Tallaght University Hospital
Contact Details
| Patient Co-Ordinator | Catherine Paisley 01 414 3104 |
| Phone | 01 414 3104 |
| Head of Department | Dr. Camillus Kevin Power |
Service Hours for Pain Service: Phones are attended between 01- 414 3104. 7am-3pm or 01 – 414 3473 8am–4pm. A voicemail service is used outside these hours.
Physiotherapy Guide on Stretching for Pain Management
Stretching is an important part of our daily management of persistent pain conditions. In this video our pain specialists physiotherapists will guide you through a range of stretches. Please click on the link below to access the video. You will have met a physiotherapist in the clinic who advised you to use this video guide to support you on your pain management journey. |
Advanced Pain Therapies Offered
Spinal Cord Stimulation |
Pain Exercise Class
This is suitable for patients who do not require a full cognitive behavioural pain management programme but who are not exercising and have a certain fear of movement. The pain exercise programme aims to: - Increase flexibility and strength The exercise programme runs twice a week (1-hour) for four weeks. It is based in the Physiotherapy Department on the Ground Floor of the Hospital. A half hour educational session is also included once a week. |
Ulysses Pain Management Programme
This is a four week cognitive behavioural programme which aims to improve the quality of the lives of patients with chronic pain. The model that is used to treat chronic pain is known as the biopsychosocial model. Simply, this model aims to treat the whole person by addressing the psychological, social and physical consequences of chronic pain. The Ulysses Pain Management Programme uses this model to help address these issues. The programme is located in the Rehabilitation area on the ground floor of Tallaght Hospital. It runs for four weeks, three days per week, from 9am to 3pm. It is run as a group so you will get to meet other people with a chronic pain condition. Most people find this very beneficial, as they often report that having chronic pain is a very isolating experience. Who is suitable to attend? What happens on the course? The Ulysses Team Pain Consultant On the programme the doctor will educate you about the known causes and treatments of chronic pain as well as a questions and answers session. Clinical Psychologist: We have already discussed that the experience of chronic pain can sometimes affect your mood. However once poor mood and stress become established they actually begin to affect your pain levels. The clinical psychologist helps you identify unhelpful thoughts and behaviours that may be contributing to this vicious cycle effect. You are then taught skills to help you reverse this cycle and gain control over your mood and pain levels. It is important to understand that the clinical psychologist’s role is not to tell you that you are “imagining” your pain but rather to help you find a way out of what is obviously a distressing experience. Physiotherapist: The effect of chronic pain on the body is widespread. Muscles weaken, joints stiffen up, exercise tolerance is reduced and patients often develop a fear of movement in case they exacerbate their pain. The Physiotherapist role in the Pain Programme is to structure a paced exercise programme in a safe environment to reduce these adverse effects. Also included is a session describing the structure of the spine and why an exercise programme – either in the gym or pool is so important. Psychiatrist: People who experience chronic pain find that it can impact their lives in a variety of ways. In addition to the physical effects, there are emotional stresses and strains as a result of dealing with chronic pain every day. These emotional stresses may result in your mood becoming low or irritable and your appetite, energy and sleep being disturbed. The psychiatrist will help you understand and identify these emotional symptoms and, where necessary, offer advice and treatments to alleviate them. Occupational Therapist: Chronic pain can affect your ability to perform everyday activities such as managing household tasks, working or enjoying leisure pursuits. You may be physically unable to perform these tasks or may avoid them for fear of making your pain worse. The Occupational Therapist’s role is to help you learn practical ways to manage your daily activities successfully and safely. This involves developing techniques such as goal setting and problem solving, pacing, work simplification and use of proper body mechanics. You: You need to be proactive; i.e. taking the opportunity to improve your quality of life. You need to practice daily the techniques and approaches that you learn on the programme. - “Practice makes perfect”. You need to be patient and not impatient - chronic problems take time and effort to become more manageable. All members of the team have an important role to play in helping you manage your pain and increase your quality of life. However you have the biggest and most important role to play. By attending the Ulysses Cognitive-Behavioural Programme you are already displaying a responsible commitment to improving your quality of life and aiding your rehabilitation. While you are on the programme, active participation, will guarantee the best results possible. By the end of the programme, rather than react to your pain in a helpless way, you will learned the skills to respond to your pain in a controlled and proactive fashion. What happens after the programme? How to be referred for assessment? |
Multidisciplinary Pain Clinic
In Tallaght Hospital this service is staffed by two Consultant Pain Specialists, Dr. Camillus Power and Dr. Anne Heffernan. There is also a senior Physiotherapist Sheila Horan and a senior Clinical Psychologist Orla Spencer. There is a dedicated referral route to Liaison Psychiatry and Occupational Therapy (Laura O Donnell). Referral is by means of a GP or Specialist letter to Dr. Power. The appointments service is administered by Caroline Morris (Phone 414 3473). The clinic runs on a Monday and Thursday afternoons. |
What We Do
Acute Pain Service - Tallaght Hospital The Acute Pain Service (APS) which is based in the Department of Anaesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine provides advice and clinical support on the most appropriate management of inpatients with acute pain. The Acute Pain Team is multidisciplinary and comprises Consultant Anaesthetist, Clinical Nurse Specialist, and Clinical Pharmacist. The APS functions 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Formal multidisciplinary rounds with the Acute Pain Team and Recovery Room nursing staff takes place each morning (Monday to Friday) on all patients receiving Patient Controlled Analgesia (PCA). Out of hours service is managed by the anaesthetists on call. Patient Controlled Analgesia is a system where patients administer their own analgesia intravenously by pressing a handset which is connected to a pump. It is used for the treatment of Acute Pain in patients who fulfill the following criteria: - Post-operative or Trauma Patients 16 years or older, alert, orientated and co-operative Epidural analgesia was introduced to Tallaght Hospital in 2005. It is now available on all wards, ICU and PACU. The acute pain team reviews patients twice daily during the week. The Team |