'Total pain' is a palliative care concept by Dame Cicely Saunders that proposes that the experience of pain is influenced not just by physical symptoms, but also by mental distress, social problems and emotional difficulties. Our individual capacity to 'cope' with pain is unique to each of us.

Treating an person's pain is therefore a multifaceted problem, where the solution is often not simply resolved by medical intervention alone. Pain is best managed by a fully holistic approach that considers all areas of a person's life, and plans treatment and support accordingly.

The resources below can help explain more about Total Pain assessment and management.