Chronic Pain

Chronic pain is a pain that generally has been present for 3 months or more. It is different to acute or short term pain which usually results as a consequence of illness or injury and provides us with an understanding of what has ‘gone wrong’ in the body.

1 in 5 people in Scotland experience chronic or persistent pain. Persistent pain can impact on every aspect of your life and whilst medication can be effective for some people, individuals are often over medicated and can become dependent on strong medicines. Medications may only benefit a quarter of people who take them and they might expect to see a 30% reduction in pain symptoms. Therefore, medication is only part of the picture. Persistent pain requires a longer term approach in order to navigate symptoms and live well with pain.

This website contains useful links to a variety of self-help websites which fall under the self-management approach. The purpose of this page is to enable you to develop your understanding of persistent pain and develop strategies to promote your quality of life. Click on each of the boxes below to find out more...