National Pain Week, recognised annually in July, raises awareness around Australia of the impacts of living with chronic pain, highlighting the experiences of those who are affected, and working to increase social understanding of chronic pain.
What is chronic pain?
Chronic pain is defined as pain that lasts longer than three months. It often behaves unpredictably, spreading or flaring up when triggered by stress and emotional changes.
Chronic pain often begins after an injury or illness, but instead of the body resolving the issue, it persists due to changes in the nervous system that make it more sensitive to pain.
Any injury can lead to chronic pain, but this doesn’t always mean that you have an ongoing or acute injury causing it.
Chronic pain often involves heightened sensitivity within the body's pain system. In these cases, the brain and nervous system may become more alert to potential threats, interpreting sensations as pain even when there is no clear tissue damage.
This increase in sensitivity and the brain's perception of threat can amplify and prolong the pain experience, making the pain feel very real even without any new injury.
It is important to remember that pain is not necessarily an indicator of damage or health, but it is a protector to warn us of possible injury or re-injury. The longer we have pain, the less likely it is connected to tissue damage in our muscles, joints or ligaments.
Managing chronic pain
When looking to understand and manage chronic pain, it is important to take a whole-person approach by looking at your overall health. This can include asking questions like:
Chronic pain often requires a multidisciplinary approach, so speaking with a physiotherapist, exercise physiologist, doctor or a mental health professional to learn more about your pain can be a helpful place to start.
One of the biggest predictors of how well you can manage the impact of chronic pain is in a person’s belief that they will recover.
Participating in exercise can play a key role in managing chronic pain by helping to build confidence in movement, increase self-efficacy, and gradually reduce fear of pain through graded exposure.
Rather than focusing solely on fitness, movement becomes a way to retrain the nervous system and shift how the body and brain respond to pain.
To find approaches that feel safe and achievable, it’s helpful to speak with a physical rehabilitation professional who understands pain science and can support your journey.
Support at Mates4Mates
At Mates4Mates, we have a team of clinicians who are available to support you in managing chronic pain. Mates4Mates exercise physiologists and physiotherapists can help you to move and exercise safely and confidently, and Mates4Mates psychologists, social workers and counsellors can assist with stress, sleep, and other factors that can influence pain levels.
Mates4Mates clinicians are available for appointments in a range of Mates4Mates locations, or online via telehealth appointments, where eligible.
Mates4Mates also offers veterans and families access to a range of group fitness classes designed to improve strength, flexibility, and confidence exercising. Some classes include:
For more information about Mates4Mates services and how we can help to support you, reach out to us on 1300 4 MATES (62 837) for a confidential chat.
Written by Baxter Mahutonga, Mates4Mates Clinical Lead – Physical Rehabilitation & Wellbeing Services and Physiotherapist
National Pain Week, recognised annually in July, raises awareness around Australia of the impacts of living with chronic pain, highlighting the experiences of those who are affected, and working to increase social understanding of chronic pain.
