National Pain Week 2024

National Pain Week is Australia's annual awareness event dedicated to highlighting the experiences of people living with chronic pain. It aims to raise awareness of chronic pain and its impact on individuals' lives and reduce the social barriers and stigmas associated with chronic pain. MedicAlert is proud to support National Pain Week, understanding that many of our members live with chronic pain.

Tips for Managing Pain

MedicAlert Medical Director, Dr Caroline Foreman offers the following tips for managing pain, or supporting a loved one with chronic pain.

Please note that Dr Foreman is not a pain specialist, and her advice comes from educational sessions, discussions with colleagues who work with chronic pain patients, and her clinical experience.

1. Don't be too hard on yourself. Living with chronic pain is hard and can be debilitating, it is frustrating when you can't do what you used to be able to do or "what everyone else does" because of your pain, so try to not be too hard on yourself. Working towards unrealistic goals is setting yourself up for failure. I suggest doing what you can, one step at a time.
2. I suggest working with your doctor, exercise physiologist, physiotherapist or someone who understands how your pain limits you. They can help you to develop realistic goals you can work towards.
3. Remember you are more than your pain, try to not let it define you. When we focus on anything in our lives our brain amplifies it, that's why focusing on pain has been shown to make it worse. If you think of the big picture and consider that you are not just your pain, there are usually lots of other things going on, and focusing on them, and taking control of what you have power over means you're taking back control of your life and not letting it (or the pain) control you.
4. When you have chronic pain, what's happening in the rest of your body and life has an impact on how you experience pain. Things like job, relationship, or housing insecurity, neglect, abuse, domestic violence, and trauma are all likely to contribute to more severe pain. By addressing these difficulties, the way the body perceives pain can change and improve.

How MedicAlert Can Help

MedicAlert can help people with chronic pain by ensuring that their medical history, including pain management plans, medication details, and relevant clinical documents, is readily accessible in emergencies. Here’s how:

Instant Access to Health Records: The MedicAlert QR code allows healthcare professionals to quickly access comprehensive health records, ensuring they have all the necessary information about a person's chronic pain condition and treatment plan.

Emergency Care Coordination: In an emergency, paramedics and doctors can immediately see essential information, such as prescribed medications, allergies, and specific care directives, which is crucial for safe and effective treatment.

Detailed Medical Information: The MedicAlert service can store advanced care directives, ECG results, and other critical health documents, providing a complete picture of a person's health status.

Peace of Mind: Knowing that their health information is easily accessible 24/7 gives individuals with chronic pain confidence that they will receive appropriate care, even if they cannot communicate their condition during an emergency.

Support for Healthcare Providers: By providing a comprehensive and easily accessible medical history, MedicAlert helps healthcare providers make informed decisions quickly, improving the overall quality of care for individuals with chronic pain.

Contact us to find out more and start your MedicAlert journey today.

Visit medicalert.org.au, email [email protected], or call our friendly Member Services team on 1800 88 22 22.