The Paincast podcast is a novel collaboration between people living with chronic neuropathic pain and medical researchers. It’s presented and co-produced by BBC Radio presenter and writer Fiona Talkington, who lives with neuropathic pain. 

“We hope that this podcast will lead to a wider understanding of neuropathic pain and its often devastating and disruptive effects on peoples’ lives”, says Fiona.  “We hope it will prove helpful for people living with neuropathic pain, for their carers, families and employers as well as all levels of the medical professions and researchers.

In Episode 1 we hear: 

· How chronic neuropathic pain affects around 8% of the UK population, and usually occurs following damage or injury to the sensory nervous system; 

· David Bennett, professor of neurology and neurobiology at Oxford University, who leads the multi-disciplinary PAINSTORM research project that the podcast accompanies, explains that the condition can be caused by conditions as varied as diabetes, HIV, chemotherapy for cancer treatment, or traumatic injury such as amputation;

· How living with  neuropathic pain can affect relationships;

Fiona speaks to Anusha Subramanyam, a dancer, teacher and dance movement therapist who has helped people living with chronic pain express their experiences of it through the medium of dance.