Any number of illnesses – physical and psychological – can drive chronic pain. But finding ways to minimize it is often informed by paying attention to symptoms and triggers. Likewise, the more you know about illnesses that cause chronic pain, the better prepared to treat it. Read on for more information.
You’ve suffered from post-surgical pain for months. Even though you’ve recovered, pain lingers, sometimes becoming unbearable. What can you do to relieve the discomfort of arthritis, back pain, or another kind of chronic pain? Understanding chronic pain and possible causes will help you determine the best way to relieve symptoms.
To feel pain isn’t necessarily a bad thing because it means your brain is working. Pain is a very normal and necessary sensation that occurs in the nervous system. It’s purpose is to alert you to either stop whatever it is that you’re doing that inflicts pain, or seek help for whatever injury might have already been inflicted.
If you experience symptoms of chronic pain, you’re a member of an expansive club that may include up to 40 percent of the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It could be caused by many conditions – sometimes happening concurrently – but the exact cause is unknown. Because of that, chronic pain cannot be cured. The challenge becomes living with chronic pain but, thankfully, there are options to help you manage its symptoms.