This leaflet answers common questions about long-term pain management. If you would like further information, or have any worries, please do not hesitate to ask your clinician.

What is chronic pain?

Chronic pain is pain that lasts for three months or longer. It can result from conditions like arthritis, fibromyalgia, nerve damage, or back problems.

How to manage chronic pain

Self-management strategies are tools and techniques that can help you manage your pain in daily life, alongside medical treatments. By actively working to manage your pain, you can feel more in control over your pain and feel more confident.

Chronic pain is a complex condition, but by incorporating these self-management strategies, you can take control of your pain and improve your quality of life.

Key self-management strategies

Pacing and activity management

Learning to pace yourself is important. Pacing is a technique used to help you balance activity with rest to avoid pain flare-ups. Overdoing activities on 'good days" can lead to more pain later, however, positive changes can be made by:

  • Breaking tasks into smaller, manageable parts to achieve your goals.
  • Resting before you feel too tired or sore will help give you more energy.
  • Planning ahead for challenging tasks, which will be different for everyone, but will help you feel more in control.

Exercise and physical activity

Exercise is one of the most effective ways to manage chronic pain. It helps strengthen muscles, improve flexibility, and reduce stiffness, and has lots of wider health benefits.

  • Begin with low-impact activities like walking, swimming, or tai chi. The best exercise is often the one you find most enjoyable and can stick at. It’s okay to feel a little bit of increased pain and soreness during and after exercise but try not to do push yourself too much, as you don’t want exercise to be associated with agony.
  • Consistency is key. Aim for small doses of exercise, even on days when pain levels are higher.

Relaxation techniques

  • Stress, prolonged muscle tension and anxiety can worsen pain. Relaxation techniques can help reduce tension in your body and calm your mind. Some examples of relaxation techniques are:
  • Breathing exercises, where you focus on slow, deep exhales to reduce stress
  • Progressive muscle relaxation which involves gradually tensing and then relaxing each muscle group
  • Mindfulness meditation, where you bring your focus to the present moment, noticing your breath or sensation in your body, along with what is going on in the ‘here and now’.

An example of a breathing exercise is box breathing:

  1. Breathe in through your nose for four seconds. Focus on feeling the air enter your lungs.
  2. Hold your breath for four seconds.
  3. Slowly breathe out through your mouth for four seconds.
  4. Repeat steps 1 to 3 until you feel relaxed.

Sleep habits

Pain can interfere with sleep, and poor sleep can make pain worse. You can improve your sleep with these tips:

  • Stick to a regular sleep schedule.
  • Create a calming bedtime routine, such as reading or taking a warm bath.
  • Avoid caffeine, heavy meals, or alcohol before bed.
  • Practice relaxation techniques to help ease into sleep.
  • Try not to ‘struggle’ getting to sleep, however frustrating it can be. Remind yourself that even lying calmly in a dark room can be restful for the body and try not to force sleep to happen.

Diet and nutrition

  • Eating a balanced, nutritious diet can help reduce inflammation and support overall wellbeing.
  • Anti-inflammatory foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains and fatty fish rich in omega-3, such as salmon and mackerel, are good for you.
  • Maintaining a healthy weight will reduce pressure on your joints and muscles.

Goal setting and planning

Chronic pain can have a restricting impact on a person’s quality of life over time. Re-connecting with meaningful activity is an important ingredient for long-term management of pain.

For example, get back in contact with friends, return to volunteering/paid work, re-introduce hobbies/recreation into your life again. Setting goals that are reachable can help you stay motivated and focused on your progress.

To set your goals:

  1. Identify a specific behaviour you would like to change.
  2. Consider what small steps you could take to make this behaviour more likely to happen.
  3. Consider what barriers there might be that could take you away from this goal and how you could overcome them.

Celebrate small achievements, such as completing a daily task or sticking to a new routine. Let other people know about your goals and talk with them about how they can support you in achieving your goals.