Medication and treatments for persistent pain

Injections

At times, a pain specialist may recommend an injection treatment to help with persistent pain. However, these are not common, as they often don’t last for long and there are risks – although rare – of nerve damage, dangerous bleeding or infection.

Although a small number of people will benefit from injections, for most persistent pain, injections are unlikely to be a long-term solution.

For some patients, injections can be effective in reducing pain for a period of time allowing the mind and body to ‘recover’ to a degree, which will enable other treatments to work better. A good example of this is where the injection reduces pain for long enough for you to become more active.  

Your GP practice will advise you on whether you need to see a pain specialist. Your pain specialist will discuss with you whether an injection is likely to help in reducing pain and improving function as well as the associated risks.