Help for Heroes encourages veterans across Northern Ireland to seek help as part of Pain Awareness Month

A free to access course developed by Help for Heroes, is available to help people to take back control of their lives, as a crucial first step towards reducing the devastating impact of chronic pain.

Northern Ireland has a population of more than 40,000 veterans and Help for Heroes believes more people living with chronic pain could be helped.

Adam Denny, a 48-year-old army veteran from Newtownards has first-hand experience of living with chronic pain. He suffered a spinal injury whilst serving with the Royal Irish Regiment, which led to degeneration of his spine.

Unfortunately, injections to treat the pain have caused osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis and he’s had two bouts of spinal surgery to remove discs.

Adam said the pain management courses he’s been on through Help for Heroes have provided a life-line.

“I went from someone who was extremely fit, trained three times a day, enjoyed high-board diving and marathons, to someone who couldn’t get out of bed some mornings,” said Adam. “I’m so grateful for the help I’ve had from Help for Heroes, and I’d encourage anyone else who is experiencing chronic, long-term pain to get in touch with them.

“The course shows you how to manage your sleep routine and control your breathing, so you can reduce your reliance on sleep medication. It also shows you how the right exercise, physiotherapy and mental mindfulness can help. It helps you to understand your body and the cycle of pain, and meeting other people who are experiencing similar problems makes you realise you’re not on your own.”

Janine Whitley, is a Veterans Clinical Advisor at Help for Heroes and is herself a former Royal Navy nurse who served four tours in Afghanistan during her 25-year military career. She said: “Since the course launched the feedback is overwhelmingly positive. However, we think we can help more people, especially in Northern Ireland which has a large veteran population.”

“Through the course, we educate people to manage chronic pain better. It’s about empowering yourself by increasing your knowledge and in some cases a reset from the military mindset of just ‘pushing through’.”

Chronic pain is defined by the World Health Organisation as pain that has persisted for over three months and is a life-changing condition. It is a hidden disability that derails careers, wrecks relationships and destroys mental health. On average, five military personnel are medically discharged from the UK Armed Forces every day, mainly as a result of musculoskeletal injuries, which evidence shows increases the risk of chronic pain. Help for Heroes describes chronic pain as a “hidden enemy,” affecting three out of four veterans that they support.

“Veterans are eligible for the chronic pain course, no matter when or where they served and irrespective of whether their illness or injury was caused in service,” said Janine.

“There’s information on our website about how to apply for the course, along with some free-to-use self-help guides.

“We know that veterans can sometimes feel they don’t deserve help – but at Help for Heroes we’re here to ensure that everyone who has served their country receives the support they need.”

In May Help for Heroes launched their campaign calling on the government to remove unfair financial barriers, to ensure thousands of UK veterans receive vital compensation and support for long term pain. As of August over 32,000 members of the British public have signed the petition.

For more information on the course, go to visit https://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/about-us/news/Fighting-chronic-pain/