Chronic pain information for patients

Learning about your pain can help to give you a better understanding about different self-management strategies you may be able to adopt whilst living with your pain. ​

Everyone's pain experience is different and everyone has different goals they would like to work towards. ​

Therefore, having knowledge around your condition can help you increase your confidence when making decisions around what to change and how to take back control of your life.​

Below is a short video that may help you to understand what chronic pain is and what the latest research is saying about chronic pain and its management:

• Understanding pain in less than five minutes, and what to do about it (YouTube)​

In this informative video, Professor Lorimer Moseley explains the science behind why things hurt:

• TEDxAdelaide Lorimer Moseley why things hurt 
• Publications by the British Pain Society
• BPS patient publications by the British Pain Society

• Live well with pain: Where do medications fit in?
• Faculty of Pain Medicine: Opioids aware
• Faculty of Pain Medicine: Information leaflets on medication and common pain procedures
• British Pain Society post-surgical discharge leaflet
• British Pain Society over the counter medication
• Brainman stops his opioids

When you live with persistent pain, it is understandable that at times you may wish to avoid exercise or movement. This may be due to a number of reasons such as:

• concern that you will make your pain worse
• fear of causing harm
• previous negative experiences of exercising.

Our bodies and minds want to and need to move. Movement and physical activity can help to improve our physical and mental wellbeing. As a result, movement can play a key role in your pain management toolkit.

Further information on the movement therapies that we offer, as well as online resources for both movement and exercise approaches:

• Managing your pain with the Alexander technique leaflet
• Mindful movement leaflet (coming soon)
• My Joint Tai Chi
  My Joint Tai Chi is a research-based online Tai Chi program for knee osteoarthritis. It provides a three month Tai Chi exercise program which can be completed independently at home by watching pre-recorded Tai Chi sessions online.
• NHS Exercise studio/ Gymfree
  A variety of  simple movements or exercises that can be done at home.
• Active Kent and Medway
  A catalogue of information, resources and physical activities available in the local area.
• Everyday Active
  There are currently Everyday Active Champions in 12 locations across the Kent county. The champions help increase awareness of local opportunities and explore ways to encourage more people to become active. Activities include walking groups, cycle route, exercise classes etc. Please note these also include some paid activities.
• We Are Undefeatable
  Is a collective movement supporting people with a range of long-term health conditions.  Their purpose is to support and encourage finding ways to be active in a way that works for you and your health condition. 

Whilst we strongly encourage you to explore the information that could help you manage your pain, the Community Chronic Pain Service cannot take responsibility for the information contained in third party websites linked to these pages. If you are registered with our service and have any concerns about any information you find, please let us know.

• Live well with pain
  Has useful information on new approaches and skills to help you live well, despite your persistent pain.
• Ten footsteps programme - Live well with pain
  When people learn to self-manage their pain, their quality of life can improve.  This programme is a step-by-step online guide to help you develop these self-management strategies and help you to live well despite your persistent pain. 
• 12 Practical pain self-management tools - Pain toolkit
  Offers 12 practical and easy to use tools to help you manage your persistent pain more effectively.
• The Spoon Theory
  The Spoon Theory, created by Christine Miserandino, describes an approach to pacing your activities and day. 
• ME Association Pacing and Energy Management booklet
  The ME Association have a free online booklet to download, that incorporates recommendations on activity and energy management from the NICE guidelines on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. While the focus is on chronic fatigue management, the advice is still relevant for those living with chronic pain.
• Nuffield Joint Pain programme
  A free programme to help manage joint pain and lead a more independent life.
• 10 footsteps for carers
  This 10 step programme can help carers of those living with persistent pain to navigate their own journey.
• TENS in chronic pain
  TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) is a  self-administered treatment that can offer temporary pain relief.   Our leaflet contains further information on this treatment technique.
• Kent Neurotherapy Centre (formerly the Kent MS Centre)
  Just outside Canterbury.
  This centre offers a wide range of therapies, including oxygen therapies, for patients who live with chronic conditions. Members are asked to make a voluntary contribution toward the cost of treatment. They are a registered charity.

We know that living with persistent pain can affect one’s mental health, just as one’s mental health can affect the way that you experience the pain. Understanding this bidirectional relationship between pain and mental health is an important step in understanding your pain.

• NHS Kent and Medway Talking Therapies
  NHS Talking Therapies in Kent and Medway provides free, confidential mental health support for adults aged 17.5 and over who are registered with a local GP.  You can access support through a self-referral.
• Free listening services
  • These services offer confidential support from trained volunteers. You can talk about anything that's troubling you, no matter how difficult:
  • Call 116 123to talk to Samaritans, or email: jo@samaritans.org for a reply within 24 hours
  • Text "SHOUT" to 85258 to contact the Shout crisis text line, or text "YM" if you're under 19
  • If you're under 19, you can also call 0800 1111 to talk to Childline.
• Cruse bereavement support
  They offer support and information during times of grieving.
• Hub of Hope
  The UK’s largest mental health support directory.
• Kent and Medway Domestic Abuse Partnership
  The Kent and Medway Domestic Abuse Partnership (KMDAP) aims to reduce domestic abuse and get those affected the right support, quickly.
• Mind
  Mind is an organisation that offers information and support to people who are living with a mental health condition.
• Urgent help for your mental health
  Dial NHS 111 and choose option two.

After you have completed an assessment with our team and we have a better understanding of how pain affects your life, you may be offered a place on our face-to-face Pain Management Programme (PMP) as part of your pathway.

What is a Pain Management Programme?

A Pain Management Programme (PMP) is a group based self-management approach for people living with chronic pain.

The group is informal and friendly, yet run by professionals. We encourage questions, comments and feedback throughout the sessions, but it is not group therapy, and people can just listen if they wish. Nobody will be put on the spot.

How long does the Pain Management Programme last?

The PMP runs over seven weeks and each session lasts for two and a half hours. The sessions are run by an inter-disciplinary team, which includes a member of our psychology team, a nurse specialist and a specialist physiotherapist. A range of techniques and strategies are discussed at the PMP to help you manage your pain in a helpful and independent way.

There are timetabled breaks during each session and we encourage people to move about as much as is required for their individual needs. We do not expect people to sit for the full duration of each session. Seating supports are recommended for use and you are welcome to bring along anything you may have to make your experience more comfortable, for example, hot water bottle, cushion and refreshments.

What topics are covered on a Pain Management Programme?

During the PMP we explore a variety of topics including:

• pain physiology (the science of pain)
• the concept of self-management
• nutrition and hydration
• stress and relaxation
• pacing and activity management
• acceptance (coming to terms with long term pain)
• pain and relationships
• sleep
• physical activity and movement
• managing flare ups.

You will be given a booklet containing information from the sessions and further reading suggestions.

What if I can’t make a session?

It is important that you attend all parts of the PMP, as each session contains a lot of valuable information. If, having confirmed your attendance at a PMP, you cannot make the first week’s session, you will be asked to attend the next PMP in your area, as it can be disruptive for new people to join the group on week two. We require a minimum of 48 hours’ notice for cancellations in order to offer the place to another patient. Patients are invited to a maximum of two programmes. If neither of these can be attended, you will be sent back to you referring clinician for further discussion and removed from the waiting list unless the PMP was to conclude your pathway, in which case you will be discharged from the service at this point.

What happens when I complete a Pain Management Programme?

What happens after the PMP would normally have been discussed at the appointment with your clinician when the shared-decision was made to refer for the PMP. At the final session you will have the opportunity to talk to a member of the team about your care pathway if you are unclear.

• The British Pain Society’s leaflet on Pain Management Programmes

PMP handouts

• Coming soon.

• Arthritis UK
  Is the leading arthritis charity. Their website includes information on many chronic pain conditions, as well as support groups and online exercise classes
• Fibromyalgia Action UK
  Information and booklets on Fibromyalgia.
• Complex Regional Pain Syndrome:
  • Burning Nights CRPS support
    Burning Nights CRPS Support is a national UK charity working to improve life for those affected by Complex Regional Pain Syndrome.
• Back pain
  • When you should seek urgent help for your back pain:
    • When you should seek urgent help for your back pain? | MACP
    • Cauda Equina information cards | MACP
• Conditions A to Z - NHS
  The NHS website provides information about health conditions, including their symptoms and how they're treated.

For those patients with symptomatic hypermobility, you might be reassured to know that we are an Ehlers-Danlos Society recognised Centre of Excellence and that many of our clinicians are EDS ECHO trained. Although patients cannot be referred to us solely for diagnostic purposes, if you are our patient, we could facilitate diagnosis where required.

Logo for Ehlers-Danlos Society Centre of Excellence

• HMSA UK (Hypermobility Syndromes Association)
  Including booklet for schools re how to deal with kids with HSD/EDS, and also info on the website itself
• EDS Support UK (which is mostly support, including local support groups)
  Ehlers Danlos Society: (this is the international society with high level of education, patient advocacy, social media and includes online support groups regular meetings (which includes one for young people, as well as one for the caregivers/parents of those with EDS).
  • They also have many educational videos under the Society name on YouTube.
• Jeannie Di Bonn’s Hypermobility YouTube channel ‘Movement for Hypermobility and EDS with Jeannie Di Bonn’.

Associated conditions

• Autonomic Dysfunction
  • PoTS UK
  • Dysautonomia International: Dysautonomia Awareness,
  • Dysautonomia Advocacy, Dysautonomia Advancement
• Mast Cell Activation Syndrome
  • Mast Cell Action

Neurodivergent is an umbrella term used to describe people whose brains process, learn, or behave in ways that differ from what society considers “typical” or “neurotypical.” It’s not a medical diagnosis — it’s a social and identity-based term that highlights natural variation in how human brains work.

Common forms of neurodivergence

People may identify as neurodivergent for many different reasons, including:

• Autism
• ADHD
• Dyslexia
• Dyspraxia
• Dyscalculia
• Tourette’s
• Irlen Syndrome
• Sensory or Auditory Processing Disorder
• other cognitive or learning differences (Sometimes OCD is also included in this list).

These aren’t 'problems' to be fixed - they’re simply different ways of thinking and experiencing the world. The idea behind neurodiversity is that human brains are naturally diverse. Differences can bring strengths as well as challenges. A helpful way to think about it: Being neurodivergent means your brain has its own operating system. Not better or worse - just different.

We know that being  neurodivergent is more common in people who live with chronic pain and this is even more prominent in those with HSD/EDS. Why this is the case, is still being studied.

If you need support in being  referred for testing, please see our Adult Neurodevelopment Service page. Your GP needs to refer you and you can also direct them to this page. You will be asked to fill in some questionnaires to accompany your referral. Whilst you are on the waiting list, you can already access some support.

Please make sure to inform us of any particular communication needs you may have.