Experiencing pain is common as everyone can face pain due to any injury, infection, or illness. Your pain is a crucial reaction of the nervous system. This pain tells you that the body part is hurt and needs help. Without pain, you won’t realize that the body part is injured. When a person gets injured, a pain signal travels from that part up to the spinal cord and the brain. Usually, the pain reduces with time and treatment. After the injury heals, the pain disappears.
When a person is dealing with a chronic pain condition, he will feel the pain for a long time. Due to chronic pain, the body continues to send pain signals ever after full recovery from the injury. The pain can last for a few weeks to years. This condition not only causes pain but also limits mobility and reduces strength and flexibility. Pain is known as chronic pain when it lasts for more than 12 weeks. A person can feel sharp or dull pain along with an aching sensation in the affected areas. In some conditions, the pain is steady whereas sometimes it may come and go without any particular reason.
Common types of chronic pain
- Headache
- Lower back pain
- Postsurgical pain
- Arthritis pain
- Post-trauma pain
- Neurogenic pain
- Psychogenic pain
What are the common causes of chronic pain
Chronic pain mainly appears due to any kind of initial injury. Some research shows that chronic pain develops due to nerve damage. When the nerve is damaged, it makes the pain long-lasting and intense. Due to this, the person feels pain even when the injury is treated and healed. Some people can also face chronic pain without any prior injury. There is no exact cause behind chronic pain but it may be related to certain health conditions such as:
Chronic fatigue syndrome: CFS is a type of disorder with extreme fatigue that doesn’t go away after rest. This condition is often accompanied by extreme pain.
Fibromyalgia: This is a complex condition that causes pain and cognition complications. It is a type of chronic pain that causes musculoskeletal pain, general fatigue, tenderness, etc.
Endometriosis: It is a disorder where tissue similar to the uterus lining grows outside the uterine cavity.
Inflammatory bowel disease: IBD is a group of intestinal disorders that lead to inflammation of the digestive tract and cause severe pain.
Interstitial cystitis: Interstitial cystitis is a type of chronic disorder that causes bladder pressure and extreme pain.
Risk factors for chronic pain
Any person can get chronic pain at any age. But this condition mainly appears in elderly people. Some other factors that increase the risk of getting chronic pain are:
- Having any kind of surgery
- Any injury or accident
- Being female
- Being obese or overweight
What are the best treatment options for chronic pain?
The treatment for chronic pain means reducing the pain and increasing mobility. Good treatment can help to manage daily activities without any discomfort. The intensity of pain can differ from person to person. Your doctor will provide the prescription depending on symptoms and other underlying conditions.
Medications
Certain medications are available to treat pain. For chronic pain, you can take OTC medications like acetaminophen or NSAIDs like aspirin. Your doctor may recommend opioid pain relievers such as morphine, hydrocodone, and codeine. Sometimes adjuvant analgesics like anticonvulsants and antidepressants can also help in managing chronic pain.
Dynamic medications
Chronic pain can cause lifetime pain. Taking allopathic medicines for a long time can cause problems in the body. To manage pain, you can try dynamic medications like homeopathy. These medications will reduce the pain and help in improving mobility and flexibility. Homeopathy doctors in NYC will give a tailored prescription to treat chronic pain. These medications may also cure your condition. You can take these medicines for a long time without having any side effects.
Medical procedures
A few medication procedures are also available to manage chronic pain:
Electrical stimulation: In this procedure, A certain part is stimulated by sending mild electric shocks to the muscles.
Acupuncture: This is a chinese traditional procedure where the pain is alleviated by pricking the skin with needles at certain points.
Nerve block: This procedure is mainly used when a person is feeling extreme pain. An injection is used to prevent nerves from sending pain signals.
Surgery: Your doctor may suggest surgery when chronic pain appears after any kind of injury.
Dealing with chronic pain
To manage chronic pain, you can try some home remedies. Regular exercises or Yoga can be very helpful in reducing pain. Chronic pain can also cause stress and depression. You should try self-care like aromatherapy, pet therapy, massage, etc to manage the stress. A daily 10-minute meditation session can also help in managing pain. You can deal with chronic pain by changing your lifestyle and boosting your mental condition.
