{"id":36,"date":"2026-10-18T19:27:29","date_gmt":"2026-10-18T18:27:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/yourmedsuk.com\/insights\/?page_id=36"},"modified":"2026-10-18T19:27:29","modified_gmt":"2026-10-18T18:27:29","slug":"chronic-pain","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/yourmedsuk.com\/insights\/chronic-pain\/","title":{"rendered":"Chronic Pain"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"36\" class=\"elementor elementor-36\" data-elementor-post-type=\"page\">\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4d8a6f0e e-con e-atomic-element e-div-block-base e-default-section e-298d3852-2ec4 \" data-id=\"4d8a6f0e\" data-element_type=\"e-div-block\" data-e-type=\"e-div-block\" data-interaction-id=\"4d8a6f0e\">\n    <div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2daf8f5e e-con e-atomic-element e-flexbox-base e-default-div e-5dd8d8b0-a6f8 \" data-id=\"2daf8f5e\" data-element_type=\"e-flexbox\" data-e-type=\"e-flexbox\" data-interaction-id=\"2daf8f5e\">\n    \t\t\t<h4 data-interaction-id=\"33c89c19\" class=\"e-732c57df-c708 e-heading-base e-default-h4\">Condition guide<\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 data-interaction-id=\"20ada074\" class=\"e-1c14494f-589a e-heading-base e-default-h1\">Chronic pain<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"e-f6a1522-d505 e-paragraph-base e-default-p\" data-interaction-id=\"2272163e\">Chronic, or long-term, pain is pain that has lasted for more than 12 weeks. It often cannot be cured, but with the right support most people can manage it and do more of what matters to them.<\/p>\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-56924375 e-con e-atomic-element e-div-block-base e-default-div e-6a4dab1e-9c69 \" data-id=\"56924375\" data-element_type=\"e-div-block\" data-e-type=\"e-div-block\" data-interaction-id=\"56924375\">\n    <div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3cfcd6a e-con e-atomic-element e-flexbox-base e-default-div e-27e92379-e1da \" data-id=\"3cfcd6a\" data-element_type=\"e-flexbox\" data-e-type=\"e-flexbox\" data-interaction-id=\"3cfcd6a\">\n    <div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-572599a3 e-con e-atomic-element e-flexbox-base e-default-div e-6e73a7fd-6c5b \" data-id=\"572599a3\" data-element_type=\"e-flexbox\" data-e-type=\"e-flexbox\" data-interaction-id=\"572599a3\">\n    \t\t\t<h2 data-interaction-id=\"b42d214\" class=\"e-6ba274f8-1bad e-heading-base e-default-h2\">Living with long-term pain<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"e-397adcef-e0d9 e-paragraph-base e-default-p\" data-interaction-id=\"77fe8eef\"><ul><li>Pain that has lasted, or keeps coming back, for more than 12 weeks<\/li><li>Flare-ups that come and go<\/li><li>Pain that affects sleep, mood, work or relationships<\/li><\/ul>Pain that lasts a long time can change how the nervous system handles pain signals, which is why it is often managed differently from short-term pain.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 data-interaction-id=\"2ff753c7\" class=\"e-138355b9-48cb e-heading-base e-default-h3\">Common causes<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"e-paragraph-base e-default-p\" data-interaction-id=\"36e6abbf\">Arthritis, back problems, an old injury, illness and nerve damage. Sometimes no single cause is found.<\/p>\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cf0827f e-con e-atomic-element e-flexbox-base e-default-div e-461e26a0-a016 \" data-id=\"cf0827f\" data-element_type=\"e-flexbox\" data-e-type=\"e-flexbox\" data-interaction-id=\"cf0827f\">\n    \t\t\t<h2 data-interaction-id=\"52b69d03\" class=\"e-1f785a99-24f3 e-heading-base e-default-h2\">What can help<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"e-65412da-22f3 e-paragraph-base e-default-p\" data-interaction-id=\"5c933764\"><ul><li>Staying active in ways your GP or physiotherapist suggests<\/li><li>Pacing: spreading activity through the day instead of doing too much at once<\/li><li>Relaxation, breathing and mindfulness techniques<\/li><li>Keeping a pain diary to spot patterns and triggers<\/li><li>Support groups and helplines run by charities such as <a href=\"https:\/\/painconcern.org.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\">Pain Concern<\/a> and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.britishpainsociety.org\/\" target=\"_blank\">British Pain Society<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/p>\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<section class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6948e930 e-con e-atomic-element e-div-block-base e-default-section e-1511212c-7e8e \" data-id=\"6948e930\" data-element_type=\"e-div-block\" data-e-type=\"e-div-block\" data-interaction-id=\"6948e930\">\n    <div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6f98d6f9 e-con e-atomic-element e-flexbox-base e-default-div e-226c0787-bd4c \" data-id=\"6f98d6f9\" data-element_type=\"e-flexbox\" data-e-type=\"e-flexbox\" data-interaction-id=\"6f98d6f9\">\n    <div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-60e0daf2 e-con e-atomic-element e-flexbox-base e-default-div e-49a04f16-3f25 \" data-id=\"60e0daf2\" data-element_type=\"e-flexbox\" data-e-type=\"e-flexbox\" data-interaction-id=\"60e0daf2\">\n    \t\t\t<h4 data-interaction-id=\"4cbe109\" class=\"e-heading-base e-default-h4\">Treatment<\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 data-interaction-id=\"2ad56d83\" class=\"e-heading-base e-default-h2\">How long-term pain is usually managed<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"e-75fbd6b1-a939 e-paragraph-base e-default-p\" data-interaction-id=\"5d7e06d8\">A GP will talk through your pain history, try to find where it is coming from and record how severe it is. Painkillers can help in the short term, but the NHS says they are generally not the main way to manage long-term pain.<br><br>If your pain is hard to manage, you can ask for a referral to a specialist pain clinic. Many offer a pain management programme that teaches skills for staying active, coping with flare-ups and handling the emotional side of pain. The MHRA advises against long-term use of strong opioid painkillers for pain not caused by cancer, because of the risk of dependence and addiction.<\/p>\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4c4d849a e-con e-atomic-element e-flexbox-base e-default-div ym-note e-6eaac27d-43d2 \" data-id=\"4c4d849a\" data-element_type=\"e-flexbox\" data-e-type=\"e-flexbox\" data-interaction-id=\"4c4d849a\">\n    \t\t\t<h3 data-interaction-id=\"1866299\" class=\"e-491d2176-4d6d e-heading-base e-default-h3\">Get help<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"e-13dd849c-7165 e-paragraph-base e-default-p\" data-interaction-id=\"433f6588\"><ul><li>See a GP if pain has lasted more than 12 weeks, is getting worse or is stopping you from coping<\/li><li>Call NHS 111 if you need advice urgently<\/li><li>Call 999 for sudden severe pain, chest pain or pain after a serious injury<\/li><\/ul><\/p>\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-332d6d00 e-con e-atomic-element e-div-block-base e-default-section e-3e950323-52f3 \" data-id=\"332d6d00\" data-element_type=\"e-div-block\" data-e-type=\"e-div-block\" data-interaction-id=\"332d6d00\">\n    <div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5558bd39 e-con e-atomic-element e-flexbox-base e-default-div e-117785ba-71bb \" data-id=\"5558bd39\" data-element_type=\"e-flexbox\" data-e-type=\"e-flexbox\" data-interaction-id=\"5558bd39\">\n    \t\t\t<h4 data-interaction-id=\"8618e39\" class=\"e-heading-base e-default-h4\">Sources<\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"e-7228dd0c-641c e-paragraph-base e-default-p\" data-interaction-id=\"5da6ce94\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nhs.uk\/live-well\/pain\/how-to-get-nhs-help-for-your-pain\/\" target=\"_blank\">NHS: How to get NHS help for your pain<\/a> \u00b7 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/drug-safety-update\/opioids-risk-of-dependence-and-addiction\" target=\"_blank\">MHRA: Opioids, risk of dependence and addiction<\/a> \u00b7 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.britishpainsociety.org\/\" target=\"_blank\">British Pain Society<\/a>. Information only; it does not replace advice from your doctor or pharmacist.<\/p>\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n\n<\/section>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Condition guide Chronic pain Chronic, or long-term, pain is pain that has lasted for more than 12 weeks. It often cannot be cured, but with the right support most people can manage it and do more of what matters to them. Living with long-term pain Pain that has lasted, or keeps coming back, for more [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"elementor_header_footer","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-36","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Chronic pain: managing long-term pain in the UK | Your Meds UK<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Long-term pain lasting over 12 weeks: common causes, self-management, NHS pain clinics and pain management programmes, and when to get help.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/yourmedsuk.com\/insights\/chronic-pain\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" 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