What is chronic pain?
Pain is a localized, subjective perception that can vary in intensity and is felt in one part of the body. It is the result of stimulation of sensory nerve endings.
Pain is an unpleasant sensation that can manifest itself in different ways which, depending on its intensity, can prevent the sufferer from carrying out daily activities.
Depending on the area affected, a distinction is made between somatic pain, which is activated by skin receptors, visceral pain, around the organs, and neuropathic pain, which is caused by a lesion in the nervous system.
There are two types of pain depending on their duration: acute pain and chronic pain. Acute pain lets the sufferer know that something in his body is damaged or is not working properly and it disappears when the cause is solved.
On the other hand, chronic pain lasts much longer and can last for months or even years, making it difficult for the sufferer to carry out daily activities. This pain can interfere directly in the patient’s life, lowering self-esteem and depression in the sufferer. Chronic pain is defined as pain that lasts for more than three months after the injury that caused it has subsided, is repeated and is associated with chronic diseases such as diabetes, arthritis, fibromyalgia or cancer.
Prognosis of chronic pain
Once a patient is diagnosed with chronic pain, he or she can assume that he or she will have to learn to live with it, at least for a while. Getting regular nighttime sleep and avoiding naps can be important and beneficial to the patient.
Giving up harmful habits such as smoking also helps, as nicotine can detract from the effectiveness of some medications.
Symptoms of chronic pain
Chronic pain can occur anywhere in the body and often causes a similar set of sensations in those who suffer from it. Chronic pain can progressively cause a loss of appetite, often accompanied by a loss of taste in food. Gradually, the pain interferes with the patient’s life, preventing it from developing normally. The patient often loses weight, accompanied by other signs such as a lack of sexual desire and constant fatigue.
The pain can interfere with the person’s life, causing self-esteem problems and depression as he or she is unable to cope with his or her situation.
Headache or migraine is one of the main causes of chronic pain.
What are the causes of chronic pain?
The cause of chronic pain can be caused by trauma or injury, infection or previous illness. Some conditions that can trigger chronic pain are:
- Infections
- Back problems
- Cancer
- Migraine or headache
- Arthritis
- Fibromyalgia
- Nerve damage
- Previous surgery that has not healed
Can chronic pain be prevented?
As a general rule, there is no specific way to cope with or avoid chronic pain as such. The best way to avoid it is to try to avoid or control other diseases that can generate chronic pain.
Other options, for example, are to protect weak areas such as the head when playing sports or riding a motorcycle, as well as avoiding overexertion by carrying heavy objects or avoiding bad posture.
Treatments for chronic pain
Treatment for chronic pain is mainly focused on reducing its intensity and frequency, making life easier for the patient.
There are various ways of dealing with chronic pain, and some of the most common or frequent are drug treatment and medication, therapy and complementary medicine.
- Pharmacological treatment: analgesics, antidepressants and anticonvulsants are commonly used. Some prescription drugs are opiates, and when these are not taken correctly they can cause addiction.
- Therapy: There are a variety of therapies to cope with pain, such as physical therapy, low-impact exercise such as walking or cycling, occupational therapy and behavioral therapy to relax.
- Complementary medicine: There are alternative medicine methods such as acupuncture or massage that can help improve chronic pain.
Which specialist treats chronic pain?
The specialist in charge of treating chronic pain problems is the Pain Unit specialist. However, specialists in Ozone Therapy can also play an important role in the treatment of chronic pain. Alternative therapies such as Osteopathy or Acupuncture can also play an important role.