Chronic pain, also known as persistent pain is a type of pain that carries on for more than 12 weeks despite treatment or medication. Research shows that a lot of people get back to their normal conditions after pain from an operation or injury. Still, there are times when the pain might go on for longer or emerge without any cause of injury or operation.
Several people might be affected by chronic pain, and they include:
- People with arthritis
- People living with diabetes
- People with back pain
- People with irritable bowel
- People with fibromyalgia
Therefore, chronic pain usually affects people with the conditions mentioned above. There are also other causes of chronic pain, which we are going to talk about below.
Causes of Chronic Pain
Chronic pain usually occurs as a result of an injury like a pulled muscle or back sprain. It is also believed that chronic pain might develop as a result of nerve damage. When nerves are damaged, it results in intense pain, which tends to last longer. When this is the case, it might be quite difficult treating chronic pain.
But sometimes people may experience chronic pain as a result of an underlying health condition. These health conditions may include:
- Endometriosis – This is a painful disorder that usually occurs when the uterine lining grows out of the uterus.
- Chronic fatigue syndrome – This health condition is associated with extreme and long-lasting weariness that causes a lot of pain.
- Interstitial cystitis – It is a chronic disorder that is marked by pain and bladder pressure.
- Vulvodynia – It is a chronic vulva pain that occurs without any cause.
- Inflammatory bowel disease – This is a group of health conditions that cause chronic inflammation in your digestive tract and pain.
Types of Chronic Pain
There are various types of chronic which might be experienced by different people depending on their conditions. These include:
- Cancer pain
- Arthritis pain
- Post-surgical pain
- Neurogenic pain
- Psychogenic pain
- Lower back pain
- Post-trauma pain
According to research from the American Academy of Pain Medicine, over 1.5 billion people globally experience chronic pain. It has also been noted to be the most common long-term disability condition in the U.S. Chronic pain affects over 100 million Americans.
Is Chronic Pain Common?
Chronic pain is much more common than people may think. It is believed to affect 1 in 5 people worldwide. Another thing to note about chronic pain is that it doesn’t choose age. It can affect people of all ages and body types.
The worst thing is that it's impossible to predict if the pain would become chronic. However, it is believed that people have a high potential for developing chronic pain if they undergo stress. Some people might also experience chronic pain after their usual tests fail to provide the right answer.
Best Ways to Treat or Manage Chronic Pain
Chronic pain requires the right treatment if you want to manage it properly. Luckily, there are many ways to treat chronic pain. Check out some of the ways to consider:
1. Chiropractic Treatment
Chiropractic treatment is one of the best ways to consider when you want to treat chronic pain. What happens is that chiropractors use various non-surgical treatments like spinal manipulation to treat chronic symptoms. These chronic symptoms may include muscle tension or inflammation. You can manage chronic pains like back or neck pains through various chiropractic treatments.
Kratom is also considered as an excellent option for treating chronic pain. Kratom has been used in many cases to treat chronic pain that results from fibromyalgia or arthritis. Kratom is also used to help in the treatment of opioid withdrawal symptoms like mood disturbance and muscle aches.
Acetaminophen is also another ideal option to consider for chronic pain treatment. You can use it to treat headaches, skin injuries, and musculoskeletal health conditions. It is also prescribed by doctors to help in the treatment of back pain and osteoarthritis. Another suitable option is to combine it with opioids to reduce the amount needed for treatment.
Antidepressants can also be used to control pain. The best is Tricyclic antidepressant since it is very effective when it comes to relieving pain. However, antidepressants need to be taken daily for them to be effective enough.
Once you exercise, your body releases endorphins, which are feel good hormones. You will realize that when these hormones are released, they block pain signals, such that you only get immersed into a great mood. Exercise will also ensure that your muscles are strengthened in a manner that further pain and re-injury are prevented.
It is important that you learn how to meditate and deep breath properly as they are incredible techniques to ease your pain. This is because meditation will help your body relax, and in the process ease the pain that you may be experiencing.
When your muscles receive a message to relax, they ease up on their tightness and tension. This is a great way to ensure that your chronic pain eases up and puts you on an easier path to recovery.
7. Lower Stress Levels
It is worth noting that negative feelings such as anger, anxiety, stress, and depression can intensify your bodies sensitivity to pain. Therefore, when you take control of your stress, you will certainly ease up on some of your chronic pain.
Some of the ways by which you can relax and reduce stress is by listening to calming and soothing music. This will mean that you will better live with your chronic pain as it will be much more endurable. You could invest in relaxation tapes that are specifically designed for this.
The road to recovery from chronic pain is uncertain but not impossible. We’ve discussed various ways that you can use to manage and treat chronic pain. Therefore, these are things you need to consider and ensure to conduct more research for better results.
You will certainly better manage your chronic pain when your body is relaxed and you are not stressed.