Abstract

Pain is the most common reason patients seek both pharmacy and clinical consultations, yet it remains one of the most undertreated and mismanaged conditions in everyday practice. This interactive session takes a comprehensive, case-based approach to pain assessment and management, bridging the perspectives of the pharmacist and physician. Through real-world patient scenarios, delegates will explore the neurophysiology of pain, the evidence base for multimodal analgesia, and the practical decision-making framework that guides safe OTC and prescription-level interventions. Beyond pharmacology, this session addresses the biopsychosocial dimensions of pain — including the pain-sleep-mood cycle, patient education strategies, and the critical role of self-care — equipping clinicians and pharmacists to treat the person, not just the pain score.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

• Classify and assess pain using validated tools and structured consultation frameworks (WWHAM, NRS), distinguishing acute from chronic presentations and identifying red flags that require urgent referral.
• Explain the pharmacological basis of multimodal analgesia, including the complementary mechanisms of paracetamol and NSAIDs, and apply evidence-based combination strategies to achieve superior analgesic outcomes with reduced side-effect burden.
• Develop individualised pain management plans that integrate pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions, recognising when OTC therapy is appropriate and when escalation to prescription-level care is warranted.
• Identify the risks associated with OTC analgesic misuse, including GI, renal, and hepatic complications of chronic NSAID and paracetamol use, and counsel patients accordingly on safe and time-limited use.
• Apply a structured escalation and referral framework in clinical and pharmacy practice, confidently bridging patients from self-care to prescriber-led management while maintaining continuity of care and patient-centred communication.

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