Condition : Chronic pain

Condition Chronic pain

What is chronic pain?

Pain when you have an injury or inflammation is normal, but if it persists after you’ve recovered, it is described as chronic. Pain can also be described as chronic if it’s linked with a long-term condition like arthritis or endometriosis.

The pain may feel like burning, tingling (pins and needles), or shooting, and it might also be linked with a sensation of numbness or weakness in the affected body part.

The side effects of chronic pain can include:

tiredness (fatigue)
difficulty sleeping (insomnia)
loss of appetite
avoiding activities that might cause flare-ups
depression or anxiety

Chronic pain may improve over time, but for some people it can last several years.

What causes chronic pain?

Chronic pain can be a symptom of a medical condition, such as Crohn’s disease, or it can be started by an injury. For instance, an injury may cause the sciatic nerve (which runs from your lower back to your feet) to be compressed, resulting in sciatica.

There are a few conditions where the pain may start without an obvious cause. In these cases, there will often be a trigger, and this might be a mental health problem like stress, rather than something physical.

When chronic pain can’t be linked to a medical condition, the cause may be diagnosed as a syndrome, such as fibromyalgia. Symptoms of fibromyalgia include widespread pain and increased sensitivity. Another example is complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) – when the skin of an affected body part becomes very sensitive, possibly leading to swelling or stiffness.

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