Chronic pain

Unlike the short-term pain you might feel after an injury or during a brief illness, chronic pain can last for months, or even years. It continues even after an injury has healed.

Chronic pain can result from many things such as:

  • an ongoing illness
  • a disability
  • nerve or spinal cord damage
  • an ongoing condition, such as arthritis or cancer

Treatment

If your doctor or nurse practitioner diagnoses you with chronic pain, they may refer you to a chronic pain clinic.

A specialist at the clinic will make you a personalized treatment plan that might include:

  • education and counselling
  • physiotherapy and exercise
  • lifestyle and self-management tools
  • medications

Clinics typically take a family-centred approach to treating children and youth, and involve family members in the treatment plan.

Fees

Treatment at chronic pain clinics is covered by OHIP, but you must be referred to the clinic by a doctor or nurse practitioner. You will need to bring your health card to your first appointment.

Locations

Your doctor or nurse practitioner may refer you to one of these chronic pain centres.

Clinics for children (outpatient):

  • Hamilton,
  • London,
  • Ottawa,
  • Toronto,

Clinics for children (inpatient):

  • Toronto, (Note: Referrals to this specialized inpatient program are made from the outpatient chronic pain clinics only.)

Clinics for adults (Toronto only):

To be referred to a Toronto clinic, your doctor will send your information to the (a central referral service). This service will contact you directly to book an appointment at one of these clinics:

  • Toronto,
  • Toronto,
  • Toronto,
  • Toronto,
  • Vaughan,

Clinics for adults (rest of 澳门永利):

  • Hamilton,
  • Hamilton,
  • Kingston,
  • London,
  • Ottawa,
  • Sudbury,
  • Thunder Bay,