Evaluation of About Face: A Psychology and Physiotherapy Pain Management Program for Adults with Persistent Facial Pain

Jolyon Poole; Rachel Stovell; Elenor McLaren; Susie Holder; Clare Maddocks; Maeve Larkin; Joanna M Zakrzewska

doi:10.11607/ofph.2924

Evaluation of About Face: A Psychology and Physiotherapy Pain Management Program for Adults with Persistent Facial Pain

J Oral Facial Pain Headache. 2022;36(1):21-25. doi: 10.11607/ofph.2924.

Authors

Jolyon Poole, Rachel Stovell, Elenor McLaren, Susie Holder, Clare Maddocks, Maeve Larkin, Joanna M Zakrzewska

Abstract

Aims: To evaluate About Face, a pain management program aimed at increasing quality of life in adults living with persistent facial pain through psychology- and physiotherapy-based skill development.

Methods: A total of 90 patients attended a six-session program with a 1-month follow-up between 2015 and 2019. Patients filled out self-reported outcome measures preprogram, postprogram, and at a 1-month follow-up visit.

Results: There was a significant reduction in pain catastrophizing and a significant increase in engagement in meaningful activity, as well as a reduction in pain-related interference.

Conclusion: This evaluation adds to the small amount of existing literature on interventions aimed at increasing quality of life in patients living with persistent facial pain and provides suggestions for future research.

MeSH terms

Adult
Facial Pain / therapy
Humans
Pain Management*
Pain Measurement
Physical Therapy Modalities
Quality of Life*

Grants and funding

The authors are grateful to past clinicians, in particular Clare Daniel and Helene Klein, who have been involved in the set-up, running, and monitoring of the About Face group over the years. All authors contributed to evaluation of the results and the writing and approval of the final manuscript. J.Z. undertook this work at UCL/UCLHT and received a proportion of funding from the Department of Health’s NIHR Biomedical Research Centre funding scheme.