Topic and Questions We Can Help You To Answer
Paper Instructions:

Part 1:Understanding the Impact of Chronic Pain

The common experience of acute pain does not lead to an understanding of chronic pain. People who do not experience chronic pain have little understanding of what life is like with everyday pain.

To better comprehend life with chronic pain, imagine that you or someone you love is diagnosed with a chronic pain syndrome. Based on your readings, what do you think your or their pain sensations, experiences, and behaviors would be like? How would your (or their) life change as a result of this experience with a chronic medical condition requiring that you/they cope with pain and pain management on a day-to-day basis?For this discussion you may also choose to interview someone (e.g., a family member, friend, colleague) who has a chronic pain syndrome or discuss your own personal experiences if they apply to this discussion board. Keep in mind that all postings should be kept confidential within the context of our virtual classroom.

Make sure to post to the discussion board responses that reflect the psychosocial aspects coping with and managing chronic pain syndromes (e.g., what barriers pain can impose on an individual's life, what treatments one might be more likely to seek and why that might be the case, etc.)

Part 2:Seeking Alternative Treatments

After learning more about CAM, you may not realize that you may have sought alternative healthcare options, without realizing that going to the chiropractor, taking a yoga class, or taking supplements are considered complementary and alternative medicines and treatments.

Describe your experiences with CAMs and write about which treatments you would seek out in the future now that you have learned more about them. Also discuss why you might seek CAM vs. traditional medicine options for a particular medical condition (It can be a real or hypothetical condition, e.g., why might you prefer a CAM treatment for mild high blood pressure instead of medicine?) Post what you think would be the possible risks and benefits of using CAM instead of medicine for this specific condition.