Pain BC. Changing Pain. Changing Minds.
February 2018 Update
From Our Executive Director, Maria Hudspith 
 
While chronic pain impacts 20% of people in Canada, pain research has historically made up only 1% of the budget of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Canada's major health research funder. Despite this, pain research is starting to gain momentum. 
 
In 2016, the CIHR announced funding for the Chronic Pain Network (CPN), 1 of 5 national networks to be funded under the Strategies for Patient Oriented Research (SPOR) program. Recognizing that there is a major gap in current pain research, the CIHR convened a National Pain Research Summit, and a few pain and medical cannabis projects were recently announced federally. Also, Dr. Aaron MacInnes is working locally as part of the SPOR CPN to create a provincial patient registry.
 
So, what can we do to foster these recent developments and ensure that pain research will make a difference here in BC?
 
We're collaborating with Drs. Ken Craig and Brian Cairns, along with researchers from across the province, to create a BC Pain Research Network. We've secured a small grant from the CIHR to get started, with the UBC Vice President of Research and Innovation providing funding for a "Pain Research Cluster." This funding will be used to host a series of educational and networking events and to create interdisciplinary teams that will compete for (and win!) larger grants. Given the growing national interest, we're hopeful that this cluster will serve as a catalyst for new and impactful projects. We're excited to see our coalition of people in pain, health care providers, and policy makers come together with researchers to make a concrete difference in chronic pain care in BC.
 
We are understanding that pain research, like health research more generally, has been plagued by a lack of attention to diversity and equity. We're hoping to make a small contribution towards remedying that through our recently announced project "EQUIP for Pain: Enhancing the capacity of primary health care providers in BC in the provision of equitable health services for people living in pain in marginalized conditions in BC", which is funded by the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research. This project will spark a better understanding of pain from the perspectives of indigenous people, newcomers, refugees and members of LGBTQ2S communities, and this knowledge can further be translated into practice change for primary care providers in BC.  
 
If you are: a pain researcher, clinician, policy maker or person living with pain and are eager to participate in our new Network, please contact us!
 
TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
Live Plan Be  Connect for Health
 
Chronic Pain Management for Chiropractors 
Workshop Available in Vancouver and Victoria
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This workshop is intended for chiropractors or chiropractic students interested in developing or enhancing sound clinical skills in the assessment and treatment of chronic pain.
 
Please share this with chiropractors within your network that would benefit from learning about the best practices of biopsychosocial chronic pain management.
 
Apr 7-8, 2018| Victoria Register now
Sep 29-30, 2018 | Vancouver Register now
 
 
 
Pain Waves Podcast: Neuropathic Pain and Spinal Cord Injuries Kendra Todd 
We talk with two guests about the potential effects of exercise on reducing neuropathic pain for people with spinal cord injuries
 
In this episode, PhD student Kendra Todd provides insight on her current research regarding how exercise may temporarily reduce neuropathic pain among those living with spinal cord injuries.
 
She is joined by her colleague, Robert Shaw, who shares his unique perspective from living with spinal cord injury. 
 
 
Coaching for Health Program: Now Recruiting 
Gain self management skills through one-to-one coaching
 
We are recruiting for our FREE Coaching for Health program. If you, or anyone you know, is 18+ years of age, has been living with persistent pain for at least six months and would like to learn self-management skills, talk to your family physician about being referred to this program.
 
Physicians can fill out this referral form and fax it to 1-(888)-329-5702.
 
 
Ask the Expert Series: February 26th, 2018 
Learn more about Pharmacogenomic Testing for Pain Management
 
Join us for our latest Ask the Expert Series with Derek Desrosiers, RPh, Director, Pharmacy Practice Support, British Columbia Pharmacy Association and Bryce Wong, RPh, General Manager, RxOme Pharmacogenomics Canada.
 
Derek and Bryce will be available in the Live Plan Be forum on Monday,
February 26th, 2018 from 10AM-12PM to answer all of your questions on pharmacogenomic testing and how it can be used to determine the most
well-suited medications for each individual's pain management needs.Derek
 
Please note: in order to participate in the live Q&A, you will need to
 
Not available during the live Q&A? If you have a question for Derek and Bryce but will not be available during the live discussion, please post your questions in the discussion forum in advance.
 
 
Self-Management Community Programs and Resources 
 
Please help us build our database of community programs and services to support self-management for people living with pain. If you know of a pain related self-management program or resource in your community, please let us know by completing this form.
 
Please note: self-management resources from Pain BC, PIPN and Self-Management BC are already well-known to us and do not need to be included in your submissions.

If you would like to share information about multiple programs, please feel free to complete this form as many times as necessary.
 
 
Pain BC Brochures 
 
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Did you know that Pain BC offers various brochures outlining resources and services that are available for people in pain, as well as their caregivers? 
 
All of our brochures are available for free via direct download, and can also be ordered as print materials through our store.
 
 
 
ROAD BC: Update 
A Campaign Against Capping Injury Claims
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Pain BC joined ROAD BC in December 2017, a coalition dedicated to protecting the rights of anyone injured from a motor vehicle accident. We're concerned about how injury caps may impact people who experience chronic pain as a result of a motor vehicle accident. 
 
 
Ways in which you can support the ROAD BC campaign:
  1. Sign the online petition
  2. Join the Road BC Facebook page
  3. Share the above information with your networks
 
UPCOMING WEBINARS: IN PARTNERSHIP WITH WWDPI
 
 
 
PERSPECTIVES OF PEOPLE WITH A CHRONIC DISEASE ON PARTICIPATING IN WORK 
Feb 22, 2018 - 8:30 am PT
This webinar will provide insight on which aspects and interventions can influence an individual's work participation, as well as the roles that people with chronic disease can maintain within the workplace.
CHRONIC PAIN: MANAGING WITHOUT OPIOIDS
Feb 26, 2018 - 11:00 am PT
Treatment of chronic pain requires “multimodal analgesia,” a management plan that often requires pharmacological as well as non-drug therapies and, very importantly, large measures of clinician-guided patient self-management.
 
WORKPLACE SAFETY AND PRESCRIBED MEDICATIONS IN CHRONIC PAIN PATIENTS
Mar 8, 2018 - 11:00 am PT
Assisting workers in achieving a safe and sustainable return to work after illness or injury has always ​been an appropriate goal of treatment. However, North American workplaces are increasingly challenged with how to address prescription and over-the-counter medication use by employees.
 
CHRONIC MIGRAINE IN PRIMARY CARE
Apr 11, 2018 - 9:00 am PT
Chronic migraines cause significant disability for many people so it is important that it be appropriately diagnosed and treated.
 
Pain BC is a program partner for the Chronic Pain Webinar Series hosted by the Work Wellness and Disability Prevention Institute. 
UPCOMING PAIN BC AND PARTNER EVENTS 
 
 
 
WEBINAR | PELVIC FLOOR PHYSIOTHERAPY FOR CHRONIC PELVIC PAIN
Feb 22, 2018 - 12 pm PT
Join Sam Hughes, MScPT, CAFCl, Licensed Physiotherapist to learn about pelvic-related complex pain and the role of pelvic floor physiotherapy in treating Bladder Pain Syndrome.

WORKSHOP | BEST PRACTICE PAIN MANAGEMENT FOR OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS 
Feb 23, 2018 - 9 am PT to Feb 24 2018 - 5 pm PT
Pain BC is holding an advanced clinical workshop for Occupational Therapists interested in developing or enhancing sound clinical skills in the assessment and treatment of clients living with complex and chronic pain.
 
WORKSHOP | CHRONIC PAIN MANAGEMENT FOR REGISTERED MASSAGE THERAPISTS - VANCOUVER
Mar 11, 2018 - 10 am PT
This workshop will provide Registered Massage Therapists with an opportunity to learn how modifications of traditional massage therapy practices can increase success and improve outcomes for people in pain.
 
WEBINAR | MICROBIOME: LINKING NUTRITION AND PAIN 
Mar 14, 2018 -12 pm PT
Join Dr. Heather Tick, MD in this webinar to learn about the latest research on the role that nutrition and diet play with pain.
 
WORKSHOP | CHRONIC PAIN MANAGEMENT FOR CHIROPRACTORS
This workshop is intended for chiropractors or students of chiropractic interested in developing or enhancing sound clinical skills in the assessment and treatment of people living with complex and chronic pain.
Apr 7, 2018 - Victoria Register now
Sept 29, 2018 - Vancouver Register now
 
 
 
Pain BC programs and initiatives are funded, in whole or in part, by the Government of British Columbia.
 
In the News
In the News 
 
The National Pain Report provides a brief summary of the changes Pain BC is lobbying for with respect to how chronic pain is treated and managed in the BC healthcare system.
 
A new pilot program is being launched in BC to provide illicit drug users with prescription opioids, recognizing that restricting access to opioids has not helped with mitigating the overdose crisis.
 
A 21 year old woman and her mother discuss the stigmas associated with experiencing chronic pain as a young adult.
 
A two part series on chronic pain management, in which Pain BC Board Vice-Chair shares his experience of living with chronic pain for more than 30 years.
 
Pain BC Executive Director, Maria Hudspith, talks to the Simi Sara show about the urgent need for a multidisciplinary approach to chronic pain care in BC.
 
 
 

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