In light of the Global Day Against Pain, the CHL's paediatric clinic organised a training course to raise awareness about chronic pain, which currently affects about one and a half billion people worldwide.
Currently, about one and a half billion people worldwide are estimated to suffer from chronic pain, which often has a significant impact on quality of life, mental health, and work.
Chronic pain can take many forms, and its causes are diverse, ranging from injuries to nerve inflammation. As a result, treating chronic pain is complex and requires careful attention from healthcare professionals, which is why the CHL recently organised a series of trainings.
One of the workshops focused on hypnosis as a potential treatment for pain, which also helps relieve stress. Dr. Manon Bache, who led the session, explained that the positive communication involved in hypnoanalgesia allows patients to reframe their pain, stress, and anxiety in a less negative light.
In pediatric care, particularly, non-medicinal treatments are often preferred. Techniques like using saccharose (sugar) solutions or swaddling can help soothe and calm children’s nerves without medication.
Children with chronic pain are frequently subjected to long, complex treatments from a young age, making it important to introduce playful distractions to make these experiences more tolerable.
Céline Rezette, of the Committee for Fighting Pain, stresses how deeply chronic pain affects young patients and argues that it should be treated with the same seriousness as pain in elderly patients, cancer sufferers, or those recovering from surgery.
Dr. Bache also urges parents not to delay seeking medical attention when their child is in pain, even if communication is more challenging. Immediate action is key to managing the child's discomfort and preventing long-term distress.
Watch the full report in Luxembourgish:
