Your NHS journey

Who's who?

1. Your GP

   Your GP will be the first healthcare professional you see when you have pain. If your pain is chronic your GP will coordinate your care. It may take some time for your GP to decide what is causing your chronic pain, as he or she will need to check for a number of conditions that could be to blame. For some people a cause is never found. This doesn’t mean you don’t have chronic pain, it just means that your doctor will have to try a different approach to managing your pain. If your pain is resisting treatment your GP may refer you to a pain specialist or a pain clinic.

2. Pain specialists

   Pain specialists have advanced training in the diagnosing and treating of chronic pain. They are based in hospital and often work as part of a team, alongside nurses, surgeons, oncologists, pharmacists, physiotherapists, psychologists and occupational therapists. Pain specialists have access to a range of treatments. You may also be referred onto courses about chronic pain and learning to manage your pain in a way that is helpful to you.

3. Physiotherapist

   A physiotherapist sees movement as central to health and wellbeing. He or she may use manipulation, heat, ultrasound and massage to relieve your pain. This can help build up the supporting muscles to improve your mobility and functioning. You might be taught some techniques that you can use at home. For example, heat packs are easy to use at home, as is a TENS machine. TENS stands for Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation. It uses an electrical current to stimulate nerves. It can be especially helpful for back pain and pain from nerve damage caused by diabetes.

4. Psychologist

   A psychologist might use a variety of techniques to help you understand, learn to cope with and manage your pain better.

Seeing your GP

If you have pain that you can't manage by yourself you should see your GP. He or she will ask you about your symptoms and how long they have been a problem. They will also want to know about what other health problems you may have and whether you have tried to treat your pain by yourself.

Be sure to tell your GP about any prescription and non-prescription medicine you are taking, including any alternative remedies, vitamins and supplements. Your GP may need to arrange some tests to check if you have any underlying health conditions that might be causing your symptoms, such as rheumatoid arthritis for example. You may need to be patient while these tests are being done. They will help your GP decide what course of treatment is best for you.