Physio for chronic pain: what persistent pain is and what helps

What is chronic pain?

Chronic pain, often called persistent pain, is pain that continues for three months or longer, or beyond the time an injury would normally take to heal. It can follow an injury or surgery, come with a condition such as arthritis, or start without a clear cause. Many people live with pain in more than one area.

Persistent pain is common in Australia and it is real. It does not mean you are imagining it, and it does not always mean something is still being damaged.

Why pain can last

Pain is produced by the nervous system, not just the tissue that was hurt. After weeks or months of pain, the nerves and brain can become more sensitive and protective, so movement, stress or poor sleep can set pain off even when the original injury has settled. That is one reason a scan can look fairly normal in someone with a lot of pain.

Understanding this is often part of treatment. When pain makes sense, it tends to feel less threatening, and people move more confidently.

How a physio can help

A physio will ask about your pain, sleep, work, mood and what you have stopped doing, then check how you move and cope with activity. Care usually focuses on:

• Explaining how persistent pain works, in plain language
• Graded exercise that starts at a level you can manage and builds slowly
• Pacing, so good days are not followed by big flare-ups
• Strength, flexibility and fitness work for the areas that are sore
• Practical strategies for sleep, work, sitting, lifting and getting back to what matters to you
• Working with your GP, psychologist or pain specialist as part of a wider plan

See our first appointment guide if you want to know what to bring and what to expect.

How long does it take?

Persistent pain usually changes slowly, over weeks to months, and progress is rarely a straight line. Many people notice small gains first, such as walking a bit further, sleeping a bit better or recovering faster after a busy day, before the pain itself changes. Staying with the plan through the ups and downs matters more than any single session.

Things you can try at home

• Keep moving every day, in short, regular bursts rather than all at once
• Pick an activity you enjoy, such as walking, swimming or gentle cycling, and build up a little at a time
• Break big tasks into smaller steps with rests built in
• Keep a regular sleep routine and ease off screens before bed
• Stay connected with friends, family and the things that matter to you
• Take medicines as your doctor advises, and ask your doctor or pharmacist before changing them

When to see a doctor first

See your doctor promptly if your pain follows a fall or injury, comes with fever, unexplained weight loss or feeling very unwell, or is new numbness, weakness or pins and needles. Get urgent help for chest pain, trouble breathing, loss of bladder or bowel control, or numbness around the groin. Pain that is getting steadily worse, or wakes you at night and does not ease with a change of position, is also worth a medical check.

Costs and funding

Fees vary by clinic. Private health extras often pay a rebate, and if your doctor sets up a chronic disease management plan, Medicare may contribute to a limited number of allied health visits each year. See our chronic pain management plan guide, physio cost guide and Medicare guide for the detail.

Common questions

This guide is general information, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor or physio about your own situation.