People from all walks of life have discovered the life-changing benefits of self-managing pain effectively

Fantastic Programme. Highly Recommend

I didn’t think the programme was useful for me. Felt patronised in places and that it was a swap for professional NHS care.

I have mixed feelings about the programme. Most of the things discussed I knew already. It’s very hard to hear that physical intervention won’t work, that drugs won’t work and it’s a case of mind over matter. Especially when we live in an age of such advances in medicine that our ancestors could only dream about. And yet mindfulness, relaxation and yoga techniques are ancient practices and are all we always had and still have to cope with chronic pain. As if the core message was, ‘We can’t cure your pain but we can help you feel better about having it’. The programme presenters seemed sympathetic, empathetic and knowledgeable and I felt in good hands. I think I’d have liked more information about the scientific evidence of how mindfulness and relaxation works on the brain. That would have helped me to believe it could work. All in all I could see how the programme could be useful to others on the year plus waiting lists for pain clinics. It is helpful to have some tools to manage pain rather then being at home feeling overwhelmed and helpless. It gives some hope in being able to take back some control in life.

The Pathway through Pain programme has helped me reflect and recall techniques I knew, especially pacing as well as learn new things too. The guided meditation has been wonderful for relaxation and sleep. I do hope to continue the mediation daily as much as possible. I’ve been doing my physio exercises as well as the stretching exercises and both are helpful. Although it has been at times difficult making time for the programme and caring for a 95 year parent, I am glad I’ve completed the programme. It’s good to focus on the positives and to remind yourself to be kind to yourself too! Thank you

well worth the effort you will need to complete the program

Personally I found the programme very good. I liked the meditation section and the expert information from the professionals. I felt I was improving at the beginning but unfortunately my pain got worse towards the end of the programme, due to nerve impingement which I hope can be resolved.

I am not very good at writing things like this but I have found Pathway through Pain very informative and helpful. I have found the meditation a massive help when having a flare up which I did have halfway through this program. I have found that it explains a lot more and have made me more aware of pain and stretching and light exercise helps it is not going to cause damage it helps you more in the long run and in the future. Thank you so much for letting me do this program its helped more than you would ever know.

Thank you to everyone contributing in the various sections. Having lived with chronic pain for 36 years some sections in the start of the program I have already been doing. As the program proceeded I found the more indepth sessions extremely helpful. Having the library available to refer back too is an excellent feature.

I really didn't think any of this program would be of any benefit to me when asked to give it a try, but I've found the meditation and relaxation videos have given me a way of relaxing my muscles and certainly have helped with my sleep

Happy I completed the program! I thought it wouldn’t be that beneficial but it was, I am glad I had the email prompts to help me as sometimes being absorbed in pain and low energy means I forget things. Thank you

I am overwhelmed with the content in this programme, it has taught me so much on how to rebuild my life at a more careful, slower pace. I feel more educated on this chronic disease i live with but it does not define me any longer. I am in the driving seat now controlling it. I think about it totally different now, i feel i have been well supported to get to this point by this amazing programme & my truly amazing specialist nurse in the MSK team. I would highly reccommend anyone who suffers pain on a daily basis to do it..it changes your total thought process, i no longer feel alone or scared. From the bottom of my heart..thank you.

It’s a long programme and l would probably benefit from going over some of it again and I’m sure the library will be useful. I already stay as active as l can but for someone who does no physical activity l can see this might be motivational. I will try to be more mindful and also to pace myself better.

Back problems

The program helped me to come to terms with my pain and live with it whilst trying to manage it as best I can. My expectations and hopes for some kind of cure it seems were unrealistic but I am reassured that the cause of the pain is not a significant threat to my health although I am still a bit worried about deterioration of my condition. The program has however helped me move on mentally and the importance of avoiding stress.

On the whole the program has been useful in helping me develop a more positive attitude towards pain management. I was already using some of the techniques for managing pain but the program re-enforced these techniques and gave me more confidence in what I was doing. I am still trying to get my head around meditation because I am very hard of hearing but perhaps this may improve since I bought headphones which allow me to hear the sounds and instructions better.

Excellent supportive program

at first i knew a lot of the stuff , when reached 19 i started to learn. i suffer with brain fog and learnt that i had re-read a lot, i preferred when they spoke, also i think it would be great if there were meditation awake that you could listen to like go for it, but longer.

For me personally I found a few things a bit contradictory. I believe I understand the concept but I found it to be too generalised.