Chronic Pain
One in five Canadians experience chronic pain and this can be both debilitating and difficult to treat.
What is Chronic Pain?
Chronic pain is defined as any physical pain that persists for more than 12 weeks.
It can be anywhere in your body and cause any type of painful sensation, including burning, searing, shooting, aching, throbbing, stabbing or spasms.
The pain can be sharp or dull, last for moments or hours at a time, and affect basic motor functions or simply cause stiffness. It can also cause related problems such as difficulty sleeping and mood changes.
Causes of Chronic Pain
Some chronic pain is caused by pain-related ailments, such as:
- Fibromyalgia
- Arthritis
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Migraines
In other cases it is a result of an injury or illness, such as:
- Specific muscle injury
- Broken bones
- Surgery
- Infections
- Nerve damage
- Back pain
It is impossible to tell who is going to experience chronic pain or if an injury or illness will result in it, so it’s important to keep track of pain levels and any other symptoms to be able to identify when a ache problem becomes constant.
Living with Chronic Pain
There are some simple pain management techniques that make living with a chronic pain condition more feasible. These techniques fall into several major categories.
1. Lifestyle Changes. The following have been shown to significantly reduce the severity and the effect it has on daily life:
- Pacing yourself
- Planning ahead
- Learning relaxation techniques
- Reducing stress
- Taking regular exercise
- Indulge in hobbies and favoured activities
- Eating healthily
- Speaking about pain with loved ones
2. Medical Intervention. If appropriate, your pain may be ameliorated by:
- Pain medications
- Pain counselling
- TENS machine
- Injury-specific treatment
To conclude, if you are unsure of how to stay active or manage your pain, speak to a professional for advice on safe ways to improve your quality of life.
Schedule an appointment with our team of physiotherapists.
Physio Proactive, 2018.