The Importance of Words in Pain Management

Traditional medical and rehabilitation training programs teach clinicians to frame an explanation of body pain in terms of anatomy and biomechanics. But what is said by practitioners is often not what patients hear. Use of common terms such as "degeneration," "wear and tear," or even "chronic" is associated with worse prognosis in the long term. Kate Schopmeyer, PT, DPT, CPE, discusses why and how to be mindful when speaking to patients about their pain.