Thursday Thoughts: What Are Your Thoughts on Therapeutic Neuroscience Education?

This Thursday Thought was inspired by my colleague Dr. Harrison Vaughn's post on Pain Science Education on his blog, In Touch PT.

He likens using Pain Science Education on chronic pain patients to going for three pointers. What do you think? I have been using forms of Explain Pain, since taking one of Butler's first courses 14-15 years ago! The research behind it is fascinating, and it has certainly changed the way I look at chronic pain patients, and interact with patients in general.

My words are softer, my interactions much more positive, and my thoughts about chronic pain patients do not immediately jump to malingerer (although there are still those out there!).

Like Harrison, and I have been at this a lot longer, it has not changed my outcomes with these patients for the most part. There are a few cases here and there where I have absolutely educated them on the realism of their pain processes, and thus improved their function and quality of life dramatically.... but... they still have moderate to severe pain.

You regular readers know of course I am all for this as a movement, and it should be taught in every curriculum. I just think realistically, clinicians should expect the changes will be subtle at first, and the slow in coming, should the patients stay with you in the long run. It's those who have stayed with me for years that had the most positive and significant changes, realizing that it is a long hard road.

I often find it very difficult to be a lone shining light of positive interaction when every other clinician these patients encounter speak of degeneration, EMGs, general scans (or worse yet, no results) like they're going out of style. My question to you readers is this: Has using Therapeutic Neuroscience Education changed your outcomes dramatically? Do you use it at all?

Keeping it Eclectic...