CHRONIC PAIN CONDITIONS

Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain condition characterised by widespread pain, fatigue, sleep disturbances, and cognitive difficulties. Modern research shows that central sensitisation—an increased sensitivity of the nervous system—plays a key role in fibromyalgia, helping explain why symptoms can be severe even when scans and blood tests appear normal.

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) is a chronic pain condition that can develop after an injury, surgery, or trauma, causing severe pain, sensitivity, swelling, and changes in movement or circulation. Learn about the causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and evidence-based treatment options for CRPS, including rehabilitation, pain medicine, and interventional therapies.

The immune system plays a major role in chronic pain through inflammation, neuroinflammation, and immune dysregulation. Discover how immune activity can influence conditions such as neuropathic pain, fibromyalgia, CRPS, and osteoarthritis, and learn about emerging treatments targeting the immune-pain connection.

Chronic Primary Pain is a recognised diagnosis in ICD-11, acknowledging that persistent pain can be a condition in its own right. Learn how chronic primary pain differs from secondary pain, why altered nervous system processing matters, and how modern treatments focus on improving function, wellbeing, and quality of life.

Chronic pain and poor sleep often reinforce each other, creating a cycle of increased pain sensitivity, fatigue, mood changes, and reduced quality of life. Learn how sleep affects pain, why chronic pain disrupts rest, and evidence-based strategies that can improve both sleep quality and pain management.

Neuropathic pain occurs when nerves themselves become damaged or dysfunctional, creating pain signals that persist long after an injury has healed. Learn about common neuropathic pain conditions, including diabetic neuropathy, postherpetic neuralgia, trigeminal neuralgia, and central neuropathic pain, as well as the biological mechanisms that drive ongoing symptoms.

Chronic lower back pain is one of the most common causes of persistent pain and disability. This article explores why back pain occurs, when specialist assessment may be helpful, and the evidence-based treatment options available, including education, rehabilitation, medication review, and interventional pain procedures.

Chronic headache and facial pain can significantly affect daily life, work, and wellbeing. Learn about common conditions such as migraine, chronic tension-type headache, cluster headache, temporomandibular disorders (TMD), and how a comprehensive pain medicine approach can support assessment and management.