How to Deal with Chronic Pain – Part 1
We are seeing a rise of people affected by chronic pain in the UK, with an estimated 28 million people suffering, around 14% of whom are in moderate to severely disabling pain. In this series of blogs, we will be looking at chronic pain and some of the surprising ways that you can manage it.
What is Chronic Pain?
Let us start by considering what chronic pain is. Defined as lasting for more than three months, chronic pain can be a symptom of an underlying condition or develop on its own. Unlike acute pain, which signals there is something wrong in the body, chronic pain is ongoing. The most common chronic pain condition in the UK is back pain, with Arthritis Research UK estimating around 5.5 million people impacted. Osteoarthritis is another common condition, with an estimated 10 million people in the UK suffering, most often developing in people in their mid-40s or older. Joint pain is regularly experienced in those with chronic pain, as a result of conditions such as fibromyalgia, causing pain throughout the body. Some other common causes of chronic pain include nerve damage, headaches and migraines, chronic fatigue syndrome, endometriosis and irritable bowel disease. The effects of chronic pain can be life-changing, impacting everyday tasks, including work and socialising.
Strategies for Pain Management
Through the NHS, some people can receive treatment at a pain clinic and be offered a Pain Management Programme (PMP). The purpose of these programmes is to improve quality of life, despite the pain, rather than reducing the pain. Often sessions will be delivered in groups, creating a community of support, and may cover topics such as gentle exercise, relaxation and mindfulness and managing the emotions related to pain.
When you initially visit your GP, they should be able to offer you advice on ways to stay active, which can help ease pain and discomfort, as well as improving wellbeing. Your GP could also suggest ways in which you could manage your pain on a day-to-day basis. Referrals to physiotherapists are also possible. They can give you further advice as well as tailored exercises to improve your general mobility and strengthen your body.
Often a range of treatments and strategies are needed to manage chronic pain. Everyone is different and finding what works best for you is an important step in helping you enjoy your life as best you can. Coming up in the next 2 blogs of this series we look at further support for chronic pain, considering how lifestyle choices may help and ways in which you can support your mental health. If you are in Scotland do visit the NHS Inform website, which has a self-help guide, using Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) to help you live with chronic pain.
