Overcoming Persistent (chronic) Pain
Pain happens when the brain decides to protect us from the types of information it receives. It is your nervous system that does this, not the part of the body that hurts.
For reasons we don’t understand in chronic pain the original cause for pain may have stopped, but many other factors are still there. The brain keeps the pain going and struggles to turn down the ‘volume control’ on the pain itself. A bit like a car alarm that goes off all the time, even when no-one is trying to steal the car.
We know that painkillers have a limited effect on chronic pain but there are highly effective self-help methods developed by specialists in pain management. We sometimes think that self care means no care – but this is wrong. Your pain will be greatly reduced, and the following information will introduce you to methods that have been proven to reduce persistent pain.
3 before GP
We would like you to do the following 3 things:
1) We would like you to have a look at this 5 minute video about persistent pain.
2) We would like you to look at the Retrain Pain Foundation. This consists of 1 minute lessons to help us understand pain. We recommend you view it slowly, in small sections to review and apply the information.
3) Finally, we would like you to fill in an assessment about your pain and drop this back to the surgery, so your doctor can see how pain is affecting your life. Your doctor can then review the assessment in a routine appointment, if you still need to see them after completing these activities.
You can also download the Health Needs Assessment form HERE. If you are unable to print out the form please let us know as we can email, text or post one out to you.
Pain Resources
These are other pain resources you may find useful:
Persistent Pain resources – perhaps look at a few of the video and website links below to see what suits you
Understanding pain – what to do about it in less than 5 mins
How to approach persistent pain
An animated video to understand pain better
Persistent Pain – what is self-management?
Versus Arthritis is an excellent resource with lots of information about different painful conditions including recommended exercises
Patients talking about long term conditions
Healthtalk is an excellent resource with patients talking about different long term conditions including and how it affects them.
Other resources that can help with pain
Sleepio is a web based sleep orientated CBT course
Calm is meditation and sleep teaching advice
The free mindfulness project provides easy and free access to mindfulness exercises
The Be Mindful website provides an online course for £30, however the introduction is free
Headspace is an app based meditation course
One You Better Health
