Chronic pain: Overlap and specificity in multimorbidity management.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP) frequently co-occurs with other chronic conditions, resulting in multimorbidity.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this article is to summarise current approaches to CNCP management and explore areas of specificity and overlap with chronic conditions in general.

DISCUSSION: The biomedical component of the management of chronic conditions may be condition-specific. However, mind-body, connection, activity and nutrition components entail significant overlap and are helpful across conditions. Effective practice avoids overemphasis on medical treatments at the expense of evidence-based, multidimensional lifestyle approaches. CNCP management illustrates the case for reconceptualising chronic condition management using a generic lifestyle-based approach. This capitalises on overlapping treatments, creates system efficiency and allows patients with multimorbidity to be treated more effectively in primary care, with only a small subgroup referred to condition-specific tertiary services.