What can we do to help?
As noted in the sections above, the management of Chronic Pain is necessarily a partnership between the patient and the Pain Team. This section will outline the potential treatments and interventions that can be offered. It is important to view these, though, as being aimed at helping the patient with restoration of normal activity and function. It is this, with the restoration of muscle strength and fitness and normal nervous system function, that is critical for recovery.
In the clinic we aim to provide a thorough assessment of the patient and his/her pain, using the biopsychosocial model of pain, with investigations if appropriate.
Further treatment may be with drugs, psychological and behavioural approaches, interventional procedures and stimulation produced analgesia including TENS, acupuncture and other techniques.
Pain Service Website, Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Webmaster Dr J G de Courcy, Consultant in Pain Medicine and Anaesthesia
email: pain.webmaster[at]glos.nhs.uk