We all have experienced body pain at some point in our lives. Remember when you fell off your bike and scraped your elbow and knee, and it hurt like crazy. Your Mom probably cleaned up the scrapes, put a band-aid on and gave it a kiss to make it all better. And as a kid, that usually worked. But, there are many degrees of pain and even more ways to cope with and treat pain. Sometimes pain is short lived and for others pain is a constant, every day condition. We can put pain in a few categories, but in this article we will talk generally about chronic and acute pain and how to manage it. Pain is NOT normal so when you do have pain, your body is telling you something is wrong…Go See Your Doctor!

Chronic Pain

Chronic pain is considered to be so when the pain has continued for three months or more. It’s normal for you to feel pain after an illness or injury, but with chronic pain, it continues for an abnormal amount of time. Sometimes the pain seems to come out of nowhere, meaning there has been no injury or illness triggered the pain signals. Chronic pain interferes with everyday life and can occur in any part of the body. Chronic pain can often times lead to other ailments, such as depression and fatigue, and is usually diagnosed by a physical exam and answering questions from your doctor. Some tests, such as blood, neurological and even a mental health assessment, may be performed to help identify the condition that is causing the pain. Sometimes, these test results come back normal. This makes it difficult to find the cause of the pain, however that doesn’t mean that there are no treatment options.

Treatment for chronic pain is challenging when there is no clear cause to the pain. Sometimes a variety of treatments are required to find the right strategies to mange and reduce the pain. The idea behind treatment is to diminish the pain and increase the quality of life. Oftentimes treatment begins with lifestyle changes, such as balancing your diet (reduce fast or processed foods), getting plenty sleep and creating an exercise regimen. Exercise releases endorphins, and these natural chemicals block pain signals from reaching your brain. Endorphins also help alleviate anxiety and depression — conditions that can make chronic pain more difficult to control. Also a counselor can help one deal with the emotional distress caused by the pain. They can help you work through some of the emotional issues associated with pain. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) teaches relaxation techniques, stress management and other ways to cope with pain. CBT is based on the idea that thought and behavior patterns can affect symptoms and disability and may be obstacles to recovery. If you change your way of thinking and can focus your thoughts to more positive aspects, then you can change how you feel and respond to the pain when it occurs.

Other therapies used to treat chronic pain are using over-the-counter pain relievers such as acetaminophen or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Alternative therapies, such as acupuncture, or osteopathic or chiropractic manipulation, nerve stimulation, hypnosis, hydrotherapy and magnet field therapy are some times utilized when the pain doesn’t go away or becomes more severe. Always talk with your doctor about alternative therapies and get their opinion before seeking alternative therapies. They may be able to recommend someone in the field you are looking into. Always check references so you can know what to expect of the therapy you are signing up for.

Acute pain

Acute pain can be defined as pain lasting less than 3-6 months and pain that is related to tissue or muscle damage. Examples of acute pain that are mild can range from a paper cut to burning your hand on a stove to hitting your finger with a hammer, or even labor pains. Other more severe acute pain would include pain after a surgery, or results of disease or inflammation.

Acute pain may be managed with pain relievers or narcotics. Narcotics can be highly addictive, so the prescription is usually for a very short time (1-2 weeks). Narcotics also, over time, become less effective because our bodies build a tolerance to the particular drug; so treatment should also include another form of therapy to help manage the pain, such as physical therapy, cognitive therapy or lifestyle changes. Using any of the treatments for chronic pain would be beneficial for acute pain as well. Also getting plenty of sleep, eating a balanced diet and exercising is the key to having a healthy, happy life and living pain free.

Pain management does take a lot of work but over time it becomes second nature and hopefully with the right combination of therapies you can start living the life you once had before the pain. If you are experiencing pain and have been for some time, speak with your doctor to determine which approach might work best for you. Ask if they recommend any licensed therapists that you could meet with to discuss your particular situation.