North Wiltshire Chronic Pain Group

We explored ways to make us happier whilst living with the challenges of chronic pain using “Action for Happiness” resources. Lots of heartfelt discussion and sharing during the group.

• Great Dream: ten keys to happier living
• Joyful June 2024

James, an instructor from the The Activity Zone in Malmesbury joined us to teach practical muscle strengthening exercises that we ” can do” at home to help reduce our daily chronic pains. These activities can be completed standing up and sitting down if needed.

It was a great session.

Overview – Wiltshire Council

Exploring “Emotional Eating”

 “What works for you?” 

Strategies in managing pain

Cancelled due to flooding

Emotional Eating

Explore goal setting and where we are in the cycle of change.

Christmas Meal!

Bring Your Dog Day

“Bring Your Dog Day” (providing they are sociable around other dogs and people), the therapeutic benefits of owning a pet will be explored.

Today we watched a TED talk on “How to find self love” and carried out an exercise on eating mindfully.

• Mindful Eating – Headspace

Kat, our local first contact physio, talked to the group about living with chronic pain covering a range of topics:

1. Activity management – prioritising activities and exercises, activity diary, 
2. The importance of pacing – what it is and how to do pacing effectively
3. Rest, relaxation and coping with stress
4. Mindfulness practice
5. How to exercises safely – practice

Summer Break

No group this month!

Unhelpful Thinking Habits

Over the years, we tend to get into unhelpful thinking habits such as those described in the document below.

Alice bravely told her story about living with chronic pain, the importance of a positive mental attitude, reflection on posture, learning to relax and retraining the brain both physically and mentally to achieve daily goals. Amazingly Alice has reduced her pain score from 7/10 to 3/10. This is years of work, and we were all inspired to hear Alice’s amazing story.

We explored Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) as a group and found it very relaxing.

Kevin from the group kindly shared his knowledge and expertise around crystals and their properties particularly focusing on mood and chronic pain.

Hypnotherapy/Hypnosis

During your session I’ll use verbal relaxation to move your mind and body into a relaxed hypnotic state. Then, using Hypnosis Suggestion we will use various models to be able to help you to turn your own pain levels down, this will help you to enable yourself in the future as you will be able to repeat these techniques after the session.

EFT – Emotional Freedom Therapy (known as Tapping)

This is the technique of tapping the meridian energy points on your face and body whilst focusing on the problem or disturbance you have i.e. the pain. The result? A disruption of energy when tapping these points allows you to release any pain and emotion you may be holding onto within your mind or your body to release or lessen the pain you have.

Christmas Meal

Knitting

If knitting helped Tom Daley achieve his gold medal at the Olympics, then this is something we need to give a go!

Benefits of Tai Chi and a taster session, provided by Jaki Hood

Coffee and Catch Up

Alternative Pain Management Strategies

The group discussed how we all individually manage pain and the strategies we use.

Happier Kinder Together | Action for Happiness

Neil, the pool manager from Thamesdown Hydrotherapy Pool in Swindon came along to the North Wilts Chronic Pain Group on Friday to provide us with more information about what the pool can offer and the benefits it may bring.

Thamesdown Hydrotherapy Pool | Homepage

Treatment Form 2017.pdf (thamesdownhydrotherapypool.com)

Thamesdown Hydrotherapy Pool On the next page to this document is a printable treatment card. Please fill in & bring it to the Thamesdown Hydrotherapy Pool, where our staff will happy

We have been providing Hydrotherapy for the people of Wiltshire and further afield since 1979 and have made many friends along the way. Headed up by manager Neil Montgomery, we have an approachable, enthusiastic team of 4 on hand to offer assitance and help make your visit stress-free.

IAPT Wiltshire provided an online “Managing Worries Workshop”. The workshop guided you through a technique called ‘Worry Postponement’ that can help improve how you feel. This workshop was live and interactive and facilitated by a member of the IAPT team who invited participants to actively be involved in the discussions and exercises. 

Wiltshire IAPT :: Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust (awp.nhs.uk)

IAPT stands for Improving Access to Psychological Therapies and aims to help people access support for a range of wellbeing problems. Wiltshire IAPT offers services to people registered with a GP in Wiltshire, except Swindon, which has its own IAPT service called Swindon LIFT Psychology. We offer individual and group psychological therapies in accordance with the National Institute for Health .

iapt.awp.nhs.uk

This week we focused on our breathing and learning techniques to maximise releasing endorphins to help manage our pain. (Please see leaflet attached below)

Workshop on “The three P’s”- PRIORITISE, PLAN AND PACE”

Art session thinking about our emotions and the effect on our bodies

Kevin, a group member, offered his jewellery making skills, sharing his expertise, and allowing us to “have a go” and provided us all with an opportunity to catch up over a coffee/tea with fellow members after the Christmas break.

_{Tamara is based both in Malmesbury and Royal Wootton Bassett and has been helping patients who have suffered various degrees of pain for many years ranging from acute migraine to fibromyalgia and low back pain.} 

Barry is a local person who has lost a considerable amount of weight and due to goal setting and changing behaviour has made an incredible difference to his life – a very interesting story (it’s not all about the weight!!!)!

Group Mindfulness Activities

(Eating & Communication)

_{Caroline is a nutritionist and naturopath and is able to offer useful information to help us manage our nutrition and health in the best possible way.This time, Caroline will be focusing on boosting our immune system and managing chronic pain through nutrition.}