A collection of postings on a range of issues is available on our website (www.mjacksongroup.ca).  This month’s post is again from Ken Pope’s listserv, where he kindly provides daily summaries of current articles in the field. 

The new issue of British Medical Journal includes an article: “Offer exercise, therapy, acupuncture, or antidepressants for chronic primary pain, says NICE.”

Here’s an excerpt:

[begin excerpt]

Chronic primary pain should be managed with exercise programmes, cognitive behavioural therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, and acupuncture, NICE has said in guidance on the assessment and management of chronic pain.1

The antidepressants amitriptyline, citalopram, duloxetine, fluoxetine, paroxetine, or sertraline are the only drug treatments that should be offered to patients with chronic primary pain because evidence shows these may improve quality of life, pain, sleep, and psychological distress, even in the absence of depression, says NICE.

For many commonly prescribed drugs, including paracetamol, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, benzodiazepines, or opioids there is little or no evidence that they make any difference.
[end excerpt]

Ken Pope

Ken Pope, Melba J.T. Vasquez, Nayeli Y. Chavez-Dueñas, & Hector Y. Adames: Ethics in Psychotherapy & Counseling: A Practical Guide, 6th Edition (publication date June 2021—John Wiley & Sons currently accepting preorders & faculty requests for evaluation copies)

Pope: Anti-Racism & Racism in Psychology as a Science, Discipline, & Profession: 57 Articles & Books (Citations + Summaries)
Pope: A Human Rights & Ethics Crisis Facing the World’s Largest Organization of Psychologists
“The good physician will treat the disease, but the great physician will treat the patient.”— Canadian physician William Osler (1849–1919)