Chronic Pain Q & A

Are You Experiencing Chronic Pain?

It is typically easy to tell if you are experiencing chronic pain. Whether in your joints, muscles, or any other part of the body, chronic pain is characterized by sharp prolonged pains that can severely impair motion and movement. Trying to uncover the medical source of the chronic pain, however, can be a little harder to determine.

What Causes Chronic Pain?

Chronic pain can result from a variety of ailments, with some of the injuries and illnesses including severe to mild sprains, gout, bursitis, and even rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Over time, you may naturally wear away your muscles and joints, which can also cause chronic pain if left unchecked long enough. It is not uncommon for individuals to develop more chronic pain as they age.

How Serious is Chronic Pain?

Chronic pain should be treated directly no matter how mild, especially considering that chronic pain is sometimes an indicator of a much more serious internal problem. Additionally, overexposure to chronic pain can lead to the development of chronic pain syndrome (CPS), which results in physical impairments and mental depression or anxiety. Given enough time, CPS has been known to sour interpersonal relationships while isolating the individual even further.

How Do You Treat Chronic Pain?

While many doctors will prescribe medication in the form of pills or supplements, it is important to take this in moderation, as CPS has also been shown to encourage prescription medication dependence. Treating chronic pain effectively is therefore mostly a matter of determining the source of the chronic pain and devising a rehabilitation and therapeutic plan tailored to treat that source.

What Does a Good Treatment Plan Do?

A good treatment plan for chronic pain will accomplish a number of goals. These include:

• Reduction of the chronic pain
• Reduction of the dependency on prescription medication
• Improvement of any mental issues, including depression and anxiety
• Increase in the individual’s physical and emotional stamina