What Is Chronic Pain?
Chronic pain is defined as pain that lasts more than 12 weeks. Unlike acute pain, which is temporary, chronic pain can persist for many months or even years. When chronic pain occurs, the brain continues to send pain signals even after an injury has healed. This pain can affect different parts of the body and arise from various causes. Accurate diagnosis of the root cause is crucial for effective treatment. Healthcare professionals typically take a detailed pain history and may order tests to determine an accurate diagnosis and create an effective treatment plan.
Causes of Chronic Pain
-
Back Pain: About 80% of adults experience chronic back pain, usually in the lower back. It can result from injuries, osteoarthritis, arthritis, and normal wear-and-tear. Common causes include compression fractures, bulging discs, soft tissue damage, spinal stenosis, and structural deformities.
-
Headaches: Over 90% of adults report a history of headaches. Chronic headaches occur for at least two weeks a month over three consecutive months. Tension headaches are caused by stress, eye strain headaches result from strained ocular muscles, migraines are triggered by the nervous system, and cluster headaches are due to the enlargement of blood vessels.
-
Joint Pain: A leading type of chronic pain, often due to advancing age, infection, or injury. Osteoarthritis typically affects the elderly, impacting larger joints. Rheumatoid arthritis causes swelling in joint spaces. Tendinitis results from inflammation of joint tendons, and repetitive motion injuries are common in athletes, leading to chronic joint pain.
-
Nerve Pain: Chronic nerve pain occurs when nerves are damaged, compressed, or lose their myelin sheath. Conditions like sciatica, carpal tunnel syndrome, postherpetic neuralgia, and diabetic neuropathy can cause chronic nerve pain.
How Physical Therapy Helps Chronic Pain
At FYZICAL Geneva, our expert physical therapists are dedicated to helping you manage chronic pain and improve your quality of life. Here's how physical therapy can help:
-
Individualized Treatment Program: Our physical therapists evaluate your clinical examination and create a personalized treatment plan targeting the root cause of your pain.
-
Flexibility and Strengthening Exercises: Engaging in specific exercises can enhance mobility and reduce discomfort.
-
Graded Exercise Program: This program helps train your brain to manage pain by focusing on the problem area.
-
Manual Therapy: Gentle hands-on techniques are used to move soft tissues and joint structures, reducing pain and increasing movement.
-
Body Mechanics and Posture Instruction: Learn how to use your body efficiently to reduce pain and improve function during daily activities.
-
Therapeutic Modalities: Techniques such as heat, ice, and electrical stimulation may be used to alleviate chronic pain.
Are you suffering from chronic pain? Contact FYZICAL Geneva today to schedule a consultation. We’ve helped many others manage their chronic pain and can help you, too.