Medical problems, such as urinary tract infections, constipation, poor sleep or spasms, can make pain worse and harder to treat.

Action: Be aware that early treatment for medical problems can help reduce pain.

Regular exercise can reduce pain as well as improve your mood and health. Physical activity and exercise are enjoyable and can distract you from pain.

Action: Seek advice from your healthcare professional to develop a suitable exercise program.

Depression can make your pain worse and reduce your quality of life. It is best treated through counselling and medication.

Action: Seek help from your doctor and/or clinical psychologist. They can help you find ways to cope better with your chronic pain and improve your quality of life.

Stress can make pain worse or make the pain harder for you to cope with. Learning techniques, such as relaxation training, biofeedback and hypnosis can decrease stress. Exercise also helps to reduce stress.

Action: Learn ways to manage stress through counselling and exercise.

Distraction is one of the best methods for coping with chronic pain. When you are bored and inactive, you tend to focus more on your pain making your pain feel worse.

Action: Take part in enjoyable and meaningful activities to help you feel more in control of your life, especially when pain is at its worst.

It is important to understand what makes you feel better and what makes pain worse. This will help you and your doctor find better ways to manage your pain.

Action: Keep a pain dairy to record how your pain interferes with your daily life.

[Image of actual pain diary to go here]

Poor posture and improper seating can contribute to pain problems.

Action: Have your wheelchair and seating evaluated by a specialist therapist.

It is important to understand how your pain medications work as well as their side effects. Using alcohol like a pain medication can lead to serious problems.

Action: Discuss with your doctor what pain medications you are taking and their possible harmful effects.