Not to dissuade from your search, but I've had very little success
finding "in person" support groups in this arena.  You could try &
check with some local Psychiatric Clinics in your area to see if any
of their "group sessions" deal with chronic pain.  

I did find one group this way, but they were more focused on the
psychological aspects of dealing with pain.  Relaxation Therapy,
Guided Visualization Therapy, and some stretching exercises.  Almost
more of a "Stress Management" group then anything else.  While some of
these things were in fact helpful, the talking part was usually just
people bitching the bitch.  after a while quit since I figured I don't
need to pay for a Dr. to facilitate a group bitch session when I have
this wonderful place.
--

You can run, but you'll only die tired.

ZombyWoof

Dear Steve,

It was a couple years ago, but I think Shady Grove had something.I saw a
flyer in the elevator there that caught my eye about back pain support. I
was seeing a friend there and he's been gone about 2 years now, so it's got
to be at least that long ago, but I would say start checking the hospitals.
Just keep an eye out for the ones that are N.A. meetings in disguise. You're
probably better going with a back/neck approach to avoid all that b.s.,
regardless of where you are in your treatment.
You are very wise trying to get all the info you can before doing anything
invasive or not. I'm in suburban (DC) MD but my issues are lower back, so I
don't know how much I can help, but feel free to email me (you should have
no trouble figuring what to take out). I can't suggest a doctor, but I can
go one better and give you a couple to avoid.

Have a painless weekend--og

You might check with local hospitals to see if they know of any chronic pain
support groups.  If there are any pain clinics in the area, you might check
with them also.  Where I live, there is an in person chronic pain support
group that places information on the bulletin board in my pain clinics
office.

Good Luck!

Sue

Steve, I live close to the areas you mentioned, and have yet to find
anything. If you come up with anything, please let me know - or feel free to
e-mail me. I will send a copy of this to your e-mail so you can get my
address.

don't have any personal knowledge, but they're in our geographical  database.

pain-connection.org
Gwen Hermann
Chronic Pain Outreach Center, Inc.
12251 Saint James Road
Potomac, Maryland 20854
Gwenn Herman, LCSW-C, DCSW, President
Phone:  301-309-2444
Fax: 301-309-2336
Web: http://www.pain-connection.org/
Email: info@pain-connection.org
Support Group Meetings & Coffee Clubs in Montgomery County, Prince Georges County, Howard County, Anne Arundel County in MD and
Washington, DC.
Holds Lecture Series in Silver Spring MD, and an Annual Art Show.

Montgomery County

The Montgomery County Group Meetings are held on the first Thursday of each month at:
Davis Library
6400 Democracy Blvd., Bethesda, MD
Time: 1:30 - 3 PM

Led by a Clinical Social Worker, Gwenn Herman, LCSW-C,DCSW

The Silver Spring Monday Speakers Series meetings will be held on selected Mondays at:
Margaret Schweinhaut Senior Center
1000 Forest Glen Rd.
Silver Spring, MD 20901
TIME: 1 - 2:30 PM

The Prince George's County Chronic Pain Support Group meetings will be held the 2nd Wednesday of each month at:
Rexford Place
9885 Greenbelt Road, Lanham, MD
TIME: 1:30-3 PM.

The Washington, DC Chronic Pain Support Group meetings will be held the 3rd Wednesday of each month at:
American Cancer Society
(Universal North Entrance)
1875 Connecticut Ave., NW, Suite 730 Washington, DC 20009
TIME: 12:00 - 1:30 PM

Led by a Bio-Energy Consultant,Cat McClannan

The Howard County Chronic Pain Support Group meetings will be held on the 3rd Monday of the month of each month at:
8840 Stanford Blvd., Suite 4300
Columbia, Maryland 21045
301-873-3959
from 1:00 - 2:30 PM

Led by Mary French, LCSW-C.

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if you connect with any above,  would appreciate some feedback as to your impression

what i suspect is that these are more likely to be generic, and possibly scewed to older 'age' infirmity types of issues.
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there is also

http://www.painfoundation.org/
201 North Charles Street, Suite 710
Baltimore, Maryland 21201-4111
Phone: 1-888-615-PAIN (7246)
Email: info@painfoundation.org
Web: http://www.painfoundation.org/
James N. Campbell, MD, Chair and President

you might also check into the [pva] para. vets. of amer. or the [dva] disabled. vets. of america - perhaps they have such a
group?

the national rehabilitation hospital is in the district of columbia, or kessler institute for rehabilitation
west orange, nj.,

National Chronic Pain Outreach Association (NCPOA)
P.O. Box 274
Millboro,  VA  24460
Tel: 540-862-9437
Fax: 540-862-9485
http://www.chronicpain.org

or
National Chronic Pain Society
http://www.ncps-cpr.org/

Steve,
There is a pain group which meets monthly at Davis Library off of
Democracy Blvd. in Bethesda MD. Call the library for dates and contact
info. It is run by an RN chronic pain patient tired of the MD
establishment bs. Last time I checked in on it, there was no charge.