Chronic Pain

At any given time around one third of Australians are in pain [Source: Pain management [Better Health Channel].

The way we experience pain is very complex and there may be suffering beyond the hurt:

 - many are unable to work

 - there can be mental and physical deterioration

 - relationships can be weakened

 - families may experience disruption and financial difficulties; and

 - persistent pain can lead to feelings of hopelessness and dispair

Today much can be done to relieve pain, provide greater comfort, and help many pain sufferers to regain a normal lifestyle. The first step is to seek medical attention for on-going pain. 

Often it is possible to resolve the problem. Sometimes the pain may need specialist medical treatment, perhaps surgery. Even where the pain cannot be resolved and suffering and disability continue, there are techniques and tools which can help people to live and work with their pain. 

Reviewed June 2009

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Related HealthInsite Topics
Systematic Reviews of Treatments for Chronic Pain
HealthInsite Topic Page
Links to systematic reviews of the evidence for the effectiveness of treatments for chronic pain.
20 Resources Found
Results 1 to 20 displayed.
Title:   SCS (spinal cord stimulation)
Publisher:   Virtual Medical Centre
Description:   Spinal cord stimulation is a type of neurostimulation most commonly used for the management of non-cancer pain.
Date:   Sep 2009
Title:   Recurrent headache
Publisher:   Department of Health Western Australia
Description:   Diagnostic imaging algorithm for young children with recurrent headache.
Date:   Jul 2009
Title:   Chronic pain syndrome
Publisher:   Virtual Medical Centre.com
Description:   Chronic pain syndrome encompasses any pain that persists longer than the reasonable expected healing time for the involved tissues. Provides information on the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of the disease.
Date:   Jul 2009
Title:   60s to 70s: a few aches and pains
Publisher:   The Jean Hailes Foundation for Women's Health
Description:   There may be health issues emerging now, including chronic pain, which places limitations on your ability to stay active, shop and prepare meals.
Date:   Jun 2009
Title:   Chronic Conditions and Injury
Publisher:   HealthInsite Topic Page
Description:   Links to information about chronic conditions, including injury, arthritis, asthma, cancer, chronic pain, diabetes, heart health, vascular health, stroke, hypertension,and kidney disease.
Date:   Jun 2009
Title:   Pain
Publisher:   HealthInsite Topic Page
Description:   Links to information on pain and pain management, including chronic pain and pain associated with conditions and diseases.
Date:   Jun 2009
Title:   Pain & Stress
Publisher:   Virtual Medical Centre.com
Description:   Pain and stress are closely connected in many ways. Stress is the body's physical response when it is put under a lot of pressure and called upon to make many changes.
Date:   Jun 2009
Title:   Tricyclic antidepressants - myDr.com.au
Publisher:   myDr
Description:   Tricyclic antidepressants can be used to treat depression, anxiety disorders, migraines and chronic pain.
Date:   Mar 2009
Title:   Chronic pain ‒ what can I do?
Publisher:   National Prescribing Service
Description:   Chronic or persistent pain is when pain occurs most days of the week, for at least a three month period. About 1 in 5 Australians suffer from chronic pain and it most commonly occurs in older people.
Date:   Mar 2009
Title:   Headache - treatment options
Publisher:   Better Health Channel
Description:   Most headaches are caused by different factors working in combination. Factors may include problems of the musculoskeletal system, dietary problems, infections, eye and dental problems or neurological problems. Successfully treating chronic headache means investigating and treating each factor in turn. This combined approach to treatment should be medically supervised.
Date:   Sep 2008
Title:   Chlamydia
Publisher:   Better Health Channel
Description:   Chlamydia is a sexually transmissible infection (STI) that can affect women and men. If left untreated, chlamydia can cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) in women, which can lead to chronic pain and infertility. Chlamydia may have no symptoms. It can be easily treated with antibiotics.
Date:   Sep 2008
Title:   Pain management
Publisher:   Better Health Channel
Description:   Chronic pain is defined as pain that persists for longer than three months. Management strategies for chronic pain include medications, and therapies such as acupuncture, massage and cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT).
Date:   Jul 2008
Title:   Hypnosis
Publisher:   Better Health Channel
Description:   Hypnosis a method of inducing a relaxed state of mind in order to treat mainly psychological or emotional disorders. Hypnosis is effective in treating disorders including anxiety, asthma, chronic pain, fears and phobias, smoking, high blood pressure, insomnia, panic attacks and stress. A person cannot be hypnotised against their will.
Date:   Apr 2008
Title:   Causalgia (complex regional pain syndrome type 2)
Publisher:   Virtual Medical Centre.com
Description:   Causalgia is a chronic pain condition seen after the section (damage, cutting) of a nerve. It is characterised by a chronic burning pain and hypersensitivity in the area supplied by that nerve. Provides information on the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of the disease.
Date:   Feb 2008
Title:   Fibromyalgia - myDr.com.au
Publisher:   myDr
Description:   Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain syndrome. People with fibromyalgia commonly experience burning or aching pain through various musculoskeletal regions throughout their body, including joints.
Date:   Feb 2007
Title:   Arthritis and stress - myDr.com.au
Publisher:   myDr
Description:   People with arthritis can be particularly prone to stress. Try these tips for managing stress so that it works for you, rather than against you.
Date:   Aug 2006
Title:   New Zealand acute low back pain guide, incorporating the guide to assessing psychosocial yellow flags in acute low back pain
Publisher:   Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) (New Zealand)
Description:   This Guide provides an evidence-based approach to the assessment and treatment of acute low back pain for the prevention of chronic pain and disability. It follows an extensive review of the international literature and wide consultation with professional groups in New Zealand.
Date:   Oct 2004
Title:   Spinal cord stimulation (neurostimulation): an accelerated systematic review, June 2003
Publisher:   Australian Safety and Efficacy Register of New Interventional Procedures - Surgical (ASERNIP-S)
Description:   The intent of this review by ASERNIP-S was to systematically review the medical literature regarding spinal cord stimulation (neurostimulation) to assess whether this procedure is safe and effective.
Date:   Jun 2003
Title:   Implantable spinal infusion devices for chronic pain and spasticity: an accelerated systematic review, May 2003
Publisher:   Australian Safety and Efficacy Register of New Interventional Procedures - Surgical (ASERNIP-S)
Description:   The intent of this review by ASERNIP-S was to systematically review the medical literature regarding inplantable spinal infusion devices for chronic pain and spasticity to assess whether this procedure is safe and effective.
Date:   May 2003
Title:   Does pethidine still have a place in therapy?
Publisher:   Australian Prescriber
Description:   In chronic pain management, the general consensus at present is that pethidine has no role to play. There is a myriad of other options including spinal implants, long-acting opioid preparations for nociceptive pain or the newer drugs for neuropathic pain.
Date:   Feb 2002
Results 1 to 20 displayed.