What is Chronic pain and how to manage it?

Pain is something that we feel every now and then. Your body is telling you something is wrong the way it sends pain signals when you cut your finger or pull a muscle. It only stops hurting once the injury is healed. However, chronic pain is something different. When you have a chronic pain your body keeps hurting you for a long period of time like months, or even years after you are injured. According to health professionals, chronic pain is referred to as any pain that lasts for 3 to 6 months, or even more.

Chronic pain can have impacts on your daily life and as well as your mental health. However, by jointly working together, you and your doctor can overcome it.

How do you feel chronic pain?

A series of messages coming through your nervous system gives you the feeling of pain. Pain sensors are activated in the damaged area of your body when you hurt yourself. These sensors send a message to your brain in the form of an electrical signal. The signal reaches your brain traveling from nerves and then you get the message from the brain that you hurt.

In general, you stop receiving pain signal once the cause of the pain is gone. This is usually the way your body repairs the wound on your way or your torn muscle. However, the problem with chronic pain is that the nerve signals keep alerting the brain even after you are healed.

What can cause chronic pain?

In some cases, there is no obvious cause for chronic pain. However, injury or health condition can be the major reason for chronic pain for many individuals. You can see the list of a number of major causes:

1. Infections

2. Back problems

3. Arthritis

4. Past injuries

5. Migraines or other forms of headaches

6. Nerve damage

What are the symptoms of chronic pain?

Symptoms of chronic pain can range from mild to severe while lasting day after day or even come and go. Usually, patients can have a feeling like:

1. Stiffness

2. Squeezing

3. Dull ache

4. Stinging

5. Burning

6. Soreness

In some cases pain can be the reason for many symptoms which can include:

1. Weakness

2. Trouble sleeping

3. A lack of energy

4. Mood swings

How does chronic pain affect your mental health?

Chronic pain can become an obstacle in your daily life, preventing you from doing things you want and need to do. It can also impact your mental health making you feel angry, anxious, depressed and frustrated. r

Most of the times there is a cycle originating from the link between your emotions and pain. You are generally more likely to feel depressed when you hurt which can even make you feel worse.

Your sleep patterns can also get impacted by the pain which can lead to an increase in your stress levels. As previously mentioned, a lack of sleep and more stress can make pain feel stronger by creating a cycle.

How to get help?

Often, you will need to see your doctor when you realize that you don’t seem to get any better after you hurt. Those specialists can provide you with relevant solutions so that pain will not prevent from living your daily life and activities. There are many ways of treatment for chronic pain such as relaxation therapy, physical therapy, acupuncture.

At Hydroactive Rehabilitation Center, we use the latest technology and methods developed by industry experts for many years in order to find the best and shortest way to overcome the pain you feel and get back to your normal life again. Feel free to contact us today and get your free consultation.