Therapeutic Neuroscience Education (TNE)

According to this article published by Adriaan Louw for the Institute for Chronic Pain: people living with pain are interested in learning about their condition; what is going on, why it is occurring and how to manage it.  This is the basis on therapeutic neuroscience education (TNE) and active self-management.

A large volume of high-quality studies have shown that teaching people about the neuroscience of pain shows immediate and long-term changes:

    • Pain decreases
    • Function improves
    • Fear diminishes
    • Thoughts about pain are more positive
    • Knowledge of pain increases
    • Movement improves
    • Muscles work better
    • Patients spend less money on medical tests and treatments
    • The brain calms down (as seen on fMRI of the brain)
    • People are more willing to do much-needed exercise
  • TNE changes perception of pain – “HURT does not equal HARM”
  • TNE reduces the fear of pain, allowing people to move and exercise
  • TNE is taught by multidisciplinary pain management teams – in person through pain management centre’s and pain management programs, online and APPs.

 

Here is Adriaan Louw explaining persistent pain in 3 mins:

 

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Photo by Kimberly Farmer on Unsplash