Symptoms And Symptoms Of Chronic Pain

Pain can be acute or chronic. Acute pain is intense, short in duration and generally a reaction to trauma. Chronic pain does not go away, and can range from a dull ache to excruciating agony. Terminal and non-terminal illnesses can both be causes of chronic pain. Tissue damage is not always found in chronic pain, but those who suffer from it are rendered "nonfunctional by incapacitating pain," (Murphy, 1981).

To most people, pain is a nuisance, but to others pain controls their life. The feeling discomforts us in ways that can sometimes seem almost imaginable. These feelings can lead to many different side effects if not dealt with or diagnosed. These effects can include depression, anxiety, and incredible amount of stress. The truth about pain is that it is vital to our existence. Without the nervous system responding to pain, we would have no idea if we were touching a hot stove, being stuck by a porcupine’s needles, or something else that could leave a lasting effect upon our bodies without us even knowing anything about it.

When pain lasts three to six months or more, it is considered chronic pain. According to the American Geriatrics Association, more than 50 percent of seniors living at home and up to 80 percent of those in care facilities suffer from chronic pain. As a result, a great number of these seniors are not able to function properly during the day or sleep well at night. Some of the most frequent causes of chronic pain in seniors are arthritis, glaucoma, poor circulation, and nerve damage.

Chronic pain is described as a persistent pain active in the nervous system for months to even years (WebMD), that can vary

In fact, these signals are what caused us to feel pain. They are sent through the nerves to the brain in response to getting injured. Then the brain processes it as sharp or dull pain. There are many words that can describe pain. Acute and chronic are just a few of many other categories that pain can fall in. Acute pain only last for a moment, whereas chronic can last for weeks. Both are associated with physical pain.

As a Northwestern University professor of Anesthesiology, Honorio T. Benzon, defines chronic pain is “a demoralizing state that confronts individuals not only with the distress created by the symptoms but also with many other ongoing difficulties that compromise all aspects of their lives” (Benzon). Therefore, chronic pain is rooted in a variety of neurologic functions, integrated from the brain that affects the individual internally and externally. According to David B. Reuben MD, a professor at the David Geffen School of Medicine,

Chronic pain describes pain that persists over long periods of time. It handicaps the normal lifestyle and quality of one’s life (http://www.asri.edu/neuro/brochure/pain1.htm).

Chronic pain is a type of pain that lasts or recurs for at least six months. You may have chronic headaches, abdominal pain, or body pain. Chronic pain may be related to an illness, such as fibromyalgia or complex regional pain syndrome. Sometimes the cause of chronic pain is not known.

Most medical treatment for chronic pain includes from pharmaceutical treatments for pain management, which can range from over-the-counter medicines like aspirin to prescription drugs. The problem with chronic pain management treatments that involve drugs is that they lose their effectiveness. Worse they actually can create more chronic or that can add to the chronic pain cycle.

A cross-national study reported that nearly 9% of primary care patients will suffer from persistent pain for one year and up to 50% report experiencing this pain one year later (Gureje, Simon, & Von Korff, 2001). The Institute of Medicine (IOM) reported that one-third of U.S. adults experience chronic or recurrent pain (Living Well with Chronic Illness, 2012). The IOM report challenged policy makers and physicians to demonstrate and understand these four principles: (1) that it is of moral importance to have effective pain management, (2) pain is a disease with a distinct pathology, (3) pain is undertreated and under diagnosed, especially in underprivileged populations, and (4) an interdisciplinary treatment approach is needed (Cheatle, 2016; Living Well with Chronic Illness, 2012). The ability to accurately assess an individual’s pain is of great importance. More than half of all chronic pain patients receive their care from primary care practitioners (PCPs) and much of the current research is attempting to focus on this, however, most PCPs do not have the time, resources, or education in pain management necessary to effectively treat chronic pain patients

When the stimuli is damaged, you will experience an uncomfortable feeling. Although, many people associate pain having to do with a physical injury. Showing signs of pain is a great deal, even though it sucks to. Through pain, one can identify the source of injury and tells you when something is wrong. Pain can be described in many ways- throbbing, burning, aching, pinching, etc. Pain can also bring about other symptoms such as nausea, dizziness, or weakness. Pain can occur in many different parts of the body, some types of pain include: low back pain, spinal stenosis, hip pain, head pain, neck pain, muscle pain, joint pain, etc There are two types of pain: acute and chronic. Acute pain is usually severe and it signals that your body has been injured at the tissue level. Chronic pain can range from mild to severe, appear for long periods of time, and is often a result of a disease that may require ongoing treatment. In order to treat pain, you must manage it symptoms. If the source of pain cannot be treated or is known, pain medicine can be offered to alleviate the

Based on the duration of persistence, pain is often divided into two broad categories as mentioned below.

Chronic pain is defined as a pain that doesn’t go away for a long time. The pain can last for weeks, more than 3 months, years, and might make someone feel hopeless. Chronic pain does not relief with regular pain medication. It is important to address chronic pain because is physically and psychologically stressful. Its persistent discomfort can lead to irritation and frustration with the person’s self and with other people. Pain affects not only mental health but interfere also with someone’s sleep pattern.

Pain is a basic mechanism in life that helps the body identify that something is wrong or dangerous. Without pain, the body would be severely damaged without realizing it. Pain can become an inconvenience when it spirals out of control; chronic pain, for example, leaves many miserable and unable to enjoy life to its fullest extent even with traditional medical intervention. Around 80% of people report chronic pain in their lifetime (Holtzman & Beggs, 2013). People afflicted by chronic back pain turn to modern medicine for relief, but even these alternatives are not always 100% effective.

Chronic pain tends to affect a person’s whole life including a change in their personality, the activities they used to