Fundamentals of pain management and recent developments
Graduate School of Health and Medical Sciences at University of Copenhagen
This course is free of charge for PhD students at Danish universities (except Copenhagen Business School), and for PhD Students from NorDoc member faculties. All other participants must pay the course fee.
Anyone can apply for the course, but if you are not a PhD student at a Danish university, you will be placed on the waiting list until enrollment deadline. This also applies to PhD students from NorDoc member faculties. After the enrollment deadline, available seats will be allocated to applicants on the waiting list.
Learning objectives
A student who has met the objectives of the course will be able to:
1. Explain the principles of pain neurophysiology.
2. Define types of pain according to established classification methods.
3. Understand social and psychological factors involved in the pain experience.
4. Understand pain assessment considering its multidimensional aspect and its clinical and research implications.
5. Describe pharmacological and non-pharmacological resources for pain management.
Content
Recent progresses on the neurophysiology of pain
Introduction to pain processes of transduction, transmission, modulation, and perception; pain pathways and molecular mechanisms that underlie primary responses, and physiological process that modify the pain experience and lead to chronicity.
An update on pain classification and Diagnosis
Presentation of pain classification and diagnosis. It includes concepts of acute pain, chronic pain, cancer pain, nociceptive pain, neuropathic pain, nociplastic pain, and primary and secondary pain according to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11).
Pain and societal issues – research designs and clinical epidemiology
Overview of chronic pain prevalence in population-based studies and societal issues related to pain, including basic principles for research design in epidemiological studies.
Chronic pain assessment and selection of instruments
Overview of clinical evaluation of the patient with chronic pain. It comprises domains for assessment and introduction to basic concepts for selection of assessment instruments.
Psychological aspects of pain experience – advances in pain psychology research with focus on placebo and nocebo effects
Overview of psychological perspectives that influence chronic pain and interfere with behaviour and treatment response.
Pharmacological pain treatment – challenges and clinical evidence
Introduction to the pharmacological groups recommended for chronic pain and cancer pain treatment and treatment challenges.
Non-pharmacological pain management – research and clinical evidence
Overview of non-pharmacological treatment for chronic pain with focus on physical methods.
Education, cognitive behavioral and technological resources on pain management
Introduction to the principles of cognitive behavioral therapy and educational methods used on pain management. Presentation of current technological non-pharmacological resources used to improve pain self-management and their evidence.
Exercises - case studies-
Exercises with clinical/research cases for reflection and discussion of the knowledge acquired.
Participants
PhD students, but master students and other health professionals can participate in the course, if there is availability. The course structure is organized to build knowledge through the classes, providing necessary information and concepts to reflect in the clinical practice and research methodology. No basic knowledge in pain is necessary.
Relevance to graduate programmes
The course is relevant to PhD students from the following graduate programmes at the Graduate School of Health and Medical Sciences, UCPH:
All graduate programmes
Airways, Anesthesiology and Skin
Neuroscience
Language
English
Form
Learning is facilitated by reading material, online sessions (lectures), and group discussions. A list of reading material will be provided to the students and reading of selected articles in advanced will be recommended for each lecture topic. Exercises at each day will be proposed to the participants to discuss the different aspects of pain assessment and management and implications for clinical and research settings.
Course director
Geana Paula Kurita, Clinical Professor
Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen
Department of Anaesthesiology, Pain and Respiratory Support, Neuroscience Centre and Department of Oncology, Centre for Cancer and Organ Diseases, Rigshospitalet - Copenhagen University Hospital
geana.kurita@regionh.dk
Daniel Ciampi de Andrade, Associate Professor
Center for Neuroplasticity and Pain
Department of Health Science and Technology, Faculty of Medicine, Aalborg University
dca@hst.aau.dk
Teachers
Daniel Ciampi de Andrade, Associate Professor, Physician - Aalborg University
(Recent progresses on the neurophysiology of pain/An update on pain classification and Diagnosis/case studies)
Jan Hartvigsen, Professor, Chiropractor, University of Southern Denmark
(Pain and societal issues – research designs and clinical epidemiology)
Geana Kurita, Professor, Bachelor and Master in Nursing Science, University of Copenhagen, Rigshospitalet
(Chronic pain assessment and selection of instruments/ Education, cognitive behavioral and technological resources on pain management/case studies)
Lene Vase, Professor, Psychologist, Aarhus University
(Psychological aspects of pain experience – advances in pain psychology research with focus on placebo and nocebo effects)
Mads Werner, Associate Professor, Physician, University of Copenhagen, Rigshospitalet
(Pharmacological pain treatment – challenges and clinical evidence)
Jonas Bloch Thorlund, Professor, Physiotherapist, University of Southern Denmark, University Hospital Odense
(Non-pharmacological pain management – research and clinical evidence)
Karen Funderskov – PhD student, University of Copenhagen
(Participation in the lecture Education, cognitive behavioural and technological resources on pain management/case studies)
Mark Puch Ørnskov– PhD student, University of Copenhagen
(Participation in the lecture Education, cognitive behavioural and technological resources on pain management/case studies)
Dates
18 and 19 November 2024
Course location
Online
Registration
Please register before 27 October 2024
Expected frequency
Once a year, next November 2025
Seats to PhD students from other Danish universities will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis and according to the applicable rules.
Applications from other participants will be considered after the last day of enrolment.
Note: All applicants are asked to submit invoice details in case of no-show, late cancellation or obligation to pay the course fee (typically non-PhD students). If you are a PhD student, your participation in the course must be in agreement with your principal supervisor.