- Acute pain
- Pain with a relatively recent onset, often linked to an injury or illness. The cause and any warning symptoms matter; the label alone does not decide treatment.
- Anxiety
- A feeling of worry or fear that may involve physical symptoms and changes in behaviour.
- CBT
- Cognitive behavioural therapy: a talking therapy that helps explore and change patterns of thinking and behaviour.
- Neuropathic pain
- Pain associated with damage or disease affecting the nervous system. Treatment may differ from that used for other types of pain and needs an appropriate assessment.
- Pacing
- Planning activity and rest in a manageable pattern. In pain management it can help address cycles of doing too much and then needing a long recovery.
- Persistent pain
- Pain that continues over time and may need an ongoing management plan.
- Pharmacist
- A healthcare professional with expertise in medicines who can explain instructions, check interactions and help with questions about safe use.
- Self-referral
- Contacting a service yourself rather than first being referred by another professional.
- Talking therapy
- Support that involves working through thoughts, feelings or difficulties with a trained practitioner.
- Treatment review
- A conversation with a healthcare professional about how a treatment is working and what happens next.
Sources & further reading
General information to help you prepare questions for a healthcare professional. Source pages checked on 1 November 2026.
