Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing as Treatment for Chronic Pain Syndromes

BACKGROUND: Chronic pain is public health problem in the United States, costing upwards of $560 to $635 billion annually. Guidelines consistently recommend psychological treatment for chronic pain. Eye movement desensitization reprocessing (EMDR) psychotherapy may provide an alternate approach to treating chronic pain. OBJECTIVE: Review of literature to evaluate the effectiveness of EMDR in the treatment of chronic pain. METHOD: A literature search of seven databases was conducted to find relevant studies addressing the use of EMDR for chronic pain. RESULTS: Most studies reported improvement in pain and psychological indices with EMDR. CONCLUSIONS: Because most literature reported case studies, the results have limited generalizability. However, for clients who suffer from chronic pain, EMDR is a reasonable treatment alternative.