Maastricht UMC+
What is the biopsychosocial model of pain?
Frequently, somatic factors and/or diseases cannot exclusively explain chronic pain complaints. (the biomedical model of pain). Chronic pain complaints are often accompanied by detoriation of daily functioning and/or bad mood and/or little support and understanding of the social environment. Also other factors that may consolidate a chronic course of the pain can co-exist such as fear, catastrophizing and depression. Chronic pain particularly has negative consequences for the quality of life and general well being of the patient.
The starting point of the biopsychosocial model of pain is that chronic pain are due to and maintained by a combination of as well as somatic as psychological, cognitive and social (environment) factors.
This means that in making a pain diagnosis and a pain treatment policy always has to consider which psychological, cognitive and social factors are present in the patient and how those factors can be treated.
Within the UPCM Outpatient Pain Clinic pain is approached according the biopsychosocial model of pain. This illustrated by the fact that all pain patient has to fill out pain questionnares prior to his first consultation.