A Forres man who lives in constant pain hopes the promise of a new clinic in Moray will give other chronic suffers the support they deserve.
Chris Bridgeford has battled a complex neuropathic pain syndrome, called Allodynia, since birth, along with a number of other conditions.
His entire body is hyper-sensitive and he has to take more than 30 pills a day just to be comfortable.
Last night he welcomed the return of the pain clinic at Dr Gray’s Hospital in Elgin.
The move was agreed following a meeting between Moray MSP Richard Lochhead and NHS Grampian chiefs.
People suffering from chronic conditions have had to make a round trip to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary for treatment since Moray lost its specialised service in 2011.
Mr Bridgeford said: “Chronic pain has never received the attention it deserves.
“If you think of your pain receptors as a radio dial, imagine the volume has been turned up full. They are always on, they are always on high.
“If you were to get your arm stroked with a feather, you would feel it like a feather. I would feel it like a blow torch on my worst days because the pain is so intense.”
The 55-year-old added: “There are other people like me who have got a pain problem and have had to go to Aberdeen. It’s ridiculous.
“When you feel every bump in the road, it’s just a nightmare. You are so tired when you get there, just to see a consultant for 15 minutes, that it knocks you for six for a couple of days.
“That’s why Dr Gray’s is important.”
Mr Lochhead commended Mr Bridgeford for to ensure sufferers get the care they deserve.
He said: “Very few people can begin to imagine having to live with chronic pain.
“When Chris came to my surgery and told me about the challenges he faces, I was hugely impressed by his determination to have something done.
“I hope that Chris and others like him benefit from NHS Grampian’s plans, and I will continue to monitor closely the level of service given.”
An NHS Grampian spokeswoman said: “Pain management is an extremely specialised field, and we have been trying to develop the team through the recruitment of clinical fellows and a psychologist to work alongside a physiotherapist and psychiatrist.”