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Pain service

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About us

We are a team of pain specialists that includes doctors, nurses, psychologists, physiotherapists and occupational therapists.

We see patients who suffer from long-term or chronic pain. In most cases, there is no straightforward cure or solution. We aim to support and help you to manage your pain by encouraging physical activity and mobility, helping you to reduce the distress caused by pain and increase your quality of life.

Patients can only be referred to this service by their hospital consultant. You cannot be referred to this service by your GP.

The journey through the outpatient pain service is approximately 12 months and involves patients and the specialist team working together in partnership. It involves:

  • Education about pain
  • Advice on pain management strategies
  • Medication reviews

One of your appointments will be a one day education seminar, held at Addenbrooke’s. It’s important for all patients to attend this seminar. We will write to you with full details about this seminar. Patients are invited to bring a friend or relative along with them for support.

Your appointment

At your first appointment you will be assessed by a doctor. This may include a physical examination. Follow up reviews are undertaken by a team of specialist nurses.

Please bring with you a list of all your current and previous medications, including GP prescriptions if possible.  

We aim to make your visits as informative as possible and you will be asked to complete some paperwork before your appointment. This will help us to plan your treatment and evaluate your progress. Should you require assistance in completing the paperwork, please inform the reception staff on arrival.

Please remember:

  1. Bring your glasses if you need them for reading.
  2. Always bring a list of your current medication.
  3. Take all your regular medication on treatment days unless advised to omit anything by the pain clinic.
  4. If there is any possibility you may be pregnant please inform the doctor or nurse.
  5. All interventional treatments are undertaken at Ely day surgery unit. Your stay may be between two to four hours, and you must have someone to take you home otherwise we will not be able to treat you.