Chronic pain is complex. How we think and feel about pain, as well as how we interact with the world can affect pain. There are many psychological and social factors that could make pain better, worse or even combine to affect people’s experience of pain. To find out which are important, the CRIISP project, working with those with lived experience, focused on:
- How pain changes over time
- What maintains pain
- What makes pain worse
- What might ease pain
Work was divided into three phases:
- We looked at the existing evidence, and asked people with pain, to identify what matters most, including what measures and methods best reflect their lived experience.
- We launched new studies and explored existing large datasets (ALSPAC, ELSA, HEAF and HWW).
- We put this together to identify what matters most and what helps make a difference.
Our work is opening new avenues of pain research that will develop better ways to help people live well with less pain.
More information can be found on the CRIISP website.