Visiting the forefront of research into pain conditions

As research for a Covid-19 vaccine is a priority for the scientific community, this edition of Airing Pain focuses on the roles of researchers, and in particular the many disciplines that come together to increase the understanding, and therefore the management of chronic pain.

Available to listen to from 5 May 2020 here or download from wherever you get your podcasts.

Watch the trailer below:

Pain Concern and Covid-19

With the current pandemic causing uncertainty and confusion around the world, we will continue to keep our followers and supporters updated with any news relevant to people living with pain, their friends, family and healthcare professionals. We will strive to do our best to supply all our resources (magazines, leaflets, podcasts) while we can, assuming it is safe for our staff and volunteers to do so.

Unfortunately, we have had to make the difficult decision to suspend our telephone Helpline support for the immediate future. The Helpline is staffed by volunteers, some of whom have their own health issues. Given the current situation, we are not able to provide the Helpline service in the way that we would wish to.

People seeking support with their pain may continue to use our online community Health Unlocked Forum at healthunlocked.com/painconcern or contact our email help service at help@painconcern.org.uk.

We will strive to reinstate the service as soon as it is safe and viable to do so. But for now, stay safe, stay home, wash your hands and we will still be here on the other side, providing resources, support and advocating for those living with pain.

Further resources:

Pain Concern coronavirus news and information

NHS Inform coronavirus page

Faculty of Pain Medicine resources

British Pain Society coronavirus page

Pain specialists from around the world have reviewed ways in which people with chronic pain can continue to be helped using modern technology despite pain treatment centre across the world having closed their doors. Publishing their results in the medical journal Pain, they point out that telemedicine and e-health, as remote medicine is called, is not a new concept but the Covid-19 pandemic has made it ‘imperative’ that patients with chronic but non-urgent conditions can access the support they need. Patients with chronic pain will be adversely affected by the pandemic even if they do not become ill with Covid-19 as their healthcare becomes disrupted. This can lead to their condition worsening with accompanying suffering and depression.

Simple solutions could involve nothing more than a phone call or text messages. Video conferencing is now widely accessed via apps such as FaceTime and Zoom. There are already systems in place in some centres for clinical evaluation remotely. Self-management options are available online and many of these have been formerly evaluated in clinical trials. They have shown at least some benefit in reducing pain, disability and distress. Commercially available options exist, but the authors warn that there is often no quality control over content and the buyer should beware. They also warn that because of the fast implementation of these new methods of consulting in response to the Covid-19 crisis there may be unforeseen downsides. However, lessons will be learned and, after the pandemic, it is likely that many of these new ways will continue to be used for people in pain who need help.

The full text of the paper is available at journals.lww.com/pain/Citation/publishahead/Managing_patients_with_chronic_pain_during_the.98431.aspx