Pain that lasts, eating into sleep, work and mood. A fast, structured and discreet work-up, in 24 to 48 hours, makes a clear diagnosis and an evidence-based plan, not just a prescription.
Chronic pain, common and disabling
Chronic pain, lasting more than three months, affects between one-third and one-half of UK adults, nearly 28 million people, and about 8 percent have neuropathic pain. It is not rare, it is massive, and its impact on working and daily life is real.
What guidelines say, and what they advise against
For so-called chronic primary pain, UK guidelines favour non-pharmacological approaches, exercise, psychological therapies such as cognitive behavioural therapy or acceptance and commitment therapy, and a single course of acupuncture. Above all, they advise against starting opioids, paracetamol, anti-inflammatories, benzodiazepines or gabapentinoids, for lack of evidence of benefit and because of the risk of dependence. When a medicine is useful, an antidepressant is the option to consider. In other words, treating pain well is not piling up painkillers.
Neuropathic pain, a specific approach
Neuropathic pain, linked to nerve damage, responds to a different strategy. First-line options include certain antidepressants and antiepileptics, such as amitriptyline, duloxetine, gabapentin or pregabalin. Hence the importance of a precise diagnosis, because the right treatment depends on the type of pain, and confusing the two wastes time.
A pain work-up is multidisciplinary
Chronic pain is understood within a biopsychosocial framework, body, sleep, activity and mood count together. A structured work-up assesses the whole and builds a plan combining supervised exercise, psychological support and, if needed, the right medicine. Some signals call for not waiting, for example sudden and intense pain, new neurological signs, or pain with fever, for which you should seek care without delay.
Who benefits most from this work-up
Wherever you are, if access to a complete specialist assessment is slow, fragmented or uncertain, this work-up gives you a clear answer and a plan in 24 to 48 hours, in a single episode of care and at a European standard, rather than weeks of waiting and scattered appointments.
The NoriaHealth pathway
Speed first, an acknowledgment within 4 hours and a full work-up in 24 to 48 hours. You are cared for by nos medecins a Bruxelles, a large network of specialists recognized for the quality of their facility. If an interventional procedure is warranted, it is planned around day 10. Structured follow-up at day 14, 30 and 90, with discretion preserved. Logistics come last.
Frequently asked questions
Are opioids the solution for lasting pain ? No, they are advised against as first-line for chronic primary pain, due to lack of evidence and risk of dependence.
Is my work-up limited to medicines ? No, it combines exercise, psychological support and, if needed, the right medicine, depending on the type of pain.
Are neuropathic pain and primary pain the same ? No, treatments differ, hence the importance of a precise diagnosis.
Is a pain work-up in 48 hours remotely realistic ? Yes, it is the heart of our promise, with care afterward if needed.
Describe your pain and its history, reply within 4 hours, full work-up in 24 to 48 hours.
Passing it on to someone close
You may be reading this for someone else, a relative, a parent, a colleague. If this can help someone close to you get a clear and fast answer, feel free to pass it on, it is often the first step that is missing.
Sources
Prevalence of chronic pain in the UK, systematic review, BMJ Open, 2016, link
Chronic primary pain, NICE guideline NG193, link
Neuropathic pain in adults, NICE guideline CG173, link
Management of chronic primary pain in practice, review, 2024, link