Do you know the difference between short-term and long-term pain?

Content originally from NHS Mid and South Essex

Many people who have been prescribed pain medication don’t realise there is a change in how our bodies process pain over time.

If you have been taking pain medication for more than 3 months it is important to understand the difference between short-term and long-term pain, and how it can be managed.

Short-term pain is usually in response to injury, trauma or damage to the body. For this type of pain, medication can be very effective. After 3-6 months the original damage to the body has either healed or settled as much as it is going to. The pain that is then felt is due to becoming very sensitive and giving off pain signals in an uncontrolled way. This is called persistent or long-term pain.  Pain medications are often referred to as ‘painkillers’ but this name is incorrect, as there is no medication that can kill or fix pain completely. Although they can sometimes be used to treat long-term pain, they do not work for everyone. At the same time, some people experience side effects that can be more of a problem than the pain. And with opioid pain medication such as Codeine, Tramadol or Morphine, there is also a high risk of addiction.

Keith began taking pain medication after surgery, eventually ending up on a cocktail of medication that included Morphine.

“I had no quality of life, I didn’t go anywhere, I stopped driving and had no energy to play with my grandson. I was completely disabled by pain and the effects of the pain medication. At one point I was taking 60 tablets a day! It was ridiculous. I was sleeping all day in a chair in the front room, I couldn’t speak to anyone and when I did, I’d just bite their heads off. Something had to change.”

With the help of his GP, Keith was able to cut down his medication use and find alternative ways to manage his pain. If you have been taking pain medication for more than 3 months you should book a review with your GP team. Together you’ll agree on a plan for how to manage your long-term pain and reduce the dangers of addiction.

Get support

On the Painkillers Don’t Exist website you can find lots of information about pain medication, signs of addiction and side effects. You can also read stories from real people whose lives were affected by long-term medication use.