What is Chronic Pain

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Chronic Pain Syndrome is a condition where pain, which is common, lasts for more than three months, that results in fatigue, and constrains your day-to-day functioning. Chronic pain meaning includes conditions where muscles and tissues take longer to heal, and are sensitive to any form of injury, resulting in prolonged periods of pain.

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Chronic pain can have several causes that can include, medical history, genetics, nutrition intake, and lifestyle among other factors. It can be physically and mentally taxing to live with a chronic condition as it makes everyday tasks difficult. 

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Chronic pain, however, can be managed with medical interventions such as medication and physiotherapy, along with lifestyle changes.

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Reasons for Chronic Pain

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The exact cause of chronic pain is unknown. It is often a result of some form of injury to the body and in some cases the cause of medical or genetic history. Causes of chronic pain examples can also be a result of medical conditions such as asthma, arthritis, cancer, acid reflux, and nerve damage. 

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These are some common reasons for chronic pain, where the body takes longer to heal, or is sensitive to certain conditions. This results in discomfort and pain that lasts for a long duration based on the environment the person is in.

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In most cases, it is damage to the nerves at high intensity that result in mixed signals from the brain to the nerves and the other way round, medical conditions that delay the normal functioning of the body that results in chronic pain

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How Chronic Pain is different from Acute Pain

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Acute pain is pain that is a result of an injury to the bone, skin, or muscle as a result of an impact or accident. Acute pain doesn't last more than three months and begins to reduce as the body begins to heal. The pain may be severe during the cause of the injury, but reduces over time and the body is restored to normalcy once the injury heals.

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Chronic pain, on the other hand, maybe a result of the injury, but results in pain that lasts longer than three months, and varies in intensity every time. Depending on the cause of the chronic pain, bodily responses may be mild to severe and varied in time and environment. External factors such as air and water quality, sleep patterns, food intake changes, and failure to continue medication can result in chronic pain and it varies in severity.

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Chronic pain can also be a result of psychosomatic pain as a result of anxiety, depression, and nervousness. This can have bodily reactions such as headache, and acid reflux among other common forms of chronic pain.

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How Physiotherapist can help in chronic pain management?

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In most cases, chronic pain cannot be cured but can be managed well with the right kind of interventions. Physiotherapy is an effective way of managing chronic pain, where the emphasis is on lifestyle changes, exercises and relaxation, and movement improvement in the muscles, tissue, and the bones. 

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A Physiotherapist is a trained professional who can help chart out a treatment plan that will assist you in increasing body functions, and reducing the intensity of the chronic pain, allowing you to effectively manage the condition.

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They can help manage the pain through interventions such as heat and cold therapy, massages, muscle, and joint exercises, and other forms of bodily engagement that improve movement and reduces the stress on the area impacted.

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They can also help identify accurate measures for the illness, and assist in identifying equipment that can help manage the condition better.

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How can I help myself?

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Chronic pain can be mentally and physically taxing to the individual to large extent. It is important to understand the condition and learn to manage it. While there are no hard-set ways that can work, it is important to figure it out and take the time to do so. It is also okay if on days you feel helpless and exhausted.

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Understanding the cause of the chronic condition can help you manage the condition through medical interventions. Another way of caring for yourself is to ensure you rest well when you have an injury, to avoid complications. A lifestyle that suits you and allows you to reduce the intensity of the condition, physical activities, and mental engagements can also help reduce the condition.

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Support groups, physiotherapy, and other forms of community support can also help increase your ability to cope with the condition, along with food intake that aids the healing process.

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It is important to take time off, find ways that help you keep yourself grounded, and not exert too much pressure on yourself.

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Five Reasons to choose Physiotherapy in Early Stage

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• It helps to understand the condition better, and knowing what is going on with the body always reduces stress and can help in planning the next course of treatment
• Physiotherapists are trained professionals who teach us the best way to engage our body and improve movement and reduce stress and pain, this can assist in managing chronic pain
• Physiotherapy is versatile and one can try out the best possible management that can range from simple exercises such as stretching to electric stimulation and hydrotherapy.
• It can also be a good mood booster, as physiotherapy can be enjoyable after a point. Exercises can also alleviate mood which can help reduce stress.
• It can help families and loved ones understand the condition and help educate them about the condition and make it easier for the person to go about their day-to-day activities.