title: The assessment and treatment of patients with chronic pain.
abstract: Chronic pain is an illness in its own right, with its own signs, symptoms, and complications. It has biological, psychosocial, physical, and emotional dimensions and due to its complexity it is often poorly understood. In many cases treatment cannot rely purely on the medical model of analgesic drugs but must encompass the management of all the other factors resulting from the pain. This article discusses the assessment of chronic pain, and the range of treatment methods available.
authors.affiliation: Nevill Hall Hospital, Gwent Healthcare NHS Trust.
authors.forename: Carolyn
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Middleton
mesh_terms: D000698:Analgesia / Q000379:methods / Q000451:nursing; D000700:Analgesics / Q000145:classification / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D009407:Nerve Block / Q000379:methods / Q000451:nursing; D009720:Nurse Clinicians / Q000458:organization & administration; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009730:Nursing Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D010146:Pain / Q000175:diagnosis; D059408:Pain Management; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods* / Q000451:nursing; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000379:methods; D012064:Relaxation Therapy
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics