Pain management refers to the efforts made to allow
those people living with chronic pain to feel less pain while still maintaining
an active and productive life. In most cases this involves a combination of
medications and physical or occupational therapy.
What are The Symptoms of Chronic Pain?
A person is said to have chronic pain if they live with
pain on a daily basis and there is no long term, permanent solution available.
The symptoms are dependent on the area of the body that the pain is located in
but may include:
Constant pain in varying intensities
Pain that is not constant but flares up on a regular and frequent basis
Changes in lifestyle, work life or activity due to the pain
Loss of income due to pain
Loss of interest in activities, friends or family due to pain.
What Are the Causes of Chronic Pain?
Chronic pain may be caused by internal or external factors. Some causes include:
Injury, particularly those that do not heal properly
Cancerous or other tumors
Bone or joint deterioration
Blood flow problems
Dysfunction of the nervous system
Other Illness or Disease
Can Any Complications Arise If Left Untreated?
Whether or not there are complications due to untreated
chronic pain depends on the causes of the pain and how disabling it is. If the
pain is due to disease or illness, without treatment the problem is likely to
get worse with the pain getting worse and other complications arising.
Even if the severity of the pain does not get worse,
chronic pain that is not treated can cause negative lifestyle changes, loss of
income, isolation and depression.
