What is chronic pain?
Chronic pain, also called ‘persistent pain,’ is pain which lasts longer than it should after an illness or injury has healed, usually lasting more than three months. Chronic pain can happen to anyone, and it can affect any part of the body.
Chronic pain is a highly individual experience. People react to living with pain in many different ways. People with chronic pain can have difficulties carrying out daily activities, including work, leisure, and exercise. This can be very distressing, and people often describe feeling low and anxious.
Understand more about chronic pain.
Why is chronic pain important to Lambeth Together?
Chronic pain is linked to health inequalities in the UK. It’s more common among older adults, women, people who live in poor areas, and people of black ethnicity.
In Lambeth:
- pain is the second-most-common long-term condition amongst residents, affecting 13% of the population
- Black people are almost twice as likely to suffer from chronic pain than White or Asian people
- females are 1.5 times more likely to suffer from chronic pain than males
- people living in deprived areas are more likely to suffer from chronic pain
- prevalence among black women is twice that of the general population.
Our chronic pain priorities
Through the ‘Pain: Equality of Care and Support in the Community’ (PEACS) programme, we’re exploring new ways to make support more accessible, more personal, and more effective—right where people need it most. Learn more about the PEACS Programme.
Get support with chronic pain
If you live in Lambeth and have chronic pain, we recommend you visit your GP to:
- make sure they know you have chronic pain and add you to the chronic pain register.
- discuss and agree on a personalised plan to manage your pain and flare-ups – could include exercises, education, support groups, and medication reviews.
- review this with you annually to ensure you get the help you need.
Get involved with our work on chronic pain
To find out how you could work with us, complete our contact form.