J Korean Acad Nurs.  2022 Dec;52(6):598-607. 10.4040/jkan.22086.

Lived Experience of Middle-Aged Patients with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome

• Seo Ys
• Lee S

• KMID: 2537531
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4040/jkan.22086

Abstract

Purpose
This qualitative study aimed to explore the lived and true meaning of experiences of middle-aged patients with complex regional pain syndrome.
Methods
The participants were 10 men and women aged 40 to 60 years who received outpatient treatment at a university hospital, could communicate, and agreed to participate in the study. Data were collected through individual interviews using open and semi-structured questions from September 2019 to July 2021 and were analyzed using the content analysis method suggested by Hsieh and Shannon (2005).
Results
As a result of this study, 42 summarized semantic units related to life experience, 15 subthemes, and seven themes were derived. The seven themes were “pressed by severe pain,” “frustrated because I cannot be part of the community,” “distressed because people do not recognize my disease,” “sad about conflicts with family,” “unmotivated because of desperate life,” “appreciating for support,” and “putting oneself together and living daily life.”
Conclusion
The vivid experiences of the participants derived in this study are the basic data for developing treatment guidelines. In the future, we propose a study on life and family care experiences according to the developmental characteristics of the life cycle of patients with complex regional pain syndrome and develop and apply programs to support patients and their families.

Keyword

Complex Regional Pain Syndromes; Middle Aged; Qualitative Research