Management of Long-standing Pain

Even though you may not feel like it, the best way to relieve pain and to re-balance your life is to keep moving. Your mood, thoughts, stress levels, diet and sleep patterns all contribute to making your pain worse. If you need to take pain relief to keep you moving, you can take simple over the-counter painkillers. If you have health issues that mean you cannot take these types of medications, then speak to your GP or Pharmacist first.

In the past you may have been prescribed or are currently prescribed medications for your pain such as:

• Opioids (Codeine, Fentanyl, Morphine, Methadone or Zomorph)
• Gabapentinoids (Gabapentin, Pregabalin)

New research has shown that these are NOT effective at treating long-term pain. It has also shown they can be dangerous

If you would like to discuss your pain management with a healthcare professional at YMG please contact the surgery using the online appointment system. Prior to your appointment it would be beneficial for you and the clinician you see if you have read through the NHS decision aid regarding chronic pain (see link below)

Making decisions to help you live well with chronic primary pain (england.nhs.uk)

This aid has been developed to help you think about what options you might consider to help you live well with pain.

*If you are a YMG patient already on strong opioids or gabapentinoids for pain management, it is likely you will be contacted close to your annual review to discuss adjusting your pain medication in line with the latest evidence base of what is effective but safe for you.