Self Management
Self management looks at all the different parts of your life and offers ways to make changes so you can get more out of your life. It’s about discovering new ways to deal with the effects of pain on your life, learning new skills, and ‘taking back control’.
Learning how to manage your pain is a journey. Like any journey, it takes time and everyone’s experience is different. We know from people living with pain that there are some things which can be really helpful. Live Well with Pain have a helpful resource called Ten Footsteps to Living Well with Pain.
Pain Concern has developed a paper-based tool for patients to prepare themselves to bring up their concerns and worries in appointments. Designed to help patients navigate their concerns and bring the most important questions up in primary care appointments, the Navigator Tool was trialled 2017-2018 with healthcare professionals and their chronic pain patients.
There are many different things you can try to help manage your pain such as; exercise, physical therapy, self-help tips and meditation. Find out more about the different ways to manage your pain.
Support groups can often be of benefit. They provide support and practical Information for people who share a common condition and can help people feel less isolated, cope better and learn from the experiences of others. A list of local support groups can be found here; Services and Support Groups » Joined Up Care Derbyshire
getUbetter- a digital tool for people with musculoskeletal problems
We can now introduce a digital self-management platform called ‘getUBetter’ for people in Derby & Derbyshire ICB. getUBetter is a digital platform which provides 24/7 self-management support for people with all common musculoskeletal injuries and conditions, including:
- Hip pain
- Back pain
- Leg pain
- Neck pain
- Shoulder pain
- Ankle pain.
The App, which launched in January 2023, is designed to support people with new, recurrent and long-term musculoskeletal conditions. The platform provides lots of useful information to help people whilst they are waiting to be seen, recovering following surgery or managing an ongoing condition.
It will also allow doctors, nurses, and other clinicians to send people for the right treatment and service. This is much better for people because they are empowered to recover with the right information and support. It’s also great for healthcare providers because they can direct people towards the best services to treat people with musculoskeletal conditions. You can find out more about the getUbetter app here.