Addressing the opioid crisis means not only steering health care's approach to pain treatment away from drugs but fostering a better understanding of pain itself. There's no time to lose.
The 2019 APTA Combined Sections Meeting, set for January 23-26 in downtown Washington, DC, will deliver thought-provoking content on pain and opioids at a crucial time. Check out these suggestions, and find other relevant programming by searching the CSM programming page.
Pain Talks: Conversations With Pain Science Leaders on the Future of the Field
Join some of the most influential leaders in the field of pain science and rehabilitation for a discussion of the history of pain rehabilitation and how they personally became interested in the field, followed by an exchange on the current state of research on pain and its translation into clinical practice. The audience will be able to submit questions via text or email to the moderator for individual or panel discussion. Friday, January 25, 8:00 am–10:00 am.
Opioid Issues in Athletes
Opioid analgesics are the second most abused drug in the United States, with nearly half of students in seventh through twelfth grade having been prescribed these narcotics. These youth typically are athletes recovering from an injury or surgery—sometimes with devastating results. Find out about national efforts to address this issue, and hear the story of one athlete's journey from injury to addiction, and his long road back to health. Thursday, January 24, 8:00 am–10:00 am.
Remapping Neuroplasticity and Pain in the Clinic: A Case Series Session
There's growing evidence that graded motor imagery (GMI) can be used clinically to help desensitize a hypersensitive nervous system and provide hope for patients who are "too hot to handle." Body maps can be retrained within minutes through GMI, including normalizing laterality, motor imagery, mirror therapy, sensory discrimination, sensory integration, and more. Learn from published case studies and case series showcasing how brief GMI interventions can be readily applied in real-life clinics and result in immediate changes, thus accelerating recovery in people struggling with persistent pain. Saturday, January 26, 8:00 am–10:00 am.
Interprofessional Pain Management for Older Adults With Cognitive Impairment
Patients with cognitive impairment have difficulty or inability to communicate pain and discomfort because of cognitive, developmental, or physiologic issues, which is a major barrier to adequate pain assessment and achieving success in pain management interventions. This session is designed to help you respond to that challenge. You'll enhance your skills in recognizing pain in this population, identifying deficits and solutions through standardized tests and measures, and using interprofessional practice to improve outcomes. Saturday, January 26, 11:00 am–1:00 pm.