Pain Coach by VA

Name: Pain Coach by VA
Author: US Department of Veterans Affairs

US Department of Veterans Affairs

VALIDATED

Initial research evidence · Mixed findings

For:Clinicians & Healthcare ProfessionalsGeneral Public & EnthusiastsPatients & Caregivers

Free

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App Summary

Pain Coach by VA is a self-management app designed for individuals with chronic pain, providing education and interactive tools based on evidence-based psychotherapies to improve daily functioning. Grounded in principles from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), a pre-post evaluation of veterans (N=236) found that the subgroup who used the app (n=24) reported significant improvements in pain self-efficacy and reductions in pain interference. The associated research concludes that these preliminary findings warrant further study to confirm the app's benefits.

App Screenshots

Detailed Description

Functionality & Mechanism

Developed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs' National Center for PTSD, this app provides psychoeducational content and interactive tools for chronic pain self-management. The system facilitates daily check-ins to track emotions and pain strategies, alongside self-assessments such as the Pain Catastrophizing Scale. Core modules deliver skill-building exercises derived from evidence-based psychotherapies and structured journaling prompts. The interface allows progress summaries to be exported for review with a healthcare provider.

Evidence & Research Context

The app's design integrates principles from established psychotherapies, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Chronic Pain (CBT-CP) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).
A pre-post effectiveness study (N=236) in a U.S. Veteran population found that app users reported significantly greater pain self-efficacy (P=.01) and lower pain interference (P=.03) after use.
The same evaluation noted low initial adoption rates, with lack of clinician endorsement identified as a primary barrier to use.

Intended Use & Scope

This tool is designed for individuals with chronic pain to use for self-management, either independently or as an adjunct to clinical care. Its primary utility is to reinforce skills, track symptoms, and maintain treatment gains. The app does not replace professional medical or psychological evaluation and treatment; clinician guidance is recommended to enhance its utility.

Studies & Publications

2 publications

Peer-reviewed research associated with this app.

Non-Evaluative Reference

Pain Coach: A New App for Chronic Pain Management

Gnall et al. (2025) · Outlook

Referenced in academic literature; no direct evaluation of the app

Chronic pain is one of the most prevalent, costly, and debilitating conditions in the United States (Gaskin & Richards, 2012; Yong et al., 2022). Given the myriad potential barriers patients face when seeking treatment for chronic pain (e.g., economic burdens, lack of transportation, childcare concerns, shortage of specialists; Baker et al., 2024), mobile apps show great promise for improving access to evidence-based chronic pain management

Effectiveness/Outcome Study

Understanding Adoption and Preliminary Effectiveness of a Mobile App for Chronic Pain Management Among US Military Veterans: Pre-Post Mixed Methods Evaluation

Hogan et al. (2021) · JMIR Formative Research

Improved pain self-efficacy and reduced pain interference, but only 10% of veterans adopted the app.

Background: The Veterans Health Administration Pain Coach mobile health app was developed to support veterans with chronic pain. Objective: Our objective was to evaluate early user experiences with the Pain Coach app and preliminary impacts of app use on pain-related outcomes. Methods: Following a sequential, explanatory, mixed methods design, we mailed surveys to veterans at 2 time points with an outreach program in between and conducted

In the Media

Pain Coach: A New App for Chronic Pain Management

The Mobile Apps Team at the National Center for PTSD at VA Palo Alto Health Care System developed Pain Coach to promote self-management of chronic pain and improve daily functioning, using evidence-based treatments such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Chronic Pain and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Dr. Jennifer Murphy noted that "while veterans are disproportionately affected by chronic pain, this app was designed for all individuals with chronic pain." The free app offers self-guided tools while recommending collaboration with healthcare providers to enhance treatment outcomes.

SbmRead article

VA Introduces New Pain Coach App To Aid Veterans In Managing Chronic Pain

The VA developed Pain Coach to help Veterans manage chronic pain more effectively, featuring interactive tools, check-ins, multimedia journals, and pain assessments. Marine Corps Veteran Scott Johnson, who piloted the app, praised its simplicity, noting "The first time you log in, it asks about your values so when you have those little victories like engaging with your kids even though you are in pain, or motivating yourself to take a shower when you are depressed, you get to connect them to the things you care about most." The app is now available for free download on the App Store and Google Play Store.

VaRead article

VA doctor developing app for chronic pain

Dr. Beth Hogans at the Baltimore VA Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center developed "Ready, Go Pain!" to deliver proven chronic pain remedies directly to veterans without requiring costly specialist visits, using a comprehensive approach beyond medications. "Two minutes of cardio a day, taking a walk, spending three minutes deep breathing, we know these things are safe and why not get them to people so they can use them," said Dr. Hogans. The app creates personalized daily checklists including exercise, sleep improvement, nutrition, meditation and yoga, with expected pain relief by week six.

Wmar2newsRead article