Why won't my pain go away?
Pain that lasts longer than three months is chronic pain. Sometimes it has no clear cause, but that does not mean it is imagined.
Acute pain is a warning from the body. Chronic pain lasts longer than three months, or longer than healing should take. It can be there on most days, last for years, and affect mood and relationships.
Why does it stay?
Acute pain can sometimes become chronic. A long-running condition such as arthritis can keep it going. Sometimes no clear cause is found. Mood and stress can make chronic pain worse, which means the pain is real, and body and mind both play a part.
So what can be done?
A cure is not always possible, but treatments help. A realistic aim is usually less pain and getting back the things pain has taken from you. Depending on the patient, a plan is built from:
- Gentle, low-impact activity and physiotherapy
- Pain relievers and other medicines, on medical advice
- Looking after mental wellbeing and managing stress
- Reaching a healthy weight
- Acupuncture and sometimes surgery
- In some cases, image-guided injections
The role of a pain specialist
A physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist works with function in mind. The question is not only where it hurts, but what the pain has taken from you and how the plan can bring it back.
What should I prepare for the visit?
For a few weeks, note when the pain is better or worse, how you sleep and what you cannot do. These notes help the doctor understand your pain better.