Chronic Pain

What Is Chronic Pain?

Chronic pain is discomfort that lasts for more than 12 weeks. It differs from acute pain in that it can last for months. Chronic pain occurs when the brain continues to send pain signals long after an injury has healed. Chronic pain can arise in many parts of the body for a variety of reasons. It is critical to precisely diagnose the underlying cause of chronic pain in order to treat it successfully. A healthcare expert will typically obtain a pain history from the patient and schedule testing to develop an accurate diagnosis and successful treatment plan.

Types of Chronic Pain

Chronic Back Pain:

Approximately 70% of people will experience chronic back pain at some point in their lives. It usually happens in the lower back. It might be caused by an accident, osteoarthritis, arthritis, or simply normal wear and tear. Back pain is a national pandemic. Compression fractures, bulging discs, soft tissue injury, spinal stenosis, and structural deformities are all common causes.

Chronic Headaches:

Over 90% of adults have had headaches at some point in their lives. Chronic headaches occur for at least two weeks every month and for no less than three months in a row. Stress causes tension headaches, and strained ocular muscles create eye strain headaches. Migraines are generated by nervous system triggers, whereas cluster headaches are caused by blood vessel enlargement.

Chronic Joint Pain:

Joint pain is the most common kind of chronic pain. It is usually caused by illness or injury. Osteoarthritis is common among the elderly, affecting the larger joints. The swelling of the joint spaces is caused by rheumatoid arthritis. Tendinitis is caused by inflammation of the tendons in the joints, and it is frequently seen in athletes. All of these factors can contribute to chronic joint pain.

Chronic Nerve Pain:

When nerves are injured, crushed, or lose their myelin sheath, people experience chronic pain. Chronic nerve pain can be caused by sciatica, carpal tunnel syndrome, postherpetic neuralgia, and diabetic neuropathy.

How Physical Therapy Helps Chronic Pain

Our experienced therapists at FYZICAL–Northwest will educate you about your chronic pain and work with you to identify ways to enhance your quality of life. They will assess your clinical condition and provide a customized treatment plan that addresses the underlying issue. You'll do flexibility and strength exercises to improve your mobility and reduce discomfort. A progressive workout plan will assist in training your brain to detect the issue's location. Our physical therapist will use gentle hands-on techniques to manipulate soft tissues and joint structures during manual treatment. This reduces discomfort and promotes mobility. They may also employ heat, cold, or electrical stimulation. Overall, you will learn to use your body more efficiently to help alleviate chronic pain.

Do you have chronic pain? To schedule a consultation, call FYZICAL - Northwest El Paso today. We've helped many others manage chronic pain, and we can help you as well.