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Psychological approaches to understanding and treating arthritis pain

Nature Reviews Rheumatology volume 6, pages 210–216 (2010)Cite this article

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Abstract

Arthritis pain has traditionally been evaluated from a biomedical perspective, but there is increasing evidence that psychological factors have an important role in patients' adjustment to arthritis pain. The evolution of pain theories has led to the development of models, such as the cognitive–behavioral model, which recognize the potential involvement of psychological factors in pain. Emotional, cognitive, behavioral and social context variables are useful in understanding pain in patients with arthritis, and have led to the development of psychological approaches for treating arthritis pain. These include pain coping skills training, interventions that include patients' partners, and emotional disclosure strategies.

Key Points

  • Theoretical perspectives on pain emphasize the critical role of psychological variables for understanding and treating arthritis pain and pain-related disability

  • Psychological factors, including emotions, cognitions, and social context variables, are useful in understanding arthritis pain

  • Psychological interventions, such as pain coping skills training, are useful for decreasing arthritis pain, psychological distress, and arthritis-related disability

  • Continuing efforts are needed to heighten rheumatologists' awareness of the psychological aspects of pain management

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Figure 1: Psychological approaches to pain management.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by NIH grants P01 AR50245, R01 AR049059, R01 AR054626 and R34 AR056727, and a Within our Reach grant from the American College of Rheumatology.

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  1. Pain Prevention and Treatment Research Program, Duke University Medical Center, Box 90399, Durham, 27708, NC, USA

    Francis J. Keefe & Tamara J. Somers

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Correspondence to Francis J. Keefe.

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Keefe, F., Somers, T. Psychological approaches to understanding and treating arthritis pain. Nat Rev Rheumatol 6, 210–216 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrrheum.2010.22

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