| HOME > Links > Chronic pain websites |
Australian Pain Society - an organisation for health care professionals and scientists. Most of the site is for members only, but there are now some public position papers available, including one on prescribing opioids for chronic pain.
The IN Group Home Page - website of the Inflammatory Neuropathy Support Group of Victoria Inc. Some interesting items from past newsletters, including Chronic Pain Management - The wounded do not scream by Dr S Vallipuran, Pain Management Clinic, Alfred Hospital.
Overcoming Pain: Mark Grant's Chronic Pain Pages Australian psychologist Mark Grant gives information about EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing) therapy, and how it can alleviate pain. Other material on the site includes Ten Steps to Overcoming Chronic Pain, and The Eight Most Unhelpful Myths about Chronic Pain.
Pain Management Research Institute: The website of the Department of Anaesthesia and Pain Management at the Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney. Professor Michael Cousins has pioneered this field for over 30 years. Includes information about their pain research program and the 3-week ADAPT chronic pain program. Includes advice for chronic pain sufferers and patients' stories. ADAPT is cognitive behavioural therapy - the focus is on psychological treatment, exercise and coming off all pain medications (read about this approach). The ABC tv program Catalyst followed patients as they did the ADAPT program - read the transcripts: Pain Clinic part 1| part 2 | part 3.
It hurts: the elusive nature of pain: All in the Mind: ABC radio national 30 Sept 2006. Read the transcript. Website includes links to the Catalyst programs above. "Roughly one in five of us experience some form on ongoing or chronic pain in our lives ..."
Pain-Education.com - chronic pain management and acupuncture information. Includes a section on myofascial pain, and a Patients' Opinion message board.
Steve Thomson's Pain World - "a place where you might find some answers to your questions, get support from others who understand what you go through each day and maybe even find some new ways to cope with your chronic pain" - includes a Chronic Pain discussion forum.
Vulvodynia - website devoted to this physically and emotionally disabling painful condition.
About.Com's Back and Neck Pain site has resources, links and articles that will be of interest to many readers.
America's PAINDEMIC - "Why are we fighting our government for pain relief?"
American Chronic Pain Association - focuses on developing your coping skills and management techniques.
American Pain Foundation - "dedicated to eliminating the undertreatment of pain in America." Includes pain policy and advocacy news, a Pain Action Guide to download, also Q&A which include these words of wisdom on addiction: 'When physicians define addiction to a drug it means that a drug is used by the patient in a compulsive manner. This compulsive use of the drug causes dysfunction in the patient’s life, and the patient chooses to continue to use the drug compulsively, despite that dysfunction ... This is quite the opposite of what doctors strive for in treating chronic pain with medications that can be "addictive" ... when we treat someone with chronic pain, such as with an opioid drug ... we are seeking to improve the function of the patient...'
American Society for Action on Pain (ASAP) - "We Seek Narcotic Medication in 'Adequate and Ongoing Amounts' for All Americans who Suffer with Chronic Intractable Pain!" - veteran campaigner Skip Baker's site, updated since 9/11. Information about the persecution of pain doctors by the American Drug Enforcement Agency and the impact of the "War on Drugs" on pain patients. Alas, now archived on the Schaffer Library of Drug Policy site - see Farewell, Skip Baker - why did he have to cease his advocacy for chronic pain patients?
Go to the Canandian Broadcasting Company's webpage about David Suzuki's TV documentary series,"the nature of things" to find an interactive feature called A Look at Pain. It's an add-on to the excellent programme about the use of morphine to treat chronic pain, Morphine on Trial (2002), which was shown in the series. A Look at Pain has information on the topic of pain, an interview with one of the people featured in the original documentary, and two scenes that were not included in the Canadian broadcast. ["Morphine on Trial" told how Dr Frank Adams of the University of Texas began helping chronic pain patients with opiates ... and the effect of the the USA's War on Drugs on his practice and his patients - for a similar story see Dr Hurwitz's The Police State of Medicine, and other articles on my page Politics of Pain Relief ....]
Central Pain Syndrome Alliance - message board, email group, members' info, good links page. Central pain syndrome (aka neuropathic pain) 'is a neurological condition, meaning it stays with us, can affect us all differently, in different places on our bodies, and at different levels of pain. It is also extremely difficult to diagnose, sometimes sending the patient to many doctors to find one that believes them, and/or has even heard of and dealt with and treated this savage pain.
Chronic Pain Advocacy League - info and resources - 'We are a grassroots organization comprised of individuals whose lives have been devastated by non-malignant chronic pain. Those of us suffering, along with our friends and families have come together to fight for the medical care we need, and deserve. We have come together to demand that the apathy towards this illness become action, that relief from chronic pain becomes a priority, and that medical care is administered with a mindfulness of the meaning of "care".'
Chronic Pain Relief Coalition - Stop the Pain & Start the Humanity - activist organisation set up "to change the laws, regulations, and policies that prevent people in chronic pain from getting the narcotic or synthetic narcotic class drugs that they need to reduce their suffering to a level they can live with, restoring functioning and some dignity to their lives."
Chronic Pain Support Group (CPSG) "an on-line community of people in chronic and severe physical pain." Includes moderated chat rooms and a message board.
Dr Alexander DeLuca's Addiction, Pain, & Public Health website - includes a section on "War on Drugs, War on Doctors, and the Pain Crisis in America: Why most doctors won't prescribe opioid medications appropriately even when indicated".
Doctor's Guide to Pain Management Information and Resources - links page including Medical News and Alerts.
DRCNet (Drug Reform Coalition Network) ... how the war on drugs affects Chronic Pain Treatment; excellent Online Library of Drug Policy.
The Hypermedia Assistant for Cancer Pain Management (formerly the Talarian Index) from the University of Washington. This index, designed for health professionals, contains a huge amount of information about opioids and pain management.
Lois Randall's excellent Medical Information Network website has Chronic Pain pages with a large collection of articles, links, up-to-date information and resources.
Massachusets General Hospital's Neurology WebForums include one on Chronic Pain and others on specific painful conditions - you need to register to post, but you can read the messages first to get a feel for what people are talking/asking about. There are links to relevant information at each forum, too.
The Mayday Pain Project - goal: "to increase awareness and provide objective information concerning the treatment of pain. This web site is set up to be an index for visitors and contains carefully chosen Internet links and resources."
North American Chronic Pain Association of Canada - excellent site serving USA and Canada, with many useful links to information, resources and personal Chronic Pain stories.
Our Chronic Pain Mission - "for support and understanding". Articles on chronic pain politics, "ask the doctor", links, chatroom, forum, newsletter, opioids information and much more.
Pain Net, Inc.'s information for patients- includes "What you should know about pain, and the people that treat it", and "Questions YOU Should Ask of People That Are Treating Your Pain".
Pain and Policy Studies Group - at the University of Wisconsin - "Studying public policy in relation to pain management" "The purpose of this website is to facilitate public access to information about pain relief and public policy." LOTS of useful information includes (USA) State chronic pain treatment laws, assisted suicide, and international policy.
Pain Online Central Pain Syndrome Information Resource (Dejerine-Roussy syndrome, thalamic pain, central post-stroke pain, spinal cord injury pain), and a message board.
pain.com (formerly called Worldwide Congress on Pain) - "a World of Information on Pain". Excellent site - click on "resources" to search their library which has good articles on opioids for chronic non-malignant pain. Also features "Ask the Pain Doctor".
Pain Relief Network - "We are a network of pain patients, family members of people in pain, physicians, attorneys, and activists who are working toward a day when people in pain will be afforded the simple dignity and compassion due all ill Americans." Activism and resources.
Pain Research and Management - Official Journal of the Canadian Pain Society, has full text articles and abstracts from back issues. This site contains powerful statements in support of realistic treatment for people in chronic pain, including some I've listed on my Chronic Pain management links page.
Partners against Pain - created by the pharmaceutical company Purdue. The site is in two parts, one for doctors and one for patients. I found the info for doctors (eg "Which states have Intractible Pain policies?") more interesting.
Raven's Nest - Raven's Chronic Pain Pages. Includes What is Chronic Pain?, Theories of Pain (Past, Present and Future) by Dr Ronald Melzack, Social Views of Pain, Religion and Pain, and Treatment Options.
StopPain at Beth Israel Medical Centre - pain management and palliative care topics for health professionals.
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last revised 31 Oct 2006