Coursera – Preventing Chronic Pain: A Human Systems Approach

Chronic musculoskeletal pain (including head, neck, and back pain) is a significant cause of suffering, disability, and health care in the world. Care for chronic pain often involves surgery, multiple medications (including opioids), endless physical and chiropractic therapy, injections, implanted devices, and other passive treatments– making it the highest cost condition in health care. The burden upon individuals in terms of ongoing pain and suffering is incalculable.

Consider an alternative. By using a human systems approach, we can better understand how individual risk factors in the cognitive, behavioral, physical, emotional, spiritual, social, and environmental realms of our lives can interact to perpetuate chronic pain and, if improved, can prevent it.

During this course, you will: Identify the problems of our health care system in dealing with chronic pain. Review the diagnosis, mechanisms, and etiology of chronic pain conditions. Explore specific risk factors that can contribute to chronic pain. Learn how a human systems approach can be applied through evidence-based self-management strategies to prevent chronic pain. Experience active strategies designed to enhance the protective factors that can transform our own lives, and those of our patients, to one of health and wellness.

This course was first offered in 2014. The course evaluations were carefully reviewed and the course was modified to improve its quality. Overall, 91% of participants believed the overall experience was satisfying, 92% believed it met the objectives, 93% believed that it made a difference in their life, and 85% believed that it made a difference in the care of patients.

Selected comments from participants included; “This course is one of the most generous offerings that I have ever encountered. There is so much life-changing, life-affirming information available at no charge, to anyone who wants it, is rare and amazing. I am VERY grateful for it.” “The learning experience has been tremendous!! Everyone should have this knowledge, especially those in the health profession.” “I loved this class and want to take it again!” “Absolutely fascinating and enlightening…This information should be part of every health care educational program!” “This course has really helped me to understand myself better and why I think, act and see the world as I do.” “I am eternally grateful for taking the time and energy to provide this beacon of knowledge to the world.” “I think this course is a wonderful gift, because pain is an avoidable part of our life. I have learned so many things.”

We hope you enjoy the course and, of course, learn how to prevent chronic pain.

SYLLABUS

Part A: Putting chronic pain in context
Introduction to the course
The health care dilemma of chronic pain
The personal impact of chronic pain
The balance between health and illness

Part B: Tracing the mechanisms of pain
Myofascial pain
Headache
Fibromyalgia
Arthritis
Temporomandibular and orofacial pain
Current concepts of chronic pain mechanisms

Part C: Preventing pain in the 7 realms of daily life
Resilience, self-efficacy, & expectation
Exercise, posture, & reducing physical strain
Positive relationships & social support
Creating safe and protective environments
Managing emotional challenges
Diet, sleep, & energy
Gaining insight, hope, & purpose

Part D: Bringing it all together to help the patient
The patient’s story: foundations for clinical reasoning
Implementing transformative health care
Improving the health care system