MCRC Understanding and reducing pain

 

Members welcomed Yatra Southward as guest speaker at the August meeting. Yatra, formerly an occupational therapist within the District Health Board network, is now actively engaged in delivering the Mobile Action Programme (MAP) to the local community. This service is funded by the Ministry of Health and is available to people over 18 years of age who have had musculoskeletal pain or problems for three months or more and for whom treatment is not covered by ACC. 

To improve health and increase independence for those seeking assistance through MAP, appropriate assessment, diagnosis and treatment, including education and rehabilitation, are all made available with a fundamental principle of the programme being that the right care is provided in the right place at the right time.

Along with a PowerPoint screening, Yatra commented on the need to understand pain and the number of ways in which this can be approached. Her personal involvement is in exercise classes – teaching simple, basic strengthening exercises. At any level, exercise reduces pain and stiffness and develops strength. As Yatra put it, exercise is a ‘festival’ of safety and daily functioning and she would encourage a gradual increase in regular exercise.  

Each of the various MAP classes aim to assist in enabling participants to focus awareness and realise how pain functions within the body. Learning to understand pain, identifying thoughts and feelings, realising that negativity tends to increase pain, that nerves can become over-sensitive and trigger brain reaction, the importance of sleep, and bringing more awareness of posture into activities throughout the day are all addressed in the classes. 

Yatra also screened “Pain is a Protector” which showed that it takes time to retrain pain. Members were then guided through a mini relaxation session. Everyone participated and there were smiles all around at the conclusion.

More information can be viewed on tamethebeast.org, or email admin@restartrehab.co.nz.

 Want to know more about Mangawhai Combined Rebus Club? Meet every third Thursday of the month in the Senior Citizens’ Hall, Fagan Place, Mangawhai Heads at 2pm. Visitors welcome. Contact Gaylene Lawrence 431 5617 or Beve Smith 431 5777 for more details.