• To update your knowledge of the latest guidance on managing chronic pain
• To recognise the importance of reducing medicines use in chronic primary pain management
• To consider which non-pharmacological interventions could be effective for people experiencing chronic pain
Chronic pain can be debilitating and affects an increasing number of people in the UK due to an ageing population and the rising prevalence of comorbidities. Chronic pain can be primary, where it is not accounted for by another condition, or secondary, where it results from an underlying condition or injury. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has published updated guidance on the assessment and management of chronic pain in adults. This article explores the latest recommendations regarding medicines use in chronic primary pain and outlines appropriate non-pharmacological management strategies. It also discusses some of the barriers to implementing chronic pain management interventions, and provides advice for nurses caring for patients who are experiencing this type of pain.
Nursing Standard. doi: 10.7748/ns.2023.e11957
Peer reviewThis article has been subject to external double-blind peer review and checked for plagiarism using automated software
Correspondence Conflict of interestNone declared
Bacchus C (2023) Moving away from medicines: an overview of chronic pain management. Nursing Standard. doi: 10.7748/ns.2023.e11957
Published online: 06 February 2023
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