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. 2024 Dec;56(12):103120.
doi: 10.1016/j.aprim.2024.103120.

[Unhelpful believes about pain. Brief pain advice in primary care]

[Article in Spanish]
María Victoria García Espinosa  1 , Silvia Fernanda García Vila  2 , María Fernández de Paul  3 , Patricia Moreno Carrero  4 , Isabel Prieto Checa  5 , Gema Izquierdo Enríquez  6
Affiliations

[Unhelpful believes about pain. Brief pain advice in primary care]

[Article in Spanish]
María Victoria García Espinosa et al. Aten Primaria. 2024 Dec.

Abstract
in English, Spanish

In chronic non-oncological pain, there is a gap between the recommendations and the usual clinical practice. To improve this situation, it is essential to address unhelpful beliefs about pain in patients and health professionals. We address cultural beliefs such as thinking that pain means damage to the tissue where it is felt, that pain originates in the area where it is perceived, that it is important to rest for the tissues to heal, or that drugs and surgery are the best treatments for pain. First, professionals need to reflect on their own beliefs and question their own clinical practice: what do I believe about pain? Are these beliefs in line with current evidence? Do I follow the recommendations of clinical practice guidelines? In this way, by aligning their beliefs with the evidence, professionals will be able to begin to give appropriate educational advice to patients.

En el dolor crónico no oncológico (DCNO) existe una importante brecha entre las recomendaciones de las guías y la práctica clínica habitual en las consultas. Para mejorar esta situación es imprescindible abordar falsas creencias en torno al dolor en pacientes y profesionales de la salud. Hablamos de falsas creencias culturales como pensar que dolor equivale a daño en el tejido donde se percibe, que el dolor se origina en la zona donde es percibido, que es importante reposar para que los tejidos curen, o que fármacos y cirugía son los mejores tratamientos.

Para empezar, los profesionales necesitan reflexionar sobre sus propias creencias y cuestionarse su propia práctica clínica: ¿que creo yo sobre el dolor?, ¿están estas creencias en línea con la evidencia actual?, ¿sigo las recomendaciones de las guías de práctica clínica? De esta manera, alineando sus creencias con la evidencia, los profesionales podrán empezar a dar consejos educativos adecuados a los pacientes.

Keywords: Atención primaria; Brief advice; Chronic pain; Consejo breve; Dolor crónico; Primary care; Tratamiento; Treatment.

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