Pain management for chronic pain in Inverness

Chronic pain is persistent and ongoing. It is pain that lasts for an extended period, which is typically three months or longer. Unlike acute pain, which is usually a temporary sensation that serves as a warning sign of injury or tissue damage and resolves as the underlying cause heals, chronic pain persists despite an absence of injury or identifiable tissue damage.

Chronic pain can affect various parts of the body, including your muscles, joints, nerves, and organs, and can vary widely in intensity, duration, and quality.

Chronic pain is felt differently from person to person, and is experienced in various ways, depending on the underlying condition or factors contributing to the pain.

Pain in different parts of body can be felt as a:

• Dull ache
• Throbbing sensation
• Tightness or pressure
• Aching joints or muscles
• Deep bone pain
• Burning or tingling

Pain management is a branch of non-surgical medicine focused on alleviating your pain and improving your overall quality of life.

It involves a multidisciplinary approach that integrates pain management techniques, therapies, and medications to address pain effectively.

Our anaesthesia and pain medicine consultant at Inverness Outpatient Clinic, addresses a range of chronic joint pain, which includes pain occurring in the neck, arm , back/sciatica, hip, knee pain, shoulder and arm. He also manages other chronic pain conditions, including neuropathic pain and providing pain relief for patients who are not candidates for surgery.

Management of chronic pain involves comprehensive assessment, including:

• A physical examination
• A review of investigations
• The ordering of new investigations
• The building of a plan management plan

In certain cases, especially for more complex conditions, your consultant may review treatment options during a multidisciplinary team meeting. This meeting includes input from various specialists such as spinal surgeons, neurologists, rheumatologists, physiotherapists and psychologists. You might need help from all these specialists to regain strength and mobility lost through your condition.

Inverness Outpatient Centre offers a personalised, integrated approach to pain management, designed to help improve your pain levels and overall well-being.

Treating chronic pain often involves a layered approach that can include:

• Analgesics (pain medication)
• The use of a specialist TENS machine (a device that helps treat never damage)
• Physiotherapy
• Psychological interventions
• Lifestyle changes
• Acupuncture
• Pain injections, such as Facet joint injections or Sacroiliac joint injections

During your consultation appointment, your consultant will discuss your symptoms and pain history before taking a full medical history and examination. He will also look at what impact the pain this has on your everyday life.

If necessary, investigations such as MRI scans and blood tests will be needed to investigate the cause of your condition. 

While not all types of pain can be completely cured, your consultant will ensure that your treatment provides the best possible symptom relief. They will clearly explain your treatment options in significant detail, enabling you to make an informed decision about your care.

You will get an expert assessment with our pain management consultant. You will see the same consultant throughout the entirety of their treatment journey, from your first appointment right through to your time managing your pain at home.

• Consultants are local to the Highland and Islands area
• Treatment plans tailored to meet your individual health needs

If you would like to make an appointment with one of our consultants, you can use our useful online booking system or contact our friendly team on 01463 213227