
Supports for Chronic Pain
Welcome to the Chronic Pain Toolkit page!
The Chronic Pain Toolkit is for anyone living with chronic pain and for their caregivers.
The resources in this Toolkit combine knowledge from Traditional Anishinaabe and Western medicine with stories from GCT#3 community members about living well when you have chronic pain.
Chi miigwetch to all the GCT#3 community members and healthcare providers who participated in COPING Well sharing circles and interviews, provided feedback on the resources, and welcomed the project teams during community visits.
You can read the resources online, download them, or print them.

Click image to download
Visual Summary: First Nations Experience of Chronic Pain
This hand-drawn image shows the main challenges and solutions for First Nations people living with chronic pain.
Click on the image to download a PDF version.
Chronic Pain Toolkit: Living Well with Chronic Pain
The Chronic Pain Toolkit has three chapters:
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What is Chronic Pain
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Managing Chronic Pain
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Medical Care for Chronic Pain
Click on the image on the right to read the whole toolkit or find the separate chapters below.

Click image to download
Chapters of the Chronic Pain Toolkit
Click images to download

Chapter 1
Here you will find information on:
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why pain happens
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what makes pain worse
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the connection between pain, and past experiences, and mental health
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Chapter 2
Here you will find:
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helpful actions to help manage pain
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stories from GCT#3 community members living with chronic pain
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information on setting pain management goals

Chapter 3
Here you will find:
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questions you can ask your healthcare provider
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important information for you to share with your healthcare provider
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information about pain medications
Here are one-page brochures that summarize the key information in each part of the Toolkit. These are handy for healthcare providers to share with patients. Click on each title to download the brochure.

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What is Chronic Pain - brochure
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Managing Chronic Pain - brochure
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Medical Care for Chronic Pain - brochure
Toolkit Printouts
Here are useful summary printouts of ways to manage pain and to help you get the most from visits with healthcare providers. Click on each item to download the pages.
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Actions to Manage Chronic Pain (2 pages)
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Pain Stories (3 pages)
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Setting Goals (3 pages)
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Your Rights (3 pages)
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Tips for Speaking with your Healthcare Provider (1 page)
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Questions to ask about pain medication (1 page)
Support for Mental Wellness
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Link to Mental Health Toolkit (PDF)
Information about Opioids and Pain Medication
Information about Specific Health Conditions
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arthritis.ca
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diabetes.ca
Where to Learn More about Pain
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tapmipain.ca/patient/managing-my-pain/pain-u-online/#/
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poweroverpain.ca
Traditional Food Guide
Other Resources
The Chronic Pain Toolkit was sponsored by Health Canada and created in partnership between:
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Grand Council Treaty 3 Health Transformation team
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Transitional Pain Service at the University Health Network
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Ganawishkadawe - the Centre for Wise Practices in Indigenous Health at Women’s College Hospital.
Click on the logos below to learn about each organization:




