Documentation
Books
Vivre avec une douleur chronique (Living with Chronic Pain)
By Michel Lorrain, physician and certified massage therapist
Price: $20.00 + shipping fees
(TAX-FREE) (Variable according to the number of books and delivery destination)
Y’a de la visite! (French Only)
A short story to explain a parent’s chronic pain.
The unexpected visit from a dragon, named Algo, who can breathe and fart fire according to his moods disturbs the whole household. In this closed-door family setting, mother and child, must face all of the misfortunes that result from the creature’s presence in their home. With all of its Poot! Poot! stars and fire-breathing, will the family learn to co-exist with this unexpected intruder? ‘Y’a de la visite !’ is essentially an illustrated allegory intended for families with young children aged 3 to 10 whose daily lives are turned upside down by a parent’s chronic pain. A bookmark with a pain scale chart is included and also represents a tool that can help bridge the main character’s (mom) pain and the real pain experienced by the parent. Isabelle Goupil, the author, was an elementary school teacher when she was given a Complex Regional Pain Syndrome that forced her to quit her job. Combining this difficult experience with her professional expertise, her love of writing and her love for children, she wrote this story with a very special reader in mind: Young children. Readers will find an ally in the story’s child. Julie Miville, artist and painter, creator of LES AFFREUX characters, illustrates this story of a small family’s encounter with pain with flair and sensitivity.
By Isabelle Goupil, author, and Julie Miville, illustrator
Price: $18.95
Libérez-vous de la douleur (Free Yourself from Pain)
Intended for people living with chronic pain, the book proposes a method to learn to live with pain that is based on mindfulness meditation and acceptance commitment therapy (ACT).
By Dr. Frédérick Dionne, psychologist and professor at Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières.
Available at Archambault ($29.95) Les Éditions Payot & Rivages
La douleur: de la souffrance au mieux-être (Pain: The Suffering Behind Wellbeing)
With plenty of pictures and figures, this book uses plain, accessible language to explain the chronic pain phenomenon as a psychological and physiological affliction. Its objective is to inform the public about new therapeutic approaches to chronic pain. It also provides effective tools (advice and techniques) that will help people manage their pain to the point of becoming experts.
Dr. Marie-Josée Rivard is a psychologist, author, speaker and a specialist in chronic pain management.
Price: $34.95 Available in paperback in book stores ($13.95).
Original in French, translated into English and Chinese.
Faire équipe face à la douleur chronique (Teaming Up to Deal with Chronic Pain)
Teaming Up to Deal with Chronic Pain is above all a book dedicated to providing those living with chronic pain with several useful tools, avenues and treatment to consider, including effective information on the physiological and social aspects of pain. People close to chronic pain sufferers will benefit greatly from this book, helping others persevere in their search for solutions in the short, medium and long terms, to return to a more active, even normal, life. The book is intended for healthcare professionals who want to find out more about the aspects and issues inherent to chronic pain, and benefit from their colleagues’ experiences and patient testimonies. Chronic pain education is only one of the solutions this book addresses.
By Louise O’Donnell Jasmin
Apprivoiser la douleur et la souffrance (Conquer Pain and Suffering)
A number of people afflicted with this issue are overwhelmed by their condition and seek in any possible way to find relief. To facilitate the understanding of pain’s mechanisms and suffering, the text introduces several scientific studies and clinical essays. The reader will also be able to better understand certain complementary approaches and relaxation techniques that can be effective in managing pain.
By Michel Dufour, MEd., remedial teacher, speaker et neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) and Dr. Jean Lamarche, MD, responsible for the scientific and medical aspects.
Price: $34.95 (includes 2 CDs) Available through book stores and some pharmacies.
Yoga pour soi (Yoga for You)
The book and DVD are an inspiration; they propose different exercises that can be incorporate into our daily lives. They were developed by a yoga professor and have been scientifically and medically validated by a physician specialized in chronic pain management. Available in bookstores and certain pharmacies.
By Annie Courtecuisse, professor specialized in the practice of yoga for seniors since 2009; Preface by Dr. David Lussier, geriatrician and Medical Director of the Chronic Pain Management Clinic at the Institut universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal.
Price: $27.95 (includes a DVD)
Brochures
Apprendre à vivre avec la douleur de façon positive (Learning to Live Positively with Pain)
Some people have tried several treatments and methods to either control or reduce their pain, but the pain persists. Despite scientific and medical progress over the past few years, complete pain relief is too often a goal that is too difficult to attain. What can you do when pain cannot be completely relieved?
Learning to live with pain does not mean resigning oneself, or even given up. Learning to live with pain is in some way a form of acceptance that is in no way comparable to resignation. There comes a time when some people choose to invest their energy into their quality of life and to stop searching for a miracle solution that will rid them of their pain.
Comment parler à votre médecin (How to Talk to your Doctor)
You have probably already left your physician’s office feeling that you weren’t able to adequately communicate all of your concerns. Maybe you felt that you weren’t being heard or understood? It’s not easy to express ourselves clearly when we are in pain and have only a limited amount of time to talk with your physician.
This brochure offers a few recommendations to help you take full advantage of your medical appointment, and consequently increase your chances of feeling satisfied after your appointment.
Sexualité : douleur chronique et vie intime, comment concilier les deux (Sexuality: Chronic Pain and Intimacy, How to Reconcile Both)
When pain sets in, it affects every aspect of a person’s life.
This means a person’s intimacy and sex life that, in many cases, are relegated to the back burner, or even abandoned. However, the intimacy experienced with a person’s partner is at the core of a couple’s life and plays an important role in every aspect of their health. In fact, even when the person living with pain is not in a relationship, sex represents a significant part of their lives. So it’s very important to take care of your relationship in spite of the constant presence of chronic pain. Learning to live with pain is in some way a form of acceptance that is in no way comparable to resignation. There comes a time when some people choose to invest their energy into their quality of life and to stop searching for a miracle solution that will rid them of their pain.
Nutrition et douleur chronique (Nutrition and Chronic Pain)
There is no doubt about the importance of adopting healthy eating habits. Moreover, getting nutritional advice has never been easier. In fact messages are so clear and insistent that it has become difficult not to hear them! Yet, the contents of our dinner plates are sometimes very different from those healthy nutritional recommendations. This may even be more accurate with people who suffer from chronic pain, all too often they simply don’t have the energy required to prepare healthy well-balanced meals, and occasionally they may not even be hungry.
Adopter de bonnes habitudes de sommeil (Practicing Good Sleep Habits)
Do you have chronic pain and sleep issues?
Rest assured that you are not alone. In fact, people who live with chronic pain often complain about this type of problem: they find it hard to fall asleep or to stay asleep, wake up very early or have the feeling that they did not sleep well. Fix the situation by adopting and practicing good sleeping habits.
Chronic pain and sleep issues often create a vicious cycle: pain interferes in sleep and vice versa. So after a rough night of sleep, pain is often more intense during the day, and then pain deprives the person from a restorative sleep the following night.
L’activité physique pour diminuer la douleur… essentielle au traitement! (Physical Activity to Reduce Pain… Critical to Treatment)
Physical activity performed on a regular basis provides an array of benefits in terms of physical and psychological health. People who live with chronic pain are no exception to the rule.
Most people with chronic pain, such as back pain or fibromyalgia, can reap the benefits of a more active lifestyle. Physical activity is not contraindicated in most chronic pain conditions; it is even a significant element in its treatment. Regular and progressive physical activity allows focus to switch to exercise and less on pain.
La douleur chronique : la reconnaître et la traiter (Chronic Pain: Recognising and Treating It)
What is chronic pain?
Chronic pain is a disease that can occur as a result of a physical injury, surgery or even without any apparent cause. Pain can also be a consequence of disease, such as arthritis, migraines, multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia or even spinal issues.
In fact, chronic pain is a frequent health problem. It is estimated that it impacts about 20% of the population. Chronic pain is defined as pain that persists for over three months or beyond the normal period of recovery. Pain may be present at all times, or only during certain periods. It may be strong or low according to the time of day.
Quand les émotions s’en mêlent… (When Emotions are Involved…)
Living with chronic pain on a daily basis, whether it’s for a few months or several years may bring about different emotions, which is completely understandable.
Oftentimes, chronic pain leads to feelings of hopelessness, sadness, fear and even anger. These emotions are normal reactions, but over time, they can become harmful. Not only do they add to the suffering, they can even increase pain and reduce one’s ability to deal with it. The objective of this brochure is to explain which emotions are most often felt by people with chronic pain, how to manage them and how to get the appropriate help when necessary.
Gérez votre énergie pour mieux contrôler votre douleur (Manage your Energy to Better Manage your Pain)
Why am I always tired, even if I don’t do much?
When pain has been present for a certain period of time, it is not uncommon for people to reduce their daily activities. This inaction tends to increase the feeling of fatigue which then reduces the number of activities being performed. This is when the vicious cycle begins. By reducing your activity level, your abilities also decrease. Muscular strength, endurance, concentration and memory also feel the repercussions. Then, faced with reduced abilities and a feeling of no longer being able to perform your usual activities, frustration may ensue, anxiety or even a loss of interest for activities that were once pleasurable. On the long term, you could even develop symptoms of depression, and these negative feelings emphasize the isolation and fatigue being felt. This is how you get caught up in an endless cycle of fatigue.
Pour la famille et les proches : comment aider sans s’oublier (For Family and Loved Ones: Helping without Neglecting Yourself)
Suffering from chronic pain can have a major impact on several aspects of a person’s life: physical, psychological, familial and social.
Chronic pain not only affects the person who is suffering, but it also has repercussion on the lives of every member of their family and loved ones. Informal caregivers often feel impotent. They don’t know how to help the one with pain and often present significant signs of distress.
Tout ce que vous devez savoir sur les médicaments contre la douleur (Everything you Need to Know About Painkillers)
Chronic pain is a chronic disease just like diabetes and hypertension. Medications are integral parts of its treatment and are often necessary to manage the pain. Just like diabetes, chronic pain can be managed by taking medication daily according to a specific schedule.
There are several types of medications used to relieve pain or to treat related issues, such as depression and anxiety. Such medications include non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, opiates (morphine and its derivatives), anticonvulsants, antidepressants (used specifically for their effect on pain or on depression when present), cannabis derivatives, cortisone, tranquilizers and muscle relaxants.
La psychologie peut aussi aider… (Psychology can also Help…)
Chronic pain is a health issue that often leads to significant repercussions on one’s mood and quality of life, especially if you are experiencing relentless pain on a day to day basis.
It may be possible that you are less active, that you are feeling tense, stressed or even expe-riencing emotions that are hard to deal with.
Some psychological techniques can provide tools to better manage these changes in one’s life.
Contrôler sa respiration pour soulager sa douleur: une solution à la portée de tous (Manage Your Breathing to Relieve your Pain: A Solution Available to Everyone)
Breathing is a critical living reflex. However, it can sometimes be too rapid especially when experiencing stress or pain. Learning to manage and control your breathing allows you to relax, to reduce your stress levels and eventually to reduce pain.
When we are in pain, our breathing tends to accelerate, which can also increase tension all over our body and possibly our pain.