There are many healthcare providers that can assist you to manage your pain. Think about yourself as a team captain, your healthcare providers as part of your team, and your local doctor (GP) as the team coach. By working together as a team, you can learn to manage your pain more effectively.

Click on the different health providers below to see how they can help you!

Local doctors are usually the first healthcare provider you will see when you have a symptom or condition that may need treatment. It is usually a person that you and your family have a long-term connection with. Your local doctor can assist in managing any medications you might need for pain management or other medical conditions. They can also coordinate your care; refer you to specialist services; help you develop a pain management plan; and arrange for further investigations and treatments.

Psychologists can help you to develop strategies to help manage worries, thoughts and mood. These skills can also be helpful with sleep, going to school and other related issues. Psychologists can also teach you specific coping skills to better manage your pain.

Physiotherapists can help to develop exercise programs that will help increase your ability to use the body area affected by pain. The exercise programs can also help you keep the rest of your body healthy. Exercise can help with mood, energy levels, and self esteem. Physiotherapists can also help to reduce worries about re-injuring yourself.

Occupational therapists are able to help with problems associated with returning to school. They can help with special arrangements in the school environment. They can also help with making schedules, setting goals, and other activities that affect your day to day life.

Play therapists can help with ideas for distraction to support you when your pain is intense or high.

Complementary Alternative Medicine (CAM) Therapists specialise in health care that is used in addition (complementary) or instead of (alternative) traditional medical treatment eg) Massage therapist. They should work as part of a team to help manage your pain.

Social workers can meet your family to talk about how chronic pain affects both you and the family. Social workers can help work through some of the problems that might have developed since the chronic pain started. They are also helpful at finding people close to home that can help with related issues.

Pain doctors or specialists can help you work out what needs to happen to improve functioning. As part of this, they might develop a pain management plan, prescribe medications, and work closely with other healthcare providers.

Pain nurses usually work as part of a team to help coordinate the services that you need. They can help explain things about your pain management.

This can include anyone in your family eg) parents, siblings, relatives and caregivers or even friends who can help support you to better manage your pain.

This might include other medical specialists eg) Rheumatologists or other. They should work as part of a team to help manage your pain.

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Transcript: Segment 4 - Who can help me manage chronic pain?

When you've got chronic pain it's important when your learning all these things to surround yourself with a supportive team - you're gonna be the centre of the team and the most important person on it.

But also you will need people like your family and other people in the community, um… the school and friends, and your GP can be a really great help to you.

Your GP can help you to understand your pain better and learn some skills and your GP can put you in touch with other health professionals who can help you.

People like psychologists, physiotherapists, other therapists in the local community your GP will know who's around where you are - someone close to home and easy to see.

So get in touch with your GP and they'll help you to set up a team around yourself.