Authors

• Hossein Ahmadzadeh Chabok
• David Ring

Abstract

Both patients and providers hope for better management strategies for nonspecific activity-related upper limb pain. The next innovation may arise from the strong evidence that psychological factors responsive to cognitive behavioral therapy (mood, catastrophic thinking, and heightened illness concern) best account for variation in symptom intensity and magnitude of disability. This innovation represents a change in culture for patients and providers, both of whom are accustomed to the biomedical framework that anticipates a direct correspondence between illness (the state of being unwell) and disease (pathophysiology). As a first step health providers can prioritize empathy remain mindful that words, illness concepts, and treatments can reinforce ineffective coping strategies and encourage curiosity about the human illness experience.

Keywords

• Pain
• Upper Extremity
• Cognitive Behavior Therapy
• Coping mechanism
• Biopsychosocial