National Pain Week 2023 Vlog

National Pain Week Vlog

This week (24 - 30 July) is National Pain Week. Originally created by Chronic Pain Australia, National Pain Week is Australia’s annual awareness event for chronic pain and aims to draw attention to the experience of people living with chronic pain.  

National Pain Week is a significant awareness campaign for many people who have experienced brain and spinal cord injury, who experience persistent pain, as well as those living with other disability. It’s equally important for pain researchers, clinicians, allied-health industry professionals and all others working in the field to comprehend the pain experience for our clients, collaborators and cohorts. 

 

This year, the themes of National Pain Week are:  

‘Let them know how strong you are’ and ‘Painchanger’.  

These themes aim to break down the stigma which can sometimes be associated with talking about and seeking care for people experiencing chronic pain – encouraging a national conversation about the lived experience of chronic pain.

Through opening up the conversation about pain, we hope to spread support and tools for those living with chronic pain – resourcing rather than isolating them. 

It is not weak or selfish to talk about your pain, or to seek out resources and assistance.

How do you want to "let them know how strong you are"?

Pain isn't something to be ashamed of!

How can you be a “painchanger” this National Pain Week?

 

This National Pain Week, The Hopkins Centre and Griffith Inclusive Futures: Reimagining Disability invited pain researcher, Kimberley Talaber, in to discuss her PhD work, investigating brain mechanisms to treat chronic neuropathic pain following spinal cord injury.

Kim is a trained Physiotherapist, who is currently studying her PhD in the complex world of persistent pain and its connections within the nervous system. Kim is completing her research with the Musculoskeletal Health & Persistent Pain Research Group, with support from a Seed Grant from The Hopkins Centre.

Stay connected daily as we release the interview with Kim thoroughout the week!

Video 1

 

Video 2

In this video we asked: What do we know about SCI-related chronic pain?

 

Video 3

In this video, Kim shares with us how SCI-related pain is classified according to different biological structures involved. She also speaks about the complexity of assessing pain.

 

Video 4

In this video, Kim discusses the complexity of the pain experience. She describes how, no matter how many “types” of pain someone might have or how many body areas are involved, there can be different impacts of that pain on different life domains.

This vlog is a collaboration between Inclusive Futures: Reimaging Disability and The Hopkins Centre at Griffith University. We wish to thank our pain expert Kimberley Talaber for contributing her knowledge to this important topic.

Video 5

In this video, Kim discusses what her research is uncovering about the impact of Spinal Cord Injury-related pain.

Video 6

In video 6, Kim shares what her research is finding out about how people manage their SCI-related pain.

Video 7

In this video, Kim discusses suggested approaches to SCI-related pain, from her research.

 

Video 8

In the final video, Kim reflects on her use of Graded Motor Imagery in her research and reflects on how she thinks this technology could work with SCI-related pain.

 

For more information, please contact: 

Kimberly Talaber

PhD Candidate, Griffith University

Thesis Topic: Targeting brain mechanisms to treat neuropathic pain following spinal cord injury

kimberly.talaber@griffithuni.edu.au