Don't ignore chronic pain, tackle it

Can you remember the last time you were in pain, and the relief when it was over?

Imagine being in pain every day for months or even years with no end in sight. This is the reality for millions of people for whom conventional treatment has failed.

Experts across the UK are calling for chronic pain to be recognised as a disease in its own right and for GPs to have more training dealing with it.

Researchers on this, caution that it needs to be taken extremely seriously. Without proper treatment, chronic pain can destroy a person's life.

What causes chronic pain?

Chronic pain is unremitting pain that lasts more than two months and isn't helped by conventional treatment.

There are a huge number of possible causes. For some people it's linked to an illness such as diabetes, arthritis or cancer, for others it develops after an injury or accident.

Sometimes chronic pain can start for no obvious reason. Tests and scans can't always pinpoint the source, which is why treatment can be so hit and miss.

Persistent lower back pain is one of the most common complaints and is the second-highest reason for long-term sickness in the UK.

Unexplained pelvic or abdominal pain is also very common, as is nerve pain such as sciatica or post-herpetic neuralgia, which develops after shingles.

Pain may be stabbing, numbing, throbbing, aching, or burning but any type of pain over a long period can erode your quality of life.

I suffered from a frozen shoulder for three years and it wore me down. I tried everything to ease the pain and stiffness, from hydrocortisone injections to heat treatment, but any movement was excruciating. It was only after years of physiotherapy that I got any relief.

Take control

To conquer chronic pain, you need to work at it. Being passive is tantamount to admitting defeat.

You have a greater chance of success if you employ a holistic approach, treating both mind and body.

Pain clinics

The first thing you should do is ask your GP for a referral to a pain clinic. They may be able to help with pain relief in the form of drugs and injections but, more importantly, they will teach you strategies for managing or even overcoming your pain.

Some clinics have physiotherapists and psychologists attached and you may also be offered treatments such as TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation) or complementary therapies such as acupuncture.

Mind over matter

Long-term pain can lead to depression and anxiety which makes the pain worse, not least because it adds to muscle tension. It's vital to adopt a positive attitude. You must believe you are in control of your pain, rather than pain controlling you.

Talking therapies will help you to understand the pain and your reaction to it.

A Warwick University study found that cognitive behaviour therapy can help treat chronic back pain, although I think it should be part of a broader strategy.

Exercise

You might feel like spending all day in bed but it's the worst thing you can do for pain. Exercise is extremely beneficial in relaxing the mind and body and it helps boost your general health, strength and balance.

When you're active you release endorphins, which are natural painkillers.

Ask your doctor or physiotherapist what forms of exercise are suitable and ask for specific stretching and strengthening exercises you can do at home. Pain in one area can affect the whole body and Pilates and yoga are both excellent for redressing imbalances.

Breathing

Deep breathing is the key to relaxation. It soothes away tension in your muscles and helps produce endorphins to block pain signals. Best of all, you can do it anytime, anywhere.

Try to change your shallow breathing to deep, slow breathing, making sure that your abdomen is moving up and down.