According to a study from the Centers for Disease Control in 2021, “ an estimated 51.6 million U.S. adults (20.9%) experienced chronic pain, and 17.1 million (6.9%) experienced high-impact chronic pain.” Chronic pain can be caused by a variety of factors but one consistent is the strain it puts on those it affects. In the Castle Country Area, there is hope to better manage this pain through Utah State University Extension’s ‘Living Well with Chronic Pain Workshop’.
The six-week workshop begins on Wednesday, Jan. 15, with an introductory session on Wednesday, Jan. 8. To discuss the workshop and its benefits, Castle Country Radio was joined by Dr. Ashley Yaugher from USU Extension for an insider’s look at the course.
“It’s a hands-on practical skill workshop that’s over six weeks that helps people learn about skills and other ways to manage chronic pain while they also connect and share with other people,” explained Yaugher of the workshop,” And this one’s online, so it’s sharing with people both in our local community, but also from across the state of Utah. And they can all join from the comfort of their home, so you meet people in different walks of life and different areas as well.”
The workshop being open to people across the state opens up connections through the shared experience of living with chronic pain,” There are these practical skills that we’ll be going over that are evidence-based. Everybody that joins gets a workbook and these tools in their tool kit. But they also will learn from each other because people have a lot of really cool ways they manage their pain. And it’s nice to share that with people that might not otherwise be connecting with people.”
Yaugher also explained more individualized benefits that can come from attending the class,” classes like this are amazing to give you different ideas and ways to manage your pain, or if you are a caregiver, ways to help the people that are in your life manage their pain. And we talk a lot about alternative pain management strategies like our thought processes, some pain-reducing exercises and other ways to manage pain that are not necessarily opioids or prescription medication. So we talk about those and we also talk about the place for prescription medications and managing pain as well.”
In closing, Dr. Yaugher shared,” I just hope everybody benefits from this and can join us if they’re available. There are also other ones that are in person and across the state, so find one that works for you.”
To register for USU Extension’s ‘Living Well with Chronic Pain Workshop’, you can register using Compass. More information can also be found on the event’s Facebook page here.