For many people, living with long term health conditions can be disabling and frustrating. However, there are many things which you can do to help manage your health with the support of health care professionals, family, friends and work colleagues.

What is chronic pain?

Pain that continues for longer than 12 weeks is known as Chronic Pain. It is a long term condition that affects about 1 in 4 people in Scotland, and is recognised by the Scottish Government. 

Chronic pain occurs when changes happen in our pain system. 

We all have a pain system that is designed to protect us. This pain system is made up of nerves carrying messages between our bodies and our brains. Chronic pain develops when this system becomes more sensitive. 

When this happens pain can continue even when there is no injury to the body, or after the body has healed. Chronic pain is very different to short lived or acute pain. It is often constantly there and can be unpredictable in how strongly we feel it in our body.