Everyone experiences pain in his/her body sometimes. Feeling pain does not feel good but the pain is very necessary for your body. This pain alerts you that your body is not doing well and it requires treatment. Whenever a person gets injured, the pain signal travels from the spinal cord to the brain. The pain starts reducing when the injury is getting proper treatment. Once the injury is cured, you won’t feel any pain in that area. But chronic pain is a different condition. When a person is facing chronic pain, his body continually sends pain signals to the brain even when the injury is recovered completely. A person can feel pain for several weeks to years. Chronic pain can make the lifestyle difficult. A person’s mobility, strength, and flexibility get reduced and he may have to face lots of challenges in daily life. Pain is considered chronic when it lasts for more than 12 weeks. This pain can feel dull or sharp and might have a burning sensation. The pain can come and disappear anytime without any reason.
What are the causes of chronic pain?
A person usually gets chronic pain after facing an injury like pulled muscle or back sprain. Chronic pain develops when the nerves are not working properly. Due to nerve damage, a person can feel intense pain for a long time. The person will feel the pain even when the injury is treated. But many times, a person can face chronic pain without any injury. The cause behind chronic pain without injury is still unknown. But the pain may occur due to some other underlying health complications.
Endometriosis: This is a type of disorder that appears when the uterine lining grows outside the uterus. This condition can be very painful.
Interstitial cystitis: It is a chronic disorder appear that causes bladder pressure and pain
Chronic fatigue syndrome: In this condition, the person feels extreme weariness along with the pain.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Several conditions that cause pain and inflammation in the digestive tract.
Several other conditions can also cause chronic pain like vulvodynia, TMJ, fibromyalgia, back problems, arthritis, infections, nerve damage, etc. Some risk factors for chronic pain are post-injury, post-surgery, and gender as females are more likely to get chronic pain, being obese or overweight.
Common symptoms of chronic pain
A person can feel mild to intense pain in this condition. The pain can continue for the whole day and may also cause disturbance in sleep. Chronic pain can feel like:
- Dull ache
- Burning
- Stinging
- Stiffness
- Soreness
- Throbbing
- Shooting
Other than pain, a person can also face some other symptoms of chronic pain like:
- Trouble sleeping
- Mood changes
- Weakness
- Fatigue
- Not feeling hungry
Effects of chronic pain on your mental health
Chronic pain not only causes pain and physical issues but can also affect your mental health. It limits the motion of your body which can cause changes in mood, depression, anxiety, and frustration. There is a deep link between pain and emotions. When a person is facing too much pain, he will also feel depressed. This mental condition makes the pain worse. A person may start feeling useless or may stop initiating any task.
Treatment options for chronic pain
Chronic pain management is about reducing pain and increasing mobility. When the pain reduces, a person can resume his daily activities without any problem. The pain intensity of chronic pain can differ from person to person. So, the doctor suggests the treatment depending on the person’s health condition. Some medication and natural remedies can help in chronic pain management.
Medications
Most people take OTC medicines like acetaminophen, and NSAIDs like aspirin to reduce the pain. Other than OTC, your doctor may suggest pain relievers like codeine, morphine, etc. If a person is facing other problems like anxiety, depression, etc then the doctor may prescribe antidepressants and anticonvulsants. But taking these medicines for a long time can show negative effects on your body.
Natural medications and home remedies
Certain natural medications are also very helpful to treat chronic pain. You can seek a natural chronic pain treatment Pennsylvania and improve your condition. These remedies are safe and don’t cause harm to the body. If a person is facing chronic pain due to an underlying condition, these remedies also help in treating that condition. Natural medication may take more time but shows a good response in treating chronic pain. Some lifestyle remedies can help in managing pain like yoga, physical therapy, meditation, massage, etc.
Medical procedure for chronic pain
Few medical procedures are also available to treat chronic pain. Electrical stimulation sends a mild electric shock to the muscle that helps in reducing pain. If the person is feeling extreme pain, the doctor may suggest nerve block injections that prevent nerves from sending pain signals to the brain. Some people also use acupuncture to alleviate pain.