Chronic Pain – Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment Options Chronic pain is pain that lasts for 3 to 6 months or more. The Article discusses the causes and symptoms of chronic pain as well as treatment options.
Chronic pain is defined as any pain that lasts for 3 to 6 months or more. Chronic pain limits mobility, reduces a person’s ability or strength to perform daily tasks and activities and affects quality of life. If not managed properly, chronic pain can become intense and lead to various degrees of disability. The best place for chronic pain treatment is a professional pain management center. Multispecialty healthcare centers in New York offer a wide variety of treatment modalities to address the symptoms of chronic pain. What Causes Chronic Pain? According to the American Academy of Pain Medicine, chronic pain is the most cause of long-term disability in the United States and affects about 100 million Americans. The most common types of chronic pain include post-surgical pain, low back pain, arthritis pain, post-trauma pain, cancer pain, neurogenic pain (pain caused by nerve damage), pain due to past injuries or surgeries, infections, migraines, and other headaches. Chronic pain usually occurs due to changes to the nerves or nervous system which keeps the nerves firing and signaling pain. Nerve damage makes pain more intense and long lasting. The pain may sometimes result from an injury or underlying health conditions such as fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJ), arthritis, endometriosis and inflammatory bowel disease. The potential factors that increase the risk of developing chronic pain include being overweight or obese, surgery, injuries, genetics, and previous episodes of acute pain.
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Common Symptoms Chronic pain can range from mild to severe. The pain can be sharp or dull, causing a burning or aching sensation in the affected areas. It can occur in nearly any part of your body, and may be steady or intermittent, coming and going without any apparent reason. Common symptoms include •
A dull ache
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Burning or throbbing sensation
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Shooting pain
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Soreness
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Stiffness of joints
Treatment Options for Chronic Pain The main goal of treatment is to reduce pain, improve mobility and enable people to get back to their normal activities without any discomfort. As the severity and frequency of chronic pain can often differ among individuals, pain management doctors in reliable multispecialty healthcare centers in Brooklyn offers customized pain management plans that involves a perfect blend of pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic approaches. The pain management options available in professional pain management centers include:
✓ Chiropractic care - Chiropractic treatment uses spinal manipulation and realignment techniques to reduce pain symptoms, improve mobility and promote natural healing.
✓ Physical therapy - Physical therapy includes therapeutic exercise programs that help reduce chronic pain and fatigue, build strength and enhance flexibility. Exercise programs include – strengthening, stretching, aerobic and isometric exercises.
✓ Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) – TENS uses low electrical simulation that interacts with the sensory nervous system to decrease muscle stiffness and pain.
✓ Pain management injections - Routine injections such as trigger point and epidural steroid injections work well for chronic pain and reduce inflammation quickly.
✓ Prescription medications - Several types of medications are available that help treat chronic pain. These include •
Over-the-counter pain relievers, including acetaminophen (Tylenol) or nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as aspirin (Bufferin) or ibuprofen (Advil)
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Adjuvant analgesics, such as antidepressants and anticonvulsants
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Opioid pain relievers, including morphine (MS Contin), codeine, and hydrocodone
✓ Ice or heat therapy - Applying ice packs reduces inflammation and heat application loosens tissues to stimulate blood flow to the area. Living with chronic pain can be challenging as the physical pain and joint stiffness associated with the condition can significantly impact your daily life and limit your mobility. There is no permanent cure for chronic pain, but the condition can be effectively managed by appropriate and timely treatment. If not treated, chronic pain can increase your stress level and lead to depression, loss of sleep and decreased physical functioning. Incorporating simple lifestyle habits like - healthy eating, getting adequate sleep, and regular body exercise can keep your body healthy and reduce stress levels.
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