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What is chronic pain?

Chronic pain is pain that persists for more than three months, often continuing beyond the expected period of healing.

Unlike acute pain—which serves as a warning signal that something is wrong—chronic pain can become a condition in its own right, affecting the nervous system and how the brain processes pain signals. It may arise from an identifiable cause such as injury, surgery, or illness, or occur without a clear underlying source.

sitting on the bed late afternoon with one hand of the head in discomfort

What causes pain to become chronic?

Central sensitisation — when the brain and spinal cord become overactive, “turning up the volume” on pain signals.

Sensitisation is a key mechanism in chronic pain, where the nervous system becomes hypersensitive and amplifies pain signals, causing ongoing discomfort even after the original injury has healed. This means even light touch, gentle movement, or normal activity can feel intensely painful.

Sensitisation underpins many chronic pain conditions, including fibromyalgia, complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), and opioid-induced hyperalgesia (OIH). Understanding this mechanism helps explain why standard painkillers often fail and why advanced therapies — such as ketamine — sometimes can be more effective.

neck pain

Common features of chronic pain

Chronic pain is not “just in your head” — it involves real changes in the nervous system that require specialised treatment.

Chronic pain can have wide-ranging effects on a person’s physical, emotional, and social wellbeing. It can disrupt work, relationships, sleep, and mental health, leaving people stuck in a cycle of discomfort and frustration.

Although chronic pain takes many forms, common symptoms and experiences can include

  • Pain lasting longer than three months
  • Pain disproportionate to the original injury or illness
  • Heightened sensitivity to touch, movement, or temperature
  • Fatigue, sleep disturbance, or reduced mobility
  • Emotional effects such as depression, anxiety, or irritability
  • Reliance on opioids or painkillers with limited effectiveness
Lady holding head up and looking in chronic pain

How can we help

At Anodyne, we provide therapies that go beyond conventional pain medications.

Our approach helps to reduce pain hypersensitivity, and restore function through advanced treatments such as ketamine therapy and stellate ganglion block (SGB) — addressing both the physical and emotional dimensions of chronic pain.

Ketamine therapy

Ketamine therapy can “reset” pain pathways in the nervous system, reducing sensitisation, pain intensity, improving function, and often lowering reliance on harmful opioids.

Ketamine therapy
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Stellate Ganglion Block

Stellate Ganglion Block (SGB) helps calm the overactive sympathetic nervous system, particularly useful in conditions such as CRPS or nerve-related pain. It can also improve blood flow to assist with vascular pain conditions such as Raynaud's.

Stellate ganglion block
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Our unique approach

Chronic pain is complex, often involving physical, psychological, and neurological factors.

At Anodyne, our unique approach brings together psychiatry and pain medicine to address the whole person, not just the symptom.

What to expect

Personalised treatment plans based on your condition and history

1.
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Collaboration with your GP, specialists and allied health team.

2.
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Advanced therapies integrated with allied health for long-term rehabilitation

3.
A doctor smiling and speaking with his patients

A focus on restoring quality of life, not just reducing pain scores

4.
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Why choose Anodyne?

We understand how isolating and exhausting chronic pain can be.

Our team listens, explains your options clearly, and provides care in safe, supportive clinics. With experience treating the most complex pain conditions, we offer advanced treatments and practical solutions when other treatments have failed.


About Anodyne
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Want to know more?

Take the next step

If you are struggling with chronic pain and standard treatments haven’t helped, you are not alone. Book an appointment or make an enquiry to explore advanced therapies with Anodyne.


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