
How can Cathy’s approach help?
The System Limitations Approach to Pain (S.L.A.P.) outlined in the book Rescue Your Back helps to identify if mechanical problems are associated to the pain, and is helpful to the opioid problem in the following ways.
For the person battling addiction
- It is important to determine if there is a mechanical problem causing the pain. As above, it is best to pursue a mechanical solution for a mechanical problem.
- In this approach pain is used as an important source of information, rather than something to fear.
- When pain is viewed as a source of information people become better at predicting their pain, so it often becomes easier for them to manage.
For the general population with back pain
- If mechanical problems are not addressed they persist, the force on the spine persists and overtime the pain increases.
- When mechanical problems are not addressed and the pain increases, it could increase the likelihood that people then turn to pain medicine.