Chronic Pain is difficult to live with. It is hard to understand, you can’t see it and it varies day to day sometimes for no apparent reason. Starting January 2022 and open Scotland wide we will have sessions throughout the year.

Pain Association Scotland are working in collaboration with Abertay University to look at new technologies to support people living with chronic pain.

Here’s what we have delivered during the pandemic so far in order to ensure that people with chronic pain and their families and carers are supported during this difficult time.

In the second part of our video series on Self Management, John Deans talks about how Self Management works for him.

These courses provide a special opportunity for carers and partners to build skills and gain insights in the self-management approach to health. The aim is to help carers and partners to share self-management ideas with the person they care about. Importantly it is also an opportunity for them to feel more supported and less alone in their responsibilities.

The Scottish Government has produced a face covering exemption card, to support those who are unable to wear one to feel more confident and safe when accessing public spaces and using public services.

First part of a series of service users and clinicians talking about Self-Management for pain suffers.

In response to the Covid lockdown we quickly moved

to running everything online. The Government are

interested in stories like ours, so we interviewed Lindsay

from the Dumfries group about how they had all got on with the new set-up. He answers in a refreshing honest and insightful way.

Join our Lead Trainer Phil Sizer as he talks us through some key ideas to structure your day, maintain a positive mood, balance your body and stem your thinking in this detailed walk through. This is an excellent tool for those self-managing pain but also for carers and family and friends at this time.

Are you in an area where Pain Association Scotland currently does not hold courses?

Do you want to learn more about how to self-manage your chronic pain?

Jason Leitch, National Clinical Director has recorded a personal message to those living with persistent pain, covering current changes to NHS services affecting ongoing treatment

At the moment we’re noticing that corona virus lock-down is really starting to affect people. There is more stress and anxiety about which is undoubtedly affecting mood in the day and sleep at night. This may of course be experienced on top of worry from living with a limiting condition, or the usual problems of day to day life.

The good news is that we can do things to improve sleep. Some of this is about following some simple rules and the other part is finding ways to put the brakes on a racing mind.

We often use mnemonics to help us remember things as part of self-managing pain and many of you already know about APPS. (Activity, Pacing, Positive Thinking and Stress Management) Here is a new one.

W R A P

Download our spider map to help evaluate your pain and chart your progress.