The Signs & Symptoms Associated with Chronic Pain

It is quite normal for the human body to experience pain, this is one of the ways that it lets you know that something is not quite right. However, it is not normal for pain to persist for long periods of time on end— say like 3 months of more. Chronic pain is a condition which causes persistent pain, and these symptoms can adversely affect the patient’s physical and mental well-being.

The source of a person’s chronic pain could be an old injury, or it could be the result of some other ongoing cause. The most important thing to do is discuss your chronic pain symptoms with your doctor so that you can both work towards managing your condition. Unfortunately, there is no cure for chronic pain, but there are therapies available which can help patients regain control of their lives.

(If you’ve been diagnosed with chronic pain, you might want to consider enrolling in a clinical trial. There are quite a few studies which are in need of new participants.)

One thing researchers have noted time and again is that the symptoms if this condition can vary wildly from case to case. Some people may only experience a dull aching sensation, while others must endure a near excruciating pain. The pain may be a constant or it could be something you only experience in sporadic episodes.

How Could Pain Last so Long?

One of the most common questions asked by patients is how their pain can last for so long? The human body sends specific signals which which causes the nervous system to produce the sensation of pain. Normally, these signals will flare rapidly or persist for a short period of time. In patients with chronic pain, these signals can remain active for weeks or even years on end. It’s for this very reason that addressing the emotional aspect of chronic pain is just as important as the physical component.

Recent studies have shown that their people who develop this condition in the absence of some prior injury or any real physical trauma, but most diagnosed cases are the result of:

• Infection
• Prior Injury or trauma
• Some continuous source of pain

Common Indications of Chronic Pain

The following are all commonly associated with chronic pain:

• Pain that persists even after seemingly recovering from an injury or illness
• Stiffness, soreness. or other discomforting sensations that don’t subside
• These painful sensations could be described as burning, shooting, or even electrical

Individuals living with chronic pain often develop additional complications, such as:

• Insomnia – the unrelenting pain can make it very difficult to get an adequate amount of sleep (read more about insomnia).
• Chronic fatigue – the lack of sleep combined with the physical and emotional toll of chronic pain often produces this.
• The immune system may be severely hampered due to the constant stress, which makes the body more susceptible to infection.
• Patients often struggle with depression and its related symptoms, but this can in turn exacerbate their chronic pain.
• Chronic pain can make one more susceptible to abrupt mood swings.
• Those with severe enough symptoms may eventually become disabled by their condition. This could keep them from working or completing more mundane daily routines.

If the emotional aspect of this condition is not taken into account, then patients will find it much more difficult (if not impossible) to manage their chronic pain. The most effective way to control these symptoms is to address these underlying psychological factors as well as the physical manifestations of the pain.