Chronic pain
Pain that has continued for longer than 3 months, whatever its original cause.
About this condition
Chronic pain is pain that persists beyond the point where an injury or illness would normally have healed, usually defined as longer than 3 months. It can follow a clear event such as surgery or an accident, or it can arrive without an obvious explanation. Over time the nervous system itself can become more sensitive, so the pain is no longer a simple reflection of tissue damage.
It affects far more than the painful area. Sleep, concentration, mood, work and relationships are all commonly disrupted, and the exhaustion of living with constant pain is often as difficult as the pain itself. Assessment starts with confirming the diagnosis, understanding how the pain behaves across a day and reviewing every treatment that has already been tried.
Treatments people usually try first
These are the treatments commonly offered in the UK for this condition. A specialist doctor will want to know which of them you have tried, and what happened.
- Paracetamol and non steroidal anti inflammatory medicines
- Nerve pain medicines such as amitriptyline, duloxetine, gabapentin or pregabalin
- Opioid medicines, usually short term and closely reviewed
- Physiotherapy and structured graded exercise
- Pain management programmes and psychological therapies including CBT
- Injections, nerve blocks or referral to a specialist pain clinic
Could medical cannabis be appropriate?
People with this condition sometimes ask whether medical cannabis could be appropriate for them. That is a question for a specialist doctor, who will look at your diagnosis, your history and everything you have already tried before saying anything either way.
Medical cannabis is an unlicensed prescription only medicine in the UK. It is considered only where a diagnosed condition has not responded adequately to conventional treatment, and it is never a first step. We cannot tell you in advance what might be prescribed, and UK law does not allow us to describe or advertise any medicine on this website.
What we can do is assess you properly and be honest with you. If a specialist doctor does not think this route is right for you, they will say so, and they will explain why.
All treatment is subject to clinical assessment and eligibility.
Questions about chronic pain
Chronic pain
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