CMT Pain Science & Patient Education Flashcards
6 cards from real CMT practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 CMT Pain Science & Patient Education flashcards as text
Which strategy is most effective for improving patient adherence to a home exercise program?
Answer: Collaboratively setting clear goals, starting with simple exercises, and providing written instructions
Adherence improves with collaborative goal-setting, simple initial programs, clear written instructions, and regular follow-up and feedback.
The 'nocebo effect' in patient education refers to:
Answer: Negative outcomes or worsening caused by negative expectations or harmful information
Nocebo effects occur when negative expectations, fear-inducing language, or poor communication cause real harm or worsening of the patient's condition.
In motivational interviewing (MI) with chronic pain patients, the CMT's primary role is to:
Answer: Elicit the patient's own motivation for change through empathetic, non-directive questioning
MI uses empathetic listening and open questions to draw out the patient's own reasons and motivation for change, avoiding a confrontational approach.
When explaining chronic pain to a patient, the metaphor of an 'overprotective alarm system' is used to convey that:
Answer: The nervous system has become hypersensitive and fires pain signals even without significant tissue damage
The alarm metaphor helps patients understand central sensitization — the nervous system's alarm is set too low and fires for non-threatening inputs.
Pacing as a self-management strategy for chronic pain involves:
Answer: Breaking activities into manageable chunks with planned rest, avoiding boom-bust cycles
Pacing breaks activity into sustainable segments with scheduled rest to avoid the boom-bust cycle of overdoing and then crashing.
Which of the following best describes the purpose of reassurance in manual therapy patient education?
Answer: To provide accurate, evidence-based information that reduces fear and catastrophizing without false promises
Effective reassurance uses accurate, evidence-based information to address specific fears and misconceptions, reducing catastrophizing without making unrealistic promises.