Have you come across chronic pain? Do you know what it is? How can you find out if you have chronic pain? I am going to write everything about chronic pain in this article. It is something you need to take care of before it gets tougher. So, what is chronic pain?
Chronic pain is not something that we get when we burn our hands accidentally. It is not the pain that we get because of a sprained ankle. This pain is more than this. Those types of pains are called acute pain. But chronic pain lasts longer than three to six months or to one or several years. Well, do we have treatment for this? Fortunately, it is a YES but prevention is far better than anything. I have discussed all the prevention methods in more detail as well.
Causes of Chronic pain?
First of all, what causes chronic pain?
According to doctors, many conditions cause chronic pain.
- Migraine
- Arthritis
- Fibromyalgia
- Autoimmune diseases
Sometimes, an injury that caused severe damage to your nervous system or tissues can also create acute pain at the beginning but then it lasts longer than three to six months despite proper treatments and healing.
Changes in the nervous system are also the most common reason behind this pain. It creates discomfort and continuous aches.
What are the types?
Chronic pain is associated with certain conditions that cause continuous pain.
Migraine
What is Migraine? Getting headaches at times is common but if you get it frequently or say like 15 times in a month then it is associated with chronic pain. The exact cause of migraine is still unknown. But if you feel you get headache usually on one side of the head whenever you are exposed to light and too much noise. Try to avoid such circumstances that make things worse.
Back Pain
One out of five people with an injury that led to low back pain continue to suffer from pain after one year. Any pain that lasts longer is considered chronic.
Joint Pain
Half of the patients with arthritis suffer from joint pain that lasts for three months or more. This is considered chronic and may affect day-to-day activities.
Cancer Pain
Neuropathic pain caused due to chemotherapy drugs and radiation during cancer treatment can create long-lasting pain in the affected region. In other cases, tumors may press other surrounding organs or nerves and cause pain inside the body.
Neurogenic Pain
For example, autoimmune diseases, peripheral neuropathy, certain types of infections, and other damages to the nervous system can cause chronic conditions.
Musculoskeletal Pain
Fibromyalgia is a condition that causes widespread pain around the body. Such conditions make the patients more sensitive to pain resulting in total discomfort.
What are the symptoms of chronic pain?
Symptoms may be dependent on the disease that causes long-lasting pain. Some of the common characteristics of pain associated with most of the chronic conditions include:
- Throbbing or shooting pain
- Burning or stinging
- Aching
- Tingling or pins and needles
- Tightness and stiffness
- Electric shock
This recurring pain is so disruptive to one’s overall health. It impacts healthy sleep, appetite, mood, and energy levels to a great extent. Depression, anxiety, weight loss, fatigue, and insomnia are other common symptoms found in chronic patients.
How to diagnose?
As pain is a subjective experience, there are no specific tests to diagnose. Physical examination and review of your symptoms are usually the first steps to be expected from your doctor. Some tests like imaging tests (such as MRIs), blood tests, etc. are done to identify the exact problem. Most of the time, it is often hard for the patients to effectively communicate about its severity. So, your loved one can help explain how the pain affects your daily life.
Treatment
The treatment methods are usually recommended based on the severity and the condition of your symptoms. Here are a few treatment options available today:
- Medication – Non-opioid drugs like NSAIDs, antidepressants, aspirin, or acetaminophen are used for coping up with the pain.
- Psychotherapy – To give a feeling that the pain is under control.
- Surgery – In some cases, surgery on nerves are recommended.