Management of chronic pain

Abstract

Chronic pain affects 20% of the population at some point and is a significant burden for both patients and society. This complex and little understood condition is often poorly managed. However, recent interest in chronic pain management has prompted the development of resources and strategies to help these patients, in particular, the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network have released up-to-date guidance. The aim of this article is to highlight the importance of identifying patients in chronic pain and optimising their management using an evidence-based approach.