Not all pain is alike.
We've all experienced pain at one time or another. Sharp, dull, quick, recurring. However you describe it, pain fits into one of 2 categories - acute or chronic. Acute pain is pain that hits you suddenly - after falling down or lifting something too heavy, or pain following surgery, for example. Acute pain comes on quickly and often leaves just as quickly. But chronic pain is different.
Are you suffering from chronic pain?
According to the American Chronic Pain Association, chronic pain is pain that continues a
month or more beyond the usual recovery period for an injury or illness, or that goes on for
months or years due to a chronic condition. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH),
pain signals keep firing in the nervous system for weeks, months, even years.
There may have been an initial mishap - an accident or serious infection - or there may be an
identifiable ongoing cause of pain - arthritis or cancer. But you may suffer chronic pain in the
absence of any past injury or evidence of body damage. And you live with it. Day in and day out.
Perhaps working extra hard to get out of bed each morning. And struggling to do all the little
things - like tying your shoes, climbing the stairs or lifting your child or grandchild.
Some chronic pain statistics:
- Over 50 million Americans suffer with chronic pain.
- According to a 2006 telephone survey conducted by Harris Interactive, the cost of lost wages translated to $1.1 billion due to employees with chronic pain calling in sick because of any pain-related condition.
- According to a 2006 survey of those who responded, nearly half of employees with chronic pain (46%) said their pain affected their ability to do their job.
- Well over 700 million work days are estimated to be lost in the US each year as a result of chronic pain. View a 2006 study on pain in the workplace.
Pain: A Hidden Sleep Thief
You may not even realize it, but the chronic pain that interferes with your life during
the day may also be affecting your sleep at night.
A National Sleep Foundation poll has found that 20% of American adults (42 million people)
have pain or physical discomfort that disrupts their sleep a few nights a week or more. It
is estimated that more than half of persistent pain sufferers have trouble falling asleep
and staying asleep.
Lack of sleep can leave you feeling unrefreshed and low on energy. More importantly, it can
also put you at risk for injury, poor health, and accidents.
Types of Chronic Pain
The best way to find relief of chronic pain is to first understand what it is you're experiencing.
So be sure to
create a pain profile and
talk to your doctor. There are several types of chronic pain.
Learn a little more about some of them here.
Chronic Osteoarthritis Pain
Chronic Back Pain
Fibromyalgia Pain
Myofascial Pain
Neuropathic Pain
