Occupational therapy is grounded in physical medicine, psychiatry, and behavioral psychology which provides the skills and knowledge necessary to treat people in pain. Wellness is a way of life that incorporates good health habits including rest, exercise, nutrition, and supportive thought processes. Wellness can be developed even in the presence of a disability such as chronic pain. Pain relief can be obtained from a program aimed at helping the individual to change his or her lifestyle. The treatment is aimed at reducing pain medication and increasing the person's ease of movement and ability to be independent through a program of diet, exercise, and activity.
Many specialists refer people with chronic pain to pain clinics for treatment.
Hundreds of special pain clinics are available across the United States. Special pain programs are also found in many hospitals and rehabilitation facilities. Thanks to Val Williams, EdM, OTR, and Peggy Swarbrick, MA, OTR, who developed this information for a series of workshops on pain management.