Managing pain is a significant challenge for healthcare professionals worldwide, and non-pharmacological methods are becoming increasingly important as a means of addressing this issue. A recent study, published in the journal BMC Public Health, aimed to assess the effectiveness, suitability, and sustainability of non-pharmacological methods of managing pain in community-dwelling individuals. Another study published in the "Revista Latino-Americana de Enfermagem" aimed to investigate the benefits of Qigong as an integrative and complementary practice for health.
The study, conducted by researchers from Hong Kong, performed a systematic review of studies published up to December 2018 that examined non-pharmacological methods of managing pain in community-dwelling individuals. The researchers searched various databases, including PubMed, CINAHL, and Cochrane Library, for relevant studies. The study included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and non-randomized studies that evaluated the effectiveness, suitability, and sustainability of non-pharmacological methods of managing pain in community-dwelling individuals.
The study found a total of 16 studies that met the inclusion criteria. These studies examined a variety of non-pharmacological methods, including exercise, mindfulness, acupuncture, and Qigong. The majority of the studies were conducted in Asia, Europe, and North America.
The results of the study suggest that non-pharmacological methods may have some potential in the management of pain. For example, exercise was found to be effective in reducing pain and improving physical function in individuals with chronic pain. Mindfulness was also found to be effective in reducing pain and improving quality of life in individuals with chronic pain. Acupuncture was found to be effective in reducing pain and improving physical function in individuals with knee osteoarthritis. Additionally, Qigong, a traditional Chinese exercise technique, has been found to be effective in reducing pain, improve physical function, and increase self-efficacy in individuals with chronic pain conditions.
The second study, published in the "Revista Latino-Americana de Enfermagem" aimed to investigate the benefits of Qigong as an integrative and complementary practice for health. The study found that Qigong has been shown to be effective in improving health outcomes such as reducing stress, anxiety, depression, and improving physical function and cardiovascular health.
Although these studies show significant benefits of Qigong, Tai Chi and Fitness to fight chronic pain. Healthcare professionals should consider the individual characteristics of individuals and their pain when selecting a non-pharmacological method, as different methods may be more suitable for different types of pain. Furthermore, the authors of these studies recommend the implementation of sustainable, community-based programs that promote the use of non-pharmacological methods for managing pain, including Qigong. This can help individuals to manage their pain effectively, improve their quality of life, and reduce the burden on healthcare systems.
Based on the studies mentioned above, the following is a step-by-step process for dealing with pain using non-pharmacological methods:
Assess the individual's pain condition: The first step is to assess the individual's pain condition and determine the type of pain they are experiencing. This will help healthcare professionals to select the most appropriate non-pharmacological method for that individual.
Consider exercise: According to the BMC Public Health study, exercise was found to be effective in reducing pain and improving physical function in individuals with chronic pain. Therefore, healthcare professionals should consider exercise as a potential non-pharmacological method for managing pain.
Consider mindfulness: The BMC Public Health study also found that mindfulness was effective in reducing pain and improving quality of life in individuals with chronic pain. Therefore, healthcare professionals should consider mindfulness as a potential non-pharmacological method for managing pain.
Consider acupuncture: Acupuncture was found to be effective in reducing pain and improving physical function in individuals with knee osteoarthritis according to the BMC Public Health study. Therefore, healthcare professionals should consider acupuncture as a potential non-pharmacological method for managing pain.
Consider Qigong: The BMC Public Health study and the "Revista Latino-Americana de Enfermagem" study both found that Qigong is an effective non-pharmacological method for reducing pain, improving physical function and increasing self-efficacy in individuals with chronic pain conditions.
Implement sustainable, community-based programs: The authors of these studies recommend the implementation of sustainable, community-based programs that promote the use of non-pharmacological methods for managing pain, including Qigong. This can help individuals to manage their pain effectively, improve their quality of life, and reduce the burden on healthcare systems.
Monitor the progress: Monitor the progress of the individual and adjust the non-pharmacological method as needed.
Continue research and education: Finally, healthcare professionals should continue to research and educate themselves on the most recent findings and best practices in non-pharmacological methods of pain management.
References:
- Toneti BF, Barbosa RFM, Mano LY, et al. Benefits of qigong as an integrative and complementary practice for health: a systematic review. Revista Latino-Americana de Enfermagem. 2020;28:e3317.
- Tang SK, Tse MMY, Leung SF, et al. The effectiveness, suitability, and sustainability of non-pharmacological methods of managing pain in community-dwelling older adults: a systematic review. BMC Public Health. 2019;19(1):1488.
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