Enhancing chronic neck pain management: integrating SFBC and digital mental health screening

Chronic nonspecific neck pain (CNSNP) and degenerative cervical spondylosis (DCS) are common musculoskeletal disorders that significantly impact quality of life. Current management strategies focus primarily on physical therapies, such as muscle strengthening and postural correction. However, these treatments often overlook the psychological factors that influence pain perception and management. This manuscript proposes an integrated approach combining Solution-Focused Brief Counseling (SFBC) and digital mental health screening tools (such as PHQ-9 and GAD-7) with standard physical treatments to provide a more holistic approach to chronic pain management. SFBC, through its emphasis on goal-setting and scaling questions, empowers patients to track their progress and enhance self-efficacy. This psychosocial intervention complements physical treatments by addressing the mental and emotional aspects of pain management. Digital tools are used to monitor patients' psychological well-being and provide objective data to guide clinical decision-making. We suggest that integrating SFBC with physical rehabilitation interventions could improve treatment adherence, pain reduction, and functional outcomes. Future research should focus on longitudinal studies to assess the combined effects of SFBC and digital mental health tools in chronic pain rehabilitation, contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of recovery from CNSNP to DCS.