The healthcare professional should pay specific attention to enhancing the patient s treatment protocol compliance. An extensive literature regarding treatment protocol compliance has developed over the past decade. Chronic pain patients can readily be taught the difference between acute and chronic pain, the general principles of relaxation training and pain management, and similar matters by a trained and supervised para-professional or even, in part, through video. The supervising physician or psychologist can consult on difficult cases or to resolve impasses in treatment. Provide a menu of choices for the patient.
Patients cooperate better with treatment protocols when they play a role in choosing their protocol.
Discussing options from which the patient can choose increases the patient s sense of ownership and commitment to the treatment plan. Understand the patient s thinking about his or her disorder. Patients frequently have unarticulated, unexpressed theories of their disorders. Without understanding the patient s private explanation for the chronic pain syndrome, the healthcare professional and patient may end up working at cross-purposes. During the initial phase of treatment, the psychologist should carefully assess any preexisting psychological or interpersonal problems that contribute to or are aggravated by the chronic pain syndrome.