Abstract:
People living with chronic primary or secondary musculoskeletal pain conditions such as low back pain, fibromyalgia, and inflammatory arthritis typically experience wide-ranging impacts on their physical function, activity participation, and psychosocial wellbeing. These can extend to negative impacts on a person\'s sexual function and their intimate relationships. While sexual function is an important component of wellbeing, it is often not considered within musculoskeletal pain care. Without awareness or targeted training, physical therapists may lack the confidence and skills to screen, assess, and manage the impacts that pain may be having on a person\'s sexual function and can miss the opportunity to tailor their care and optimize wellbeing. This article seeks to raise awareness among physical therapists of how living with chronic musculoskeletal pain can impact a person\'s sexual function and intimate relationships, and provide guidance on how to consider these issues within a person-centered approach to care. It describes why considering sexual function and intimate relationship issues as part of a person\'s lived musculoskeletal pain experience may be relevant, outlines the use of validated patient-reported outcome measures to assess sexual dysfunction, and suggests practical strategies for sensitively raising sexual function in consultations. Management approaches and possible referral pathways are also presented, to assist physical therapists in understanding available care options. This article seeks to support holistic care by improving physical therapists\' knowledge and understanding of sexual dysfunction and its management in people living with chronic musculoskeletal pain.
CONCLUSIONS: Considering sexual function as a valued functional activity, together with other activities of daily living, will assist physical therapists to provide more holistic and person-centered care. This article covers the main considerations for raising sexual function and intimate relationship issues with people living with chronic musculoskeletal pain, as well as management options and potential referral pathways. Physical therapists are encouraged to seek targeted training to improve their confidence and skills in this area, and to use inclusive, respectful language for discussions around sexual function and intimate relationships.
摘要:
患有慢性原发性或继发性肌肉骨骼疼痛的人,如腰背痛,纤维肌痛,炎性关节炎通常会对他们的身体功能产生广泛的影响,活动参与,和社会心理健康。这些可以扩展到对一个人的性功能和他们的亲密关系的负面影响。虽然性功能是健康的重要组成部分,在肌肉骨骼疼痛护理中通常不考虑它。没有意识或有针对性的培训,物理治疗师可能缺乏筛查的信心和技能,评估,并管理疼痛可能对一个人的性功能产生的影响,并可能错过调整他们的护理和优化健康的机会。这种观点旨在提高物理治疗师对慢性肌肉骨骼疼痛如何影响一个人的性功能和亲密关系的认识。并就如何在以人为本的护理方法中考虑这些问题提供指导。这个观点描述了为什么考虑性功能和亲密关系问题作为一个人的生活肌肉骨骼疼痛经历的一部分可能是相关的,概述使用经过验证的患者报告的结果指标来评估性功能障碍,并建议在咨询中敏感地提高性功能的实用策略。还介绍了管理方法和可能的转诊途径,协助物理治疗师了解可用的护理选择。这种观点旨在通过提高物理治疗师对慢性肌肉骨骼疼痛患者性功能障碍及其管理的知识和理解来支持整体护理。认为性功能是一种有价值的功能活动,与其他日常生活活动一起,将协助物理治疗师提供更全面和以人为本的护理。这个观点涵盖了与慢性肌肉骨骼疼痛患者提高性功能和亲密关系问题的主要考虑因素,以及管理选择和潜在的转诊途径。鼓励物理治疗师寻求有针对性的培训,以提高他们在这方面的信心和技能,并使用包容性,关于性功能和亲密关系的讨论的尊重语言。