Reflections for National Pain Week
National Pain Week runs from 26–31 July and provides an opportunity to talk about something we see every day in primary care: persistent pain is rarely one-dimensional, and neither is the care that helps.
National Pain Week is Australia’s annual awareness event for people living with chronic pain. It aims to improve understanding of pain, reduce stigma, and encourage better access to care.
National Pain Week 2026: Understanding Persistent Pain
Persistent pain can affect far more than physical comfort. It can influence sleep, mood, relationships, work, confidence, and day-to-day function.
That is why effective pain care often involves more than one health professional and more than one treatment approach.
Understanding Persistent Pain
Pain serves an important protective purpose. Acute pain can alert us to injury or illness and often improves as healing occurs.
Persistent pain is different. Chronic pain is generally defined as pain that lasts for longer than three months, or beyond the expected period of healing.
Importantly, changes seen on scans do not always explain the amount of pain a person experiences. Many people experience significant pain despite relatively minor findings on a scan, while others have substantial structural changes that cause little or no pain.
This does not mean the pain is any less real. Pain is a genuine experience that can have a profound impact on a person’s health, wellbeing, and quality of life.
Looking Beyond the Painful Area
Modern pain science recognises that pain is shaped by more than tissue injury alone.
Sleep is a particularly important example. Poor sleep can worsen pain sensitivity, while pain itself often disrupts sleep, creating a cycle that can be difficult to break.
This does not mean pain is “all in the mind.” Rather, it reflects what research has consistently shown: pain is complex, and understanding the whole person often provides a better foundation for treatment than focusing on one body part alone.
At Inala Primary Care and Sandstone Healthcare Yeerongpilly, this is something we see regularly. People often achieve better outcomes when care reflects the broader picture of their health and circumstances, not just a single symptom or test result.
What Recent Australian Research Shows
Recent Australian research co-authored by some of our colleagues within our practices explored how culturally and linguistically diverse Australians experience and understand chronic pain.
The study found that participants frequently described pain in holistic terms, linking physical symptoms with emotional wellbeing, family responsibilities, social participation, cultural beliefs, and their ability to engage in everyday life. That finding reflects what many people tell us in clinic. Pain often affects far more than the area that hurts.
It can influence how people work, sleep, connect with others, care for family members, and participate in the activities that matter most to them.
Understanding these broader impacts can help ensure care plans are realistic, culturally appropriate, and aligned with what is important to the individual. Our team were delighted to get more findings on the public record through this research collaboration and use of patient experience from within our own clinics. But we are determined to do more to support relief for our community.
There Is Reason for Hope
Living with persistent pain can be exhausting. Many people have tried multiple treatments before seeking further help. It is easy to feel frustrated or discouraged.
However, evidence suggests that meaningful improvements in function, confidence, self-management, and quality of life are possible, even when pain has been present for a long time.
The goal is not always to eliminate pain completely. For many people, the focus is on improving quality of life, increasing participation in valued activities, improving sleep, and restoring confidence in movement and daily function.
A good starting point is often a review with your GP. Together, you can explore potential contributors, discuss treatment options, and develop a plan that feels practical and achievable.
Working Together
Australian clinical care standards recognise the importance of comprehensive assessment, including physical, psychological, and social factors that may influence recovery and wellbeing.
Depending on individual circumstances, care may include education about pain and recovery, exercise and movement-based therapies, physiotherapy, psychological support, sleep management strategies, medication review, self-management approaches, and coordinated care between health professionals.
At Inala Primary Care and Sandstone Healthcare Yeerongpilly, we believe good pain care starts by understanding the whole person, not simply the symptom.
If pain has been affecting your daily life, know that support is available, and you do not have to navigate it alone. We are fortunate to have a GP with special interests in pain, Dr Jamie Nuttall and a visiting Pain Physician, Dr Chris Arnott available to support new patients. They work together and alone depending upon your needs. They also support our other team members with advice so you can be assured that your needs will be understood. We can make a difference, today, tomorrow and together!
Further Reading: Trusted Australian Resources
- Ethnicity & Health. (2026). Culturally and linguistically diverse experiences of chronic pain in Australia: a qualitative synthesis. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13557858.2026.2659124
- Chronic Pain Australia. (2026). National Pain Week. chronicpainaustralia.org.au
- Healthdirect Australia. Chronic pain. https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/chronic-pain
- Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care. Low back pain clinical care standard. https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/clinical-care-standards/low-back-pain
- Pain Australia. Chronic pain management resources. https://chronicpainaustralia.org.au/resources/ Sleep Health Foundation. Pain and sleep. https://www.sleephealthfoundation.org.au/sleep-topics/pain-and-sleep
