Elliot Krane - the mystery of chronic pain

Thanks for that video Mary. Very informative indeed. I think it should be mandatory for all GP's and pain specialists to watch, so that they can get many questions to ask.
Plus it would be good to show it on prime time TV, so that the gen public can be better educated.

But I guess what I think, isn't ever gonna happen eh!

Probably not, but we can always live in hope!

i think it was a piece on catalyst that recently spoke of how there is no mandatory requirement for gp's etc to up date and continue there education although i know most o at least read journals and inhale the sales blurbs about new meds etc fro pharma reps. As an RN you have to be able to prove that you have kept your skills updated appropriattely for the area you work in and i think thats the same for most health workers but when it has been suggested for medicos they have not been supportive. if i were compulsary we would have a better chance of the information getting through to the gp's at least but i do not think that will happen in the near future so we still rely on the medicos who are are really caring and proactive and take the time to expand their knowledge. It is still absolutely appaling that pain is not dealt with adequately in medical and nursing training- not sure about current programs but i know til very recently pain i not dealt with as much more than a symptom of other conditions- certainly not as a condition in its own right as chronic pain truly is

Yes I remember seeing a show on TV last week where they were calling for doctors to take tests to see if they have kept up with new diseases and approaches to dealing with the whole health issue, but most doctors are rejecting this, I ask why when many jobs you have to ongoing training in order to keep your tickets, there has been a lot of breakthroughs and new technology in medical science, would not make sense not to receive extra training.

Don

I agree that ALL doctors should be forced to go through continual improvement programs and pass examinations to prove they are up with it and have the ability to perform at the required level.

There needs to be some radical changes made to the way doctors, especially GPs' operate. It's also time the govt starts educating the public, teaching them that they must take more responsibility for their own health and to stop leaning so heavily on GPs.
How many doctors surgeries are choked up with people who have a cold or the flu and who should just stay at home in bed?
How often do doctors ask you back for silly reasons?
There are so many areas that could be tidied up, because they cause such wastage and many consumers suffer because of this practice.

I'm not openly criticising doctors. The problem is that the system they have been working in is such a mess and is inefficient. It's time they changed it so that it works more efficiently.

no, peter is not unjust criticising its valid observation- sadly many practices are just becoming more and more commercial so the business is the primary issue and the practice of medicine has become secondary. Even the issue of clogging surgeries when people have minor viral illnesses but require a medical certificate for an employer! or getting signatures on a variety of forms. As an RN i have to be able to show that i am keeping my knowledge up to date and undertaking relevant on going education in order to maintain registration- usually its a case of signing the yrly declaration to say this has been done but thats with the knowledge that we have to be able to prove it if asked- why don't Doctors have to do the same- the piece i saw ited GP's etc saying they were too busy - things change in medicine so rapidly its just essential to try to stay up to date. But also i assume that the medical curriculum like nursing was never intended to be the be all and end all, just the starting point and as we know very little is taught about chronic pain as a condition in its own right which means if they do not seek the information they remain ignorant- yet chronic pain in varying degrees would be a relatively common problem- so basically its not so much a mystery its ignorance and lack of interest!

It is not just doctors who should be required to keep up with treatments, as you know I had the stim implanted so after the recovery period I have gone back to hydro to build up all my core and support muscle groups with the guidance of a physiotherapist. Now this is where my problems began, this is the first time he has ever seen or dealt with a patient with an implant, he was told twisting was out of the question and the do's and don'ts around the stim, rolled up for my first hydro session and was given a card with all these exercises on them twisting included, I did ask him about the twisting he said take it very easy as you will have to twist eventually, well big mistake, now I am stuck at home, my left leg is in agony just to move and even to touch the skin kills. Last hydro session I brought this to his attention, he just said cut out the twisting and if it keeps playing up we will have to put you on the table, on the table to do what, can't use manipulation or machinery because of the unit and the leads, confirmed yesterday by the lady from St Judes when she tried to program the stim to stop the pain to no avail. All it boils down to is not keeping up to date with modern treatments, how many cases just recently have been contributed to the lack of expertise and training some with catastrophic outcomes.

Don

So how did Chandler get fixed? Why can't we be fixed! I want my brain rewired!!!

Hi Kate,

I don't know for sure, but my guess would be a fairly intensive multidisciplinary pain management program. That is really all that is available right now. She obviously has age on her side, plus they got on to it pretty quickly. There is evidence that early treatment is more likely to be successful. Unfortunately, most of us don't get any kind of intervention until we have had CP for some time, often years and it is harder to treat then. However, it is possible to have a shift in focus which, along with medication and a good pain management program can help people to have a pretty good life, albeit a different one.

I also thing that there is always a possibility once you have had CPRS that it can return. I stand corrected on that, but I think I have read where that can happen - not always and usually following a different injury.

Mary

Just a note to those in SA, the SA government has just launched a new website outlining the new health care available as well as the new hospital, not in any of the pages have they listed chronic pain, even under the category of illnesses and diseases not one mention and yet a thing like crabs makes it in, that shows you how much this government invests in chronic pain.

Don

That is disgusting Don, but not surprising! It would be really great if some of the pain specialists sought some publicity about this, but I am not holding my breath over that one either!

Mary

Totally, one good point is they are boosting the mental health system and aged care, the mental health system has just about been null and void in this State until we had a lot of high publicity attacks causing serious injuries and death, is this what will get the government moving, lots of deaths or suicide from chronic pain.

Don