Assessing the Utility of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Pain Control in Patients With Chronic Pancreatitis

All patients with chronic pancreatitis will be considered for participation in this study. Patients selected for participation will be evaluated 4 weeks prior to the first one-on-one therapy session. A baseline pain score will be assessed using the visual analog pain scale. Narcotic dosage and frequency as well as anti-emetic usage will be evaluated at this time. A pre-treatment quality of life score will be recorded using the SF-12® Patient Questionnaire. Patients will also be queried about the presence of nausea and reflux.

After the pre-intervention evaluations are complete, patients will be randomized into one of two arms: treatment with cognitive behavioral therapy and narcotics as needed or treatment with conventional narcotic analgesics alone. Patients undergoing CBT intervention will participate in eight weekly therapy sessions. Follow-up assessments will be conducted six months and nine months after the last therapy session is completed. The patients will be evaluated based on pain score, narcotic dosage and frequency, anti-emetic usage, quality of life assessment, and pain related hospitalizations.