Skip to main content
  • About Us
  • Support Us
  • Newsroom
  • Contact
  • Feedback
Online Payment

logo-svhs-13.png

02 8382 1111
  • About Us
  • Support Us
  • Newsroom
  • Contact
  • Feedback
* Search
  • Patients & Visitors
    • Visiting
    • Your Hospital Stay
    • Coming to St Vincent's
    • Being involved in your care
    • Feedback
    • Our stories: St Vincent's Voices
  • Our services
    • Our specialists
    • List of services
  • Professionals
    • Allied Health
    • Junior Medical Officers (JMOs)
    • Nursing
    • Our Specialists
    • GPs
    • Alumni
    • Credentialing
    • Basic Physician Training
  • Employment
    • Professional Development
    • Careers at St Vincent's Health Network
    • Nursing
    • JMO employment
    • Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Employment
    • St Vincent's Correctional Health
    • Volunteers
    • Graduate Health Management Program
    • Drug & Alcohol Jobs at St Vincent's
    • Mental Health Nursing Jobs - Apply Now
  • Research & Education
    • Medical Education
    • Nursing Education
    • Library Services
    • Courses, Workshops & Conferences
    • Research Office
    • Research
    • Participating in Research Trials
Menu
Phone Icon Search Icon
  • Patients & Visitors
    • Visiting
    • Your Hospital Stay
    • Coming to St Vincent's
    • Being involved in your care
    • Feedback
    • Our stories: St Vincent's Voices
  • Our services
    • Our specialists
    • List of services
  • Professionals
    • Allied Health
    • Junior Medical Officers (JMOs)
    • Nursing
    • Our Specialists
    • GPs
    • Alumni
    • Credentialing
    • Basic Physician Training
  • Employment
    • Professional Development
    • Careers at St Vincent's Health Network
    • Nursing
    • JMO employment
    • Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Employment
    • St Vincent's Correctional Health
    • Volunteers
    • Graduate Health Management Program
    • Drug & Alcohol Jobs at St Vincent's
    • Mental Health Nursing Jobs - Apply Now
  • Research & Education
    • Medical Education
    • Nursing Education
    • Library Services
    • Courses, Workshops & Conferences
    • Research Office
    • Research
    • Participating in Research Trials
nurses

Understanding chronic pain

You are here:

  1. Home
  2. Our services
  3. List of services
  4. Pain Medicine
Section Menu
  • Our services
    • Our specialists
    • List of services
      • Aboriginal Health Unit
      • Aboriginal and/orTorres Strait Chronic Care Service
      • Alcohol & Drug Service
        • Gorman Unit
        • Rankin Court Treatment Centre
        • Stimulant Treatment Program
        • Alcohol & Drug Information Service
        • The Opioid Treatment Line
        • Stimulant Treatment Line
        • Cannabis Caution Line
        • Smoking Cessation Training
        • Burton Street Centre
        • Resources for Clinicians
          • Clinical Resources
        • Stimulant Check-in Clinic (S-Check)
        • Early Drug Diversion Initiative
      • Anaesthetic Department
      • Audiology
      • Bereavement
        • Bereavement Counselling Service
        • Arranging a funeral
        • Suggested reading list for those who are grieving
      • Cancer Genetic Service
      • Cancer Services
        • Support Groups & Events
      • Cardiac Imaging
      • Cardiac Rehabilitation
      • Cardiology
      • Cardiothoracic Surgery
      • Chronic & Complex Care Service
      • Clinical Pharmacology & Toxicology
      • St Vincent's Clinical Genomics
        • Frequently asked questions
      • Day Procedure Centre
      • Dementia Advisory Service
        • Information for carers
        • Education and information
        • External Dementia Service Providers
        • Calendar of events
      • Dental
      • Dermatology
      • Diabetes Service
        • Contact
        • Our services
        • Diabetes in Youth Clinic
        • Staff profiles
        • Referral to a Diabetes Specialist
        • Referral to a Diabetes Educator or Dietitian
        • Referral to the High Risk Foot Service
        • Useful links
        • Research
        • DREAM
      • Diabetes in Youth Clinic
      • Domestic and Family Violence Service
      • Ear Nose Throat (ENT) Surgery
      • Eating Disorders Outpatient Service
      • Emergency
      • Endocrinology
        • For patients
        • For health professionals
        • Our staff
      • GambleAware/Gambling Treatment Program
        • About us
        • Our staff
        • Do you need help with your gambling?
        • How we can help
        • Making an appointment
        • Our treatment approach
        • Your first appointment
        • Your treatment sessions
        • Maintaining your progress
        • Our research
        • Help for partners, friends and family members
        • For Health Professionals
        • Community Engagement
        • Contact Us
      • Gastroenterology and Hepatology
        • Our Services
        • Contact Us
        • Research
        • Our Team
        • Resources for Health Professionals
        • Referral Pathways for Health Practitioners
        • Patient Information and Resources
      • Geriatric Medicine Department
      • Haematology
      • Heart Lung Clinic
      • Heart & Lung Transplantation
      • HIV, Immunology & Infectious Disease
        • Be part of a research program into HIV & the Brain
        • Dysplasia and Anal Cancer Services
          • What is Anal Cancer?
          • Anal pre-cancer (anal intraepithelial neoplasia)
          • Anal Pap Tests
          • High resolution anoscopy
          • Anal Cancer
          • Information for general practitioners
          • HPV DNA Tests
          • Digital Ano Rectal Examination (D.A.R.E.)
          • Anal cancer testing
      • Homeless Health Service
        • Our services
        • Current research
        • Referral
        • How you can help
        • News & Publications
          • Mamamia Investigates: The harsh reality of accessing healthcare when homeless
          • ABC Conversations: Nursing on the Streets
          • Charity Begins at Tierney House
          • ABC 7.30 Report: Breaking the hospital-homeless cycle
          • Nursing Review: Interview with Erin Longbottom
          • ABC Radio Interview: How COVID-19 affects people experiencing homelessness
          • Parity Magazine features St Vincent's Homeless Health Service
          • Homeless Health Strategy
          • St Vincent's Homeless Health Service featured in Australian Nursing & Midwifery Journal
          • Mobile Clinic featured in The Catholic Weeklyl
          • Non Resident Homelessness Highlighted in Inaugural Forum
          • St Vincent's 'Hospital on Wheels' as featured on ABC News
          • St Vincent's calls for improved citizen pathways for New Zealand residents
        • Health Clinics
        • Homeless Health Service Strategic Plan 2021-2024
      • Hospital in the Home (HITH)
      • Intensive Care Unit
      • Inflammatory Bowel Disease Service
        • Our Services
        • Clinic Information
        • Patient Information and Resources
        • Referral Pathways for Health Practitioners
        • Latest News
        • Research
        • Contact Us
        • Our team
      • Kidney Disorders
      • Medical Imaging
      • Medical Oncology
      • Mental Health
        • CRUfAD
        • Program for Early Intervention & Prevention of Disability (PEIPOD)
          • Mental Health Caregiver Resources
        • The Safe Haven Cafe
        • The Suicide Prevention Outreach Team (SPOT)
        • Caritas Acute Mental Health Unit
        • Community Mental Health Rehabilitation Team
        • St Vincent's Mental Health Strategic Plan
        • St Vincent's Mental Health Contacts
        • Other useful mental health resources
        • THIS WAY UP online programs
        • St Vincent's Mental Health Nurses
        • Emergency Safe Assessment Space (SAS)
        • St Vincent’s Older People’s Mental Health Service
        • Psychiatric Emergency Care (PECC)
        • The Way Back Support Service
        • PANDA Unit
        • Social Isolation Support Service
      • Neurology
      • Neurosurgery
      • Nutrition & Dietetics
      • Occupational Therapy
      • Osteoarthritis Chronic Care Program (OACCP)
      • Osteoporosis Refracture Prevention (ORP) Service
      • Pain Medicine
      • Palliative Care Resources
        • Personal Hygeine
        • Administering medications and oxygen
        • Moving around safely
        • What to do if I'm short of breath
        • Caring for someone dying at home
        • Community Palliative Care
      • Palliative Care
      • Pathology (SydPath)
      • Pastoral Care
      • Physiotherapy
      • Plastic Surgery
      • Pharmacy
      • Podiatry and High Risk Foot Service
      • Psychology
        • Psychology Drug & Alcohol Service
        • Bereavement Counselling Service
        • Psychology Cancer Services
        • Consultation Liaison Psychiatry
        • Psychology Services within the Clinical Research Unit for Anxiety and Depression (CRUfAD)
        • Inner City DBT Skills Group
        • Gambling Treatment Psychology Services
        • HIV Neuropsychology Service
        • Psychology within Mental Health Services
        • Psychology within Pain Services
        • Palliative Care Psychology Service
        • Rehabilitation Psychology Service
      • Rehabilitation Medicine
      • Respiratory Medicine
        • Lung Function Laboratory
      • Rheumatology
      • Sacred Heart Health Service
      • Sleep Disorders & Respiratory Failure
      • Social Work
      • Speech Pathology
      • Stroke Unit
      • Sydney Heart Valve Bank
      • Swallowing & Oesophageal Disorders
      • Telehealth
      • Theranostics and Nuclear Medicine
        • Frequently Asked Questions
        • Our Facilities
        • Our Team
        • Patient Preparation and Information
        • Referral Information
        • Research & Trials
        • Nuclear Medicine Imaging
        • PET Imaging
        • Therapy
        • Prostate Theranostics
      • Trauma
      • Upper Gastrointestinal & General Surgery
      • Urology
      • Vascular Medicine
      • Vascular Surgery
We bring God’s love to those in need through the healing ministry of Jesus.

A facility of St Vincent's Health Australia,
under the stewardship of Mary Aikenhead Ministries

  • Find us on Facebook
  • Follow us on Linkedin
  • Follow us on Instagram
  • Find us on Youtube
  • Staff Log In
  • Sitemap
  • Terms
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
Copyright © 2025 St Vincent's Hospital Sydney
Understanding Pain

Pain comes from the brain and is our body’s normal way of protecting us from harm. However, pain that persists over a long period of time may not necessarily be a reflection of ongoing harm or damage. The brain is constantly weighing up incoming messages from the body and environment. These may include danger signals from body tissues that are under threat or damaged. The signals are simply chemical and electrical messages that run up to and down from the brain. The brain will interpret these messages and decide whether or not we feel pain. This nervous system is made up of many different nerves and brain cells in the body and we refer to it as the “pain system”. There are two main types of pain: acute and chronic.

 Acute pain lasts a short time while chronic or persistent pain is of longer duration (3 months or more). Acute pain typically signifies damage to bodily tissues e.g. a broken arm or a surgical procedure. It is a signal that we need to become more aware of the body part, to rest and help facilitate healing. This type of pain usually settles as the tissues heal. In some cases acute pain does not settle once the tissue has healed and goes on to become chronic.

Chronic pain is usually more about the pain system being sensitised and less about damage to tissues. When pain persists, the signal is no longer a signal of tissue damage but more about a hypersensitive pain system resulting in the brain’s interpretation of danger. Many things can contribute to the hypersensitivity of the pain system.  Often our thoughts and feelings about the pain will keep the pain system sensitised e.g. thoughts and fear of serious damage or anger about the circumstances of the injury. Chronic pain often leads to reduced activity and results in deconditioning and further fear and lack of confidence about moving. When pain becomes chronic the challenge is to move away from a focus on the initial tissue injury and switch to modifying the brain interpretation of danger and winding down the pain system. 

Key messages 

It is time to think differently about chronic pain: 

  1. Chronic pain is complex and many factors can be contributing to the hypersensitivity of the pain system – you need to look at all aspects for successful management of pain. 
  2. Know that chronic pain can change.
  3. Chronic pain becomes less about damage to body structures (bones, muscles, discs, joints and ligaments) and more about changes to the brain and nervous system.