Where do people with chronic pain get treatment? Well, it's complicated

People with chronic pain most often seek help from a variety of health practitioners — and often without a referral from their GP.

That's one of the findings of Chronic Pain Australia's National Pain Week survey.

Because of the nature of some causes of chronic pain, a cure may be out of reach, and therefore many patients must look to a mix of practitioners — sometimes at great expense.

Of the 1,266 people surveyed, 32 per cent were seeking help without a referral from their GP.

Health professionals seen for treatment of chronic pain

Based on 1266 responses to the 2018 National Pain Week Survey

A combination of health practitioners

43%

Physio

18.7%

Pain specialist

16.7%

Psychologist

7.6%

Dietician

0.8%

Nurse

0.8%

Nobody

12.4%