Physiotherapy is commonly used to help people who have chronic (long-term) pain to improve their quality of life. A specialist pain physiotherapist can develop a treatment plan to support people with chronic pain to develop the skills they need to manage their condition and increase their function and movement.

What is chronic pain?

Chronic pain is pain that persists beyond the normal time expected for recovery. It is different from acute pain which is the body’s alarm system to tell us that something is wrong. While acute pain is a natural response to trauma or tissue damage, chronic pain is a complex condition that goes beyond a simple nervous system problem. 

According to the American Pain Foundation, between 42 and 50 million people in the US have chronic pain. Pain that lasts longer than three to six months is often categorised as chronic pain.

What are common causes of chronic pain?

In some cases, chronic pain may develop following an injury, surgery or serious infection. However, other cases of chronic pain can occur without any apparent cause. Chronic pain is common in certain conditions such as:

• Lower back problems
• Arthritis
• Fibromyalgia
• Nerve damage
• Multiple sclerosis
• Shingles
• Headache

How is chronic pain treated?

While it is important to treat the underlying condition associated with chronic pain it does not always resolve the chronic pain. Doctors now recommend treating chronic pain as a condition in its own right. Consequently, treatment for chronic pain addresses a person’s physical and psychological health. 

A treatment plan for chronic pain might include a range of manual techniques such as massage or acupuncture to relieve the pain and help to mobilise the affected area. Gentle exercises like swimming or walking area ideal as they can help to keep the muscles supple and prevent stiffness. A physiotherapist can also offer advice about movement and posture, as well as providing equipment or shoes to help with everyday activities and walking. 

Learn about the ultrasound-guided epidural injections we offer for back pain.

How can physiotherapy help manage chronic pain?

Physiotherapy focuses on helping people to manage the impact of chronic pain on their life rather than trying to cure the problem. Ravenscroft has created a specialist pain clinic to work with both the physical and psychological impacts of chronic pain. The clinic is able to see people quickly and treats patients in the community, without needing to be referred to a specialist hospital pain team. Rapid treatment can be extremely beneficial for someone who is experiencing high levels of pain. 

What happens in a pain clinic?

Initially a specialist pain physiotherapist carries out an assessment to determine the physical, medical and psychological aspects of a patient’s pain. It considers any medications that you are currently taking and looks at previous treatments that you may have had.

A key element of the assessment is to consider the impact that pain is having on your quality of life. It is important to consider and address the biological, social and psychological impact of pain.  This is because chronic pain has a biological component, with nerve impulses continuing to alert the brain about tissue damage that no longer exists, or maybe never did.

Studies have also shown that emotions like anxiety and depression appear to worsen chronic pain symptoms and this can become a vicious cycle as chronic pain also contributes to depression and anxiety in some people. And, on a social level, while some patients cope reasonably well with chronic pain, for other people it has a very detrimental impact on their life.

The physiotherapist works closely with other members of the pain team including clinical
psychologists and pain consultants to devise a holistic management plan.

If you are experiencing chronic pain, a pain clinic can help you to learn to cope better with your symptoms and lead a more active and better quality of life. It is important to seek help as there are many different ways that a physiotherapist could support you.