Human Pain Research Group

British Society for Rheumatology Guidelines for the Integrated Management of Musculoskeletal Pain Symptoms (IMMsPS).

Click here for the detailed guidelines (pdf, 937KB) .

Click here for the abbreviated guidelines (pdf, 420KB) .

The clinical resources and knowledge base available for the management of musculoskeletal pain are highly variable as is the proportion of patients managed in primary and secondary care. There is therefore a need to begin the process of providing a guideline for the management of musculoskeletal pain that can be used by all health-care professionals who have appropriate training.

The aim of this guideline is to provide an integrated approach to the management of patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain that is not primarily dependant on a definitive diagnosis. The latter is obviously very important both in terms of disease management and providing a prognosis, but the process of making a diagnosis in some cases is difficult and may take time. Our intention is that this process should not inhibit adequate pain management. We have therefore tried to make the guidelines as simple and generic as possible.

Please send us your comments on the new Guidelines.

If you would like to publically comment on the new guidelines, please send us an e-mail at IMMsPS@Manchester.ac.uk. We aim to publish all comments on this website in the space below within 48hrs. Please indicate in your e-mail if you would prefer not to have your comments published.

"The Guidelines are a welcome breath of fresh air. The positions regarding physical therapy, opioids and injections for back pain are commendable. I did not see any comments on some of the other "procedures" that the "Pain Medicine" guild in the USA has developed for the treatment of back pain. The medical-legal issues surrounding motor vehicle accidents resulting in Whiplash Associated Disorder and a variety of other behavior-driven complaints continue to vex the health care system as it now exists in the USA."
David S. Knapp, M.D., FACR, Arthritis Specialists of Nashville, USA

"Will you be considering groups with special needs? I am referring especially to children and adolescents."
David Champion

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