Salduker, ShaquirAllers, EugeneBechan, SudhaHodgson, R. EricMeyer, FanieMeyer, Helgard PieterSmuts, JohanVuong, EileenWebb, David2020-01-232020-01-232019Salduker, S., Allers, E., Bechan, S. et al. 2019, 'Practical approach to a patient with chronic pain of uncertain etiology in primary care', Journal of Pain Research, vol. 12, pp. 2651-2662.1178-709010.2147/JPR.S205570http://hdl.handle.net/2263/72881Chronic pain of uncertain etiology often presents a challenge to both patients and their health care providers. It is a complex condition influenced by structural and physiological changes in the peripheral and central nervous systems, and it directly influences, and is modulated by, psychological well-being and personality style, mood, sleep, activity level and social circumstances. Consequently, in order to effectively treat the pain, all of these need to be evaluated and addressed. An effective management strategy takes a multidisciplinary biopsychosocial approach, with review of all current medications and identification and careful withdrawal of those that may actually be contributing to ongoing pain. The management approach is primarily nonpharmacological, with carefully considered addition of medication, beginning with pain-modulating treatments, if necessary. In this article, we present a primary care approach to the assessment and management of a patient with chronic pain where the cause cannot be identified.en© 2019 Salduker et al. This work is published, licensed and incorporate the Creative Commons Attribution – Non Commercial (unported, v3.0) License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/).EtiologyBiopsychosocialCentral sensitizationChronic painHealth sciences articles SDG-03SDG-03: Good health and well-beingArticle