Self-help pain management

Rosalie Everett is a nurse who severely strained her back lifting a corpse. 'The pain was so terrible that I just wanted to die.' At the pain management clinic they helped her to accept that she was probably always going to be in pain.

'I started to fell better and my self-pity receded.

'At the clinic they taught me how to pace my pain - all people in severe pain have good days and bad days. The temptation is to dash out and overdo it on the good days. Then you relapse and it's worse than ever.

'The most important thing I learnt was that my attitude had to change. Then I learnt to do the right kind of exercise, how to relax and how to pace myself. Now when I feel pain coming on, I get out my relaxation tape and practise conscious relaxation.'

Roslie Everett now runs the national helpline of Self-Help in Pain (Ship) and is campaigning for every health district to have a specialist pain relief nurse and pain clinic.

'Self-Help Pain management (£2-50 plus large envelope and 28p stamp) is available from Ship, 33 Kingsdown Park, Whitstable, Kent CT5 2DT (helpline tel 0227 264677).