VCH pain specialist part of Pain BC conference

Chronic pain affects 1 in 5 people and presents a lot of challenges to patients and practitioners alike. As a pain specialist here at VGH, and as a person living with pain, Dr. Michael Negraeff know both sides.

Chronic pain is frequently undertreated and the complex issues that may accompany it are often inadequately addressed. Patients living with persistent pain report low levels of satisfaction with care received and outcomes achieved. They often feel invalidated and have their pain minimized. Many patients experience “the pain spiral” – inadequate pain management, decreasing function, fear/loss/grief, reduced activity, sleep problems, isolation, and depression.

Conversely, practitioners may be overwhelmed by the complexity of persistent pain and are often ill-equipped to appropriately assess and manage it. Management of persistent pain requires a partnership between a person in pain and their health care team. It requires practitioners to see the whole person. In the world of pain management, this is called the “biopsychosocial approach.”

Dr. Michael Negraeff has been working with a group of passionate health care providers at VCH and across the province to make change for people in pain. They’re doing that through an organization Dr. Negraeff helped created called Pain BC. On October 25th, 2014 Dr. Negraeff will be joined by a roster of leading clinical experts at Pain BC’s 4th annual interdisciplinary conference to share the latest evidence on how to best confront the challenges of pain. This conference will focus on practical and proven strategies that can address these challenges, improving outcomes and satisfaction for both chronic pain patients and those who aim to help them.

Conference registration at www.painbc.ca