Understanding Pain: What is Your Body Trying to Tell You?
Your pain’s traits may reveal important clues
A survey found that over 50 percent of American adults suffered from pain at some time during a three-month phase. Around one-ninth of the population reportedly endures chronic discomfort on a daily basis, according to The Washington Post. This medical predicament interferes with crucial everyday tasks and makes it difficult to enjoy life.
At the same time, painful sensations serve a vital purpose. They can warn you to stop engaging in an activity that harms your body. Physical discomfort may also alert you to a life-threatening disease and provide an incentive to seek treatment. You can learn more by carefully identifying the specific type of ache.
Acute
If you suffer from sudden discomfort that lasts no longer than six months, you might have acute pain. You may feel particularly anxious when it occurs. This sharp pain often develops as organs, bones or muscles become damaged. For example, you could experience it if you sprain your ankle.
Chronic
When an ache lasts several months or remains after a medical condition has been cured, doctors classify it as chronic pain. Damaged nerves frequently trigger this type of discomfort. Illnesses like fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis and osteoarthritis can inflict long-term suffering.
Breakthrough
Acute-on-chronic or breakthrough pain combines these two kinds of discomfort. When people suffer from it, they experience occasional sharp pains in addition to chronic aches. This can happen when a painkiller’s effect weakens. Certain body movements also have the potential to cause it at any time.
Neuropathic
If damaged nerves trigger discomfort, your physician might diagnose you with neuropathic pain. You may feel numbness, burning, stabbing or shock-like sensations. Many different injuries and diseases can bring about this type of suffering. They include spinal cord trauma, diabetes, shingles, HIV and cancer. Chemotherapy medications have the ability to harm nerves as well.
Nociceptive
The majority of physical suffering involves nociceptive discomfort. It comes in numerous forms, including sharp pains and persistent aches. Damaged muscles, joints, tendons, organs, bones or skin can cause it. If nociceptive pain lasts for months, you could have arthritis. Both illnesses and injuries may trigger this discomfort by damaging body tissue.
Psychogenic
Your mind has the capability to create or magnify unpleasant sensations. This might happen if you feel stressed, frightened or depressed. The discomfort often affects a patient’s head, but it can also trigger stomach and muscle aches. Some doctors treat psychogenic conditions by combining pain relievers and antidepressants.
If you suffer from any kind of discomfort, turn to the medical experts at Advanced Pain Care. Our skillful physicians use a range of modern techniques to treat patients in central and northern Texas. We offer injections, physical therapy, surgery and much more. Our clinics have helped Texans for more than 15 years, and we received the Better Business Bureau’s highest score. Please contact APC to set up an appointment.
