Introduction to the NHSGGC Pain Service
paindata – a local pain management resource containing a host of patient information and resources, made by clinicians working in the NHSGGC Pain Service. Resources include information about medication and non-English translations of some of our resources.
A patient’s experience of the pain service – this short video (3 minutes) was kindly shared by a patient who attended the NHS Ayrshire & Arran pain service recently. It should hopefully give you an idea of the type of help you can expect from the pain clinic.
A bit about persistent pain
Persistent (or chronic) pain is very different from ‘normal’ (or acute) pain, and strategies that work well for managing acute pain are often unhelpful – or worse – when it comes to persistent pain. Here is a good overview of how persistent pain differs from normal pain, from the neurosymptoms.org website. We have produced a range of booklets locally, introducing some of the concepts and treatment strategies that we use in the pain service. These will open as pdf files in a separate window:
Pain Service Information
These are all locally produced booklets, in pdf format, unless otherwise indicated (see here for non-English translations of our introductory guide to self-management).
- Trying to control pain – and some of the problems this can bring
- Information about acceptance and Commitment therapy
- Managing activity
- Sleep and pain
- Mindfulness and chronic pain
- Managing thinking
- Pain and trauma
- What do Psychologists do in the pain service? [video, 5 minutes]
- Using the MedFit TENS machine [video, 2 minutes]
- Dealing with pain and COVID
Useful online resources
- Flippin’ Pain – an online resource co-created by people with persistent pain, healthcare professionals, pain scientists and communications experts. It aims to help you make sense of the science behind your pain, and put this knowledge into action.
- Live Well With Pain – a collection of helpful videos and other resources designed to help you learn the skills you need to become an effective self-manager of your pain.
- Pain Concern is a Scottish charity providing advice and support to people with chronic pain.
- Pain Toolkit – a great self-management resource, developed by someone who has lived with chronic pain.
- NHS Inform – Chronic pain – advice and resources about chronic pain from NHS Scotland site
- List (Word doc) of chronic pain self-management resources from NHS Inform (last updated 31/03/2020)
Mindfulness resources
The NHSGGC pain service offers mindfulness-based treatments to support self-management. Information on how mindfulness is used in the pain service, as well as audio recordings of short mindfulness practices.
We have also developed a mindfulness app, which contains more audio recordings of guided practices as well as links to online resources. The GGC Mindfulness app is available to download for free from the Google play store for Android, and the App store for iOS.