Pain, whether physical or emotional, chronic, or acute, it is something we have all felt at one point in time. Pain is defined as an unpleasant or uncomfortable experience. Typically, the presence of pain is our body’s way of telling us that something is wrong. There are many different causes of pain, common causes include headaches, cramps, cuts, bone fractures etc. Classifying and identifying the different types of pain you are experiencing is incredibly important to both you and your health care physician. This is
because different types of pain call for different types of treatments.
A major distinction of pain is chronic vs. acute pain. Acute pain typically only lasts up to three months. It is usually treatable with over the counter medications such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen, or alternative treatments. However, if acute pain is not treated and an underlying cause is not found it can progress into chronic pain. Chronic pain lasts more than three months, generally it is somewhat resistant to medical intervention. Some common illnesses associated with chronic pain included
osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, and chronic migraines. Although both acute and chronic pain can affect your state of mind, the nature of chronic pain can make a person more susceptible to depression and anxiety.
