Pain rehabilitation

We offer an outpatient clinic for evaluations, along with various pain rehabilitation programmes, some of which include cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). In addition, we provide a telephone counselling service for persistent pain following whiplash injuries and hold a regional mandate to assess and diagnose patients with painful hypermobility.

Accreditation and quality registry

Our unit offers internationally accredited rehabilitation programmes, including physiotherapy programmes and BAS and Intensive Pain Management Programmes. We are accredited by CARF (Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, USA), an international organisation that evaluates rehabilitation facilities worldwide. Our most recent CARF audit took place in 2021, and our current accreditation is valid until 2024.

We are also affiliated with the National Quality Registry for Pain Rehabilitation (NRS), which enables us to monitor and improve our services. The registry coordinator is based at our clinic.

Research

We conduct clinical, patient-centred research within our pain rehabilitation programme. Our primary research focus is chronic pain, defined as pain persisting for at least three months. Approximately 20 per cent of the adult population in Sweden is estimated to experience moderate to severe chronic pain, though only a small proportion of these individuals undergo assessment at pain rehabilitation centres.

Research evidence supports the use of a biopsychosocial approach in chronic pain management. This method considers the biological, psychological, and social factors influencing a patient’s condition. Our assessments, rehabilitation programmes, and research are guided by this interdisciplinary approach, and we have a long tradition of collaboration across disciplines. Our current research team includes psychologists, physiotherapists, and doctors.

Our research investigates rehabilitation interventions, the co-occurrence of chronic pain with other conditions, and the development of innovative treatment methods, including industry partnerships. We also conduct epidemiological studies using data from large patient groups and are actively involved in the establishment of a national biobank for chronic pain patients.

Additionally, our unit manages the National Quality Registry for Pain Rehabilitation (NRS) and collaborates with other national centres to explore the factors that influence pain rehabilitation outcomes.

Examples of ongoing research projects:

• Children and adolescents with chronic pain: Investigating cognitive and emotional interpretations of pain in children and parents, and its impact on quality of life, function, and behaviour.
• Opioid tapering: Research into strategies for reducing opioid use in patients with non-malignant chronic pain.
• Sensorimotor control of the hand: Studying hand function in relation to various diseases and injuries.
• Mapping and rehabilitation of chronic pain: Registry-based research to identify key factors influencing pain rehabilitation.
• Digital therapeutic interventions: Exploring the role of digital treatments for chronic pain in both children and adults.
• Psychiatric co-morbidities: Investigating the relationship between chronic pain, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and other psychiatric conditions.