Pain Management
Dr Hubert van Griensven PhD MSc(Pain) MCSP DipAc FHEA
Pain often tells us that something is wrong in the body due to injury or illness. We expect the pain to settle once the physical problem has resolved, on its own or with help from healthcare professionals.
Unfortunately, some people experience pain that does not settle down. In some cases, a physical cause can’t even be found. The pain may become more intense and spread to other areas of the body, because the nervous system gets oversensitive. This can be debilitating and distressing, and it can be hard to know how to deal with it.
Pain management deals with the physical consequences of persistent pain. It offers ways of making the body’s pain systems (the nervous system) less sensitive. It also helps you develop coping strategies, because living with pain is not easy.
Examples of conditions for pain management:
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Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS)
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Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)
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Chronic Widespread Pain (CWP)
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Persistent back or neck pain
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Failed back surgery