title: Mind and body management strategies for chronic pain and rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: Chronic pain (CP) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) pose particular challenges for the individual. Although biomedicine inevitably plays a role in the reduction or control of some symptoms for people living with chronic pain, directed self-management is also increasingly recognized as an important tool. Self-management can address pain-associated symptoms of CP and RA, and often has broader aims, such as promoting positive well-being. Forty-six interviews with people experiencing CP and 46 interviews with those living with RA-associated pain were analyzed. Our analysis uncovered three broad strategies adopted by participants: body management, mind-management and mind-body management. The analysis demonstrated that for those living with pain, a sense of well-being is achieved not through pain control alone, but also through various mind/body techniques for managing pain, accepting new limits, and adjusting the way people relate to themselves. These self-management strategies are an important adjunct to biomedical care for those experiencing chronic pain.
authors.affiliation: University of Westminster, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Fauzia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Shariff
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Carter
authors.forename: Clare
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dow
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Polley
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salinas
authors.forename: Damien
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ridge
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D026441:Mind-Body Therapies; D010146:Pain / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012648:Self Care