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A new report commissioned by pain relief brand Combogesic makes for interesting reading for independent pharmacists…

The report found significant numbers of adults in the UK try to manage pain every month while healthcare professionals believe the nation is in the grip of an opioid epidemic.

Of the 1,003 adults aged 18 to 60 who took part in research which the report was based on in February 2025, 98 per cent of adults said they deal with pain on a monthly basis or more.

Around eight out of 10 of the 111 healthcare professionals who took part said they feared the UK was dealing with an opioid epidemic. The research paper, Pain And The UK Opioid Crisis - Why We Need To Re-Think Pain Pathways And Consider Synergistic Solutions, was published last month.

One in 10 adults said pain is a 24/7 challenge

The report, authored by the Northumberland-based pharmacist Mark Burdon, the Hertfordshire-based GP Nisa Aslam and Pamela Mason, a researcher from Brecon, also revealed one in 10 adults said pain is a 24/7 challenge and the same number said they experience pain every day.

The most common form of pain was headache, with 51 per cent of adults reporting problems while 38 per cent and 30 per cent said they felt pain in their lower back and legs respectively.

Dr Aslam said: “Pain is never pleasant. Whether acute short-term pain such as a sprained ankle, burn or a headache, or persistent pain such as back pain or arthritis, pain can be hugely disruptive to our health and wellbeing.”

She revealed nine out of 10 people confirmed pain “negatively impacts their wellness” and 46 per cent of sufferers have sleepless nights because of pain.

Dr Aslam also revealed one in five said pain leaves them feeling depressed and 22 per cent said pain “leaves them tearful.”

The research found respondents tried to manage pain in different ways; 65 per cent took oral painkillers, 52 per cent rely on rest and 33 per cent take a warm bath to try and ease symptoms.

Just under a quarter of respondents (24 per cent) said they consulted their GP and just eight per cent spoke to a pharmacist.

The research also found the UK had the worst record when it came to using pain assessment tools out of 13 countries. Just over quarter of healthcare professionals said they used the aids, with “a lack of knowledge around the availability of such tools” cited as the reason for not using them.

Burdon said the UK had a big problem with opioids. “The use of opioids, a class of natural, semi-synthetic and synthetic drugs that include both prescription medications such as morphine, as well as illegal drugs such as heroin, has soared in the UK,” he said.

“Between 1998 and 2016, opioid prescriptions increased by 34 per cent in England and in 2019, the UK had the world’s highest rate of opioid consumption.”

He also said opioid-related hospitalisations increased by 49 per cent between 2008 and 2018, generating healthcare costs of around £137 million.

“Opioid-related drug poisoning deaths have also increased significantly, rising by 388 per cent in England and Wales over the past decades,” he said.

“The side effects of opioid use can include nausea, headaches, depression and dizziness. High doses, over long periods of time, can even lead to addiction, overdose and death.”

Burdon warned “the dose of any opioids should be kept as low as possible, particularly if used intermittently” and insisted if pain persists despite opioid treatment, opioids should be discontinued.

On the challenges presented by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), including over-the-counter or prescription medicines such as aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen, Dr Aslam said: “The NHS advises that ibuprofen should be taken at the lowest possible dose to reduce the risk of stomach irritation and adults should take it for no more than 10 days (three days for under-18s).

“Paracetamol, another popular pain relief, works by reducing pain pathways in the brain but it carries none of the pro-inflammatory side effects of NSAIDs. High doses can damage the liver however.”