Khera & Rangasamy, 2021).
Psychological Interventions: Psychologists can help with pain management by addressing the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that accompany chronic pain. Techniques may include cognitive-behavioral therapy, mindfulness, and stress management.
Influence on Behavior: Pain serves as a warning sign of injury and is intimately tied to brain functions governing behavior and decision-making, including expectation, attention, and learning (Fields, 2009).
Remember, everyone’s experience with pain is unique, and what works best for pain management can vary greatly from person to person.

References

Blatchley, B. (2022, Sept. 30). Managing the experience of pain: How our expectations influence the experience of pain. Psychology Today.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/what-are-the-chances/202209/managing-the-experience-pain

Links to an external site.

Fields, H. (2009, Sept. 1). Mind on pain: The psychology of pain. Scientific America.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-psychology-of-pain/

Links to an external site.

Khera, T. & Rangasamy, V. (2021). Cognition and pain: A review. Fontiers, 12.
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.673962

Links to an external site.

Peer 2: Kylee Leyva

When talking about the best way to cope with pain, we first need to assess how pain is initially measured. Pain is measured through sensations in the body in which an individual experiences discomfort and physical anxiety (Van Damme et al., 2008). Though while we have that to depend on, the reality of the situation is that not everyone experiences pain the same way. It is an individualized, unique sensation measured variously throughout the human race (Gurung, 2019). This means that if we combine both Van Damme et al. (2008 and Gurung’s (2019) knowledge, the measurement of the severity of pain itself differs significantly between each person. In summation, the way to cope with pain will also vary from person to person.

Continuing to analyze the coping mechanisms of pain, and pain management strategies, we know based on the lectures this week that there is no way to scientifically predict or quantify what is the best coping mechanism. The best way to cope with pain, short-term or long-term, is to test various methods at different intensities to determine what will work best for the patient themselves (Gurung, 2019; Van Damme et al., 2008). Van Damme et al. (2008) and Gatchel & Kishino (2008) stress the importance of pulling in the psychological, social self into the physical self in order to cope with chronic pain. This is reflected in the lectures and readings (Gurung, 2019) this week, by pinpointing it as the biopsychosocial approach to pain management.

The pros to this pain-coping theory is that it does show that the success of pain management is through a unique individualized treatment program (Gatchel & Kishino, 2008). By taking each of the three pillars of health into account, treatments can be tailored to fit the patient’s exact needs and pain severity. This is because pain is not seen to only affect the physical wellbeing of a person, but the psychological and social health as well. Through the assessment of the patient’s pain level and needs, chronic pain can become manageable and the patient’s life will improve.

One con to take into consideration when discussing the biopsychosocial approach, is that it can be costly (Hulla et al., 2019). To analyze an individual’s psychological wellbeing, a professional needs to be pulled in for assessment. While they can assess their social health as well, a professional still needs to be pulled in to assess their physical health. What can happen if a general practitioner attempts to assess psychological wellbeing when their limitation of study is that physical health can be more harmful than the pain itself. There can be repercussions to the doctor themselves as well, as they are operating out of their scope of practice, leading to ethical dilemmas.

References:

Gurung, R. A. R. (2019). Health psychology: Well-being in a diverse world (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.

Hulla, R., Brecht, D., Stephens, J., Salas, E., Jones, C., & Gatchel, R. (2019). The biopsychosocial approach and considerations involved in chronic pain. Healthy Aging Research, 8(01), 7-12.

Van Damme, S., Crombez, G., & Eccleston, C. (2008). Coping with pain: a motivational perspective. Pain, 139(1), 1-4.