Essential Pain Management – Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences
Pain, and for that matter
life, is too non-linear for a single-strand narrative to render it accurately.
Pain, and for that matter life, is a complex bio-psychosocial challenge with a
high prevalence in our society, but which is often poorly understood and not
very well managed. Managing pain well, in particular, continues to have a
limited role in the overall schema of medical education. When compared with
other specialties it is like Charlie Chaplin, the little tramp who lets the
world walk over him. Yet, it is a specialty which is deeply rooted in
humanities; which could introduce healthcare professionals to diverse
perspectives; and which could lend itself to inter professional collaboration
and innovative education strategies. Managing pain well, despite the challenges
and barriers, by remaining undaunted like the little tramp, invariably makes
the world more human. Like one feels when the credits start rolling after a
Chaplin movie.
The Essential Pain Management
(EPM) programme for health sciences students was launched only a few weeks ago,
but the faculty are already in great demand and have taken to teaching as fish
to water. My guess is that when something is so simple, so greatly rewarded,
and bears so many positive consequences, it’s a recipe for addiction. Addicted
we were then, when the road show stopped at the prestigious Nizam’s Institute
of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad. The physiotherapy students, who trickled in
post-lunch, participated with full aplomb in the interactive lectures, clinical
scenario discussions and brainstorming sessions. They were interested in
everything and always had something ingenious to say about the different facets
of pain. There were discussions on ethics, reflective practice, philosophy and
arts, and how it could be all put together to alleviate the pain of the
sufferer. And, that a singularly biological approach of medications or
injections or physiotherapy would not only be a futile one-size-fits-all
treatment of pain, but also doesn’t ring true against the psychological and
social variables which influence pain. We are thankful to the department of
physiotherapy for providing the best possible conditions for us to teach, and
for the students to learn.
Hermann Hesse’s Siddhartha, after an
unrelenting search, attains Nirvana by being at a necessary
distance to take in all elements, which leads him to see the unity of the
world. The unrelenting search in itself, he realised, was essential for
achieving a harmonious relationship with the world. In this, the river plays an
essential role in teaching him not only the physical and spiritual world but
also time itself. And, the ferryman plays his part as a guide for both the
river and the path to enlightenment. In our endeavour, the Traveling Pain
School – by bringing in an understanding and coherence about the different
ingredients of pain – has been the river. For the many Siddhartha’s (health
sciences students) in search of pain knowledge and are open to guidance, the
faculty has been the ferryman in whom they would find what they need. The
ferryman points Siddhartha in the right direction, but the river – by dint of
being the ideal union of polarities (read medical specialities) – is
Siddhartha’s final instructor. Just like in Hesse’s novel, our
‘train-the-trainer’ programmes make sure that Siddhartha himself becomes a
ferryman after he reaches enlightenment. And, in Siddhartha, only
the ferrymen are able to help others find enlightenment.
Original
Source: https://goo.gl/Y48OJf
Comments
Post a Comment