HELEN Roome, a local occupational therapist, has published her first book called Your Pain Playbook: Effective Daily Strategies for Life beyond Pain.

With more than 25 years of experience helping adults living with chronic conditions, the Kloof resident is passionate about supporting people to cope and care for themselves.

Having worked exclusively with people living with chronic pain for several years now, Roome said that with her book, she wants to provide them with a resource packed with proven approaches to pain they could use for themselves.

Also read: Occupational therapist sheds light on Fibromyalgia

“It was also important to compile this in a way that would be easier for people with chronic pain (who typically have brain fog and fatigue, too) to read and implement. So I chose to structure the content into a six-week plan of short daily readings with stories, practical examples and beautiful illustrations to get the information across.”

Your Pain Playbook: Effective Daily Strategies for Life beyond Pain is about managing chronic pain.

“Many people have misconceptions about chronic pain and how to manage it. They believe the underlying problem is always and only in their body and that their only treatment options are expensive and invasive things like medication and surgery.”

Roome’s book corrects those misconceptions by translating the current pain science and evidence-backed strategies into daily habits that help people manage pain themselves – and even live well despite it.

She said the book will appeal most to adults who have been struggling to make sense of their chronic pain condition (such as fibromyalgia or chronic low-back pain); those who are searching for effective strategies beyond pills or surgery, and those who want to know how to manage better on an ongoing basis.

Describing her love for writing, Roome said she has always loved words and been awed by their power to inspire and enlighten beyond us and the times we live in.

“I’ve journaled on a daily basis since I was a teenager, written courses for group work, sermons for Sunday church and even dabbled in poetry! I have yet to try writing a fiction novel!” said the enthusiastic author.

Asked about what people can learn from this book, Roome said people’s understanding of pain has changed dramatically in even the last few decades, so what people believe about their pain may be completely inaccurate.

She stated that this may mean that, at best, they are making no progress in managing it, and at worst, some of the interventions they are trying could be perpetuating and worsening their pain.

According to Roome, research shows that some of the most effective strategies for pain are fairly simple.

“These include: understanding pain, sleeping better, moving more, managing stress, pacing yourself and practising mind-body strategies – all covered in my book. I like to say ‘chronic’ merely refers to how long your pain has persisted, not how long it will last.”

“Our brains and bodies are bioplastic and capable of changing,” said Roome.

Her book is available in ebook or paperback versions from her website: www.helenroome.co.za.

For more from the Highway Mail, follow us on Facebook , X and Instagram. You can also check out our videos on our YouTube channel or follow us on TikTok.