Living with pain

Welcome to our collection of trusted resources exploring how people live and cope with their pain. This covers different aspects of pain management.

Nurse speaking with pain

Pain management - what is it?

Pain management is about the normal things you do to help you live with your pain every day. On this page, you can learn all about managing pain and the different ways to treat pain, including changes in activity or habits. You can also find out how to cope better with the feelings that living with pain can bring. This information will help you understand how to handle long-lasting pain better, which is important whether you're just starting to learn or want to know more.

Below are some useful videos that talk about pain management and how best to cope with it:

Tame The Beast - It's time to rethink persistent pain

Understanding pain in less than 5 minutes, and what to do about it!

Pain and Me: Tamar Pincus talks about chronic pain, acceptance and commitment

Osteoarthritis

Acute Pain vs Chronic Pain

Understanding the complexity of pain

Pain concern - what is self management?

Flippin Pain - pain science for non-pain specialists (03.02.21)

Audio pain management playlist (produced by Tom Shelton, based on an old pain management group from PMS)

Coping and recovery graphs for people in persistent pain

These websites and guides have lots of helpful ideas about living with pain. Take your time to check them out and learn how to live with your pain better:

Pain Toolkit

Live well with pain

Greg Lehman- Chronic Pain Recovery strategies

Flippin Pain

Useful organisations

Useful organisations

These groups have helpful ideas for dealing with feelings like pain, sadness, and frustration. They can also offer practical help. They can help you if you get in contact with them directly.

Help with aids or changes to your home:
Kirklees aids and adaptations team (accessible homes team): 01484 225335
Wakefield aids and adaptations team: 01977 722 220

For help with driving adaptation:
William Merritt centre

For help with how your pain makes you feel emotionally, visit:
Kirklees Talking Therapies
Wakefield district Talking Therapies (Turning Point)

Charities to help with feeling sad, angry, anxious or worried:
Mind
CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably)

Help for women:
Kirklees Women’s centre
Well Woman Centre Wakefield

Help for men:
Andy’s Man Club - mental health organisation for men
Men’s Shed org

If things get really tough and you are worried about how you are thinking and feeling it can be good to speak to individuals from these teams:
Wakefield Crisis team (24 hours a day): 0800 1830558
Kirklees Crisis team (24 hours a day): 0800 1830558
Samaritans Wakefield: You can also email jo@samaritans.org or call 116 123

Charities for chronic pain conditions:
Arthritis UK: 08005200520
Fibromyalgia Action UK: 0300 999 3333 (10am - 4pm Mon - Fri)
Fibromyalgia Action UK Benefits Helpline: 0300 999 0055 (10am - 12pm Mon, Wed and Fri)
Pain Concern: 0300 1230789

Providing support, information and advocacy for those with pelvic pain: www.pelvicpain.org.uk

Disability advice and support: Disability Information and Advice Line (DIAL) Wakefield 01977 723933 (Monday to Thursday)

Advice and services for those over the age of 60: Age UK

For help with pain, mental health and hobbies and interests:
Calderdale and Kirklees Recovery and Wellbeing College
Wakefield Recovery and Wellbeing College

For support with returning to interests or hobbies or trying new things out:
Wakefield and district University of the third age
Huddersfield and district University of the third age

How pain works

The videos below will teach you how your body works, why you can feel pain for a long time and how to deal with it:

Understanding pain in less than 5 minutes, and what to do about it!

Understanding pain in less than five minutes (Arabic translation)

What is pain? (Mike Stewart)

Tame the Beast - it's time to rethink persistent pain

TEDxAdelaide - Lorimer Moseley - Why things hurt

Longer - Pain, the brain and your amazing protectometer (Lorimer Moseley)

Back pain - separating fact from fiction (Prof Peter O'Sullivan)

The following websites explore the biology of pain and give practical tips on how to cope with pain:

Flippin Pain

Pain Toolkit

Live well with pain

Greg Lehman- Chronic Pain Recovery strategies

IASP (International Association for the study of Pain)

Pain psychology

It is normal to feel sad, angry, worried, low, and lots of tough feelings when you have pain every day. Watch these videos to learn how psychology can help with ongoing pain. They have tips to make life easier, even when you are faced with pain and can’t do the things you want to.

Pain and Me: Tamar Pincus talks about chronic pain, acceptance and commitment

Tamar Pincus: Psychology in People with Pain - Why it Matters (Part 1)

Tamar Pincus: Psychology in People with Pain - Why it Matters (Part 2)

Psychology models

Mindfulness

Values vs Goals ACT (Dr Russ Harris)

These useful links are a collection of websites to explore. They include advice on different ways to help when we are dealing with pain:

Get Self Help

ACT mindfully

If things get really tough and you are worried about how you are thinking and feeling it can be good to speak to individuals from these teams:

Wakefield Crisis team (24 hours a day): 0800 1830558
Kirklees Crisis team (24 hours a day): 0800 1830558

Samaritans Wakefield:
You can also email jo@samaritans.org or call 116 123

Mindfulness

Mindfulness helps with lots of problems in normal life. It means paying attention to what's happening in the here and now. The links below provide advice for when you are struggling with your thoughts or feelings.

Chelsea and Westminster series

Urdu Mindfulness meditation:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dm37WHUHfo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2en3G5RPW7c

Activity and exercise

These exercise videos are for people with long-term pain. They cover different exercises like circuit training, yoga, and more. Remember, only do what you think is right for you. If you're not sure, talk to a doctor, physio or exercise professional first.

Versus Arthritis: Let’s move with Leon series

Session 1: Mobility

Session 2: Movement for Life

Session 3: Adaptation and exercise tailoring

Session 4: Strength - lower body

Session 5: Upper body strength

Session 6: Core strength

Session 7: Cardiovascular and respiratory fitness

Session 8: Balance and coordination

Session 9: Posture and stability

Session 10: Principles of training

Session 11: Flexibility