SELF-REGULATION TECHNIQUES IN THE MANAGEMENT OF CHRONIC ARTHRITIC PAIN IN HEMOPHILIA

Three adult hemophiliacs with chronic arthritic pain received training in self-regulation techniques consisting of progressive muscle relaxation exercises, meditative breathing, and guided imagery associated with past experiences of arthritic pain relief. The self-regulation techniques resulted in clinically significant reductions in arthritic pain perception for all three hemophiliacs, with maintenance demonstrated at 12, 14, and 7 months, respectively, across the three patients. Additional parameters reported included the comparative assessment of overall improvements in pain, sleep, and mobility, physiological assessment of surface skin temperature at the arthritic joints, analgesics, units of factor replacement, and frequency of bleeding episodes. The findings were discussed in relationship to potential synergistic mechanisms which might have contributed to the reduction of arthritic pain perception. The importance of differentiating between acute bleeding pain and chronic arthritic pain management was strongly emphasized, as well as the necessity of the application of these self-regulation techniques within an interdisciplinary hemophilia center context. 1981 Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy. All rights reserved.

SELF-REGULATION TECHNIQUES IN THE MANAGEMENT OF CHRONIC ARTHRITIC PAIN IN HEMOPHILIA Academic Article