Most pain goes away post an injury heals or sickness has run its course. However, discomfort from chronic pain syndrome (CPS)can continue for months or even years after the body has healed.
Chronic pain gets defined as discomfort that lasts 3 to 6 months and affects 25 million Americans, as per the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health Trusted Source.
Let’s get into depth and understand more about CPS.
What is chronic pain syndrome?
Pain is your body's normal response to an accident or illness, and it serves as a warning signal that something is wrong. Your pain starts going away as your body starts healing and becoming whole again.
Many people, however, have discomfort long after the source has vanished. Pain that lasts three to six months or longer is chronic. When you're in pain daily, it can affect your emotional and physical health.
About a quarter of people suffering from chronic pain eventually develop CPS.
Treatment for CPS is challenging but not impossible. Counseling, physical therapy, and relaxation techniques are just a few of the therapies that might help you manage your pain and other symptoms.
Because of its convoluted natural history, unknown origin, and poor response to therapy, pain syndrome is a widespread illness that poses a significant challenge to healthcare practitioners. So, there’s no clear Chronic pain syndrome definition.
Most doctors consider chronic pain lasting longer than six months to be diagnostic, while others consider three months the bare minimum. The duration parameter is utilized randomly in chronic pain.
According to some experts, chronic pain is discomfort that lasts longer than the reasonably expected healing time for the tissues involved.
Chronic pain syndrome causes
Pain syndrome is frequently associated with conditions that produce extensive and long-lasting pain. These are some of the conditions:
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Back pain
Discomfort might get caused by muscle strains, nerve compression, or spinal arthritis (spinal stenosis).
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Osteoarthritis
The protective cartilage between bones wears away due to natural wear and tear on the body, resulting in this type of arthritis.
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Fibromyalgia
This neurological condition causes pain and soreness all over the body (known as trigger points).
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Inflammatory bowel disease
This condition causes the digestive tract chronic inflammation, resulting in intestinal pain and cramping.
Even if these disorders improve (due to medications or therapy), some people may still have chronic pain. The most prevalent cause of this type of pain is a breakdown in communication between the brain and the nervous system. (For unknown reasons, some people can experience this form of discomfort without any established triggers.)
Chronic pain can alter the behavior of neurons (brain cells that transmit and interpret sensory information), rendering them susceptible to pain signals. According to the Arthritis Foundation, 20% of patients with osteoarthritis who have their knees replaced (and thus have no further painful joint difficulties) nonetheless have chronic pain.
Risk factors
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Those who are depressed
Experts aren't sure why, but one thought is that depression alters how the brain receives and interprets nerve impulses.
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Those who smoke
There are no definitive answers yet, but experts are investigating why smoking exacerbates arthritis, fibromyalgia, and other chronic pain conditions. According to the Cleveland Clinic, smokers account for half of all people seeking pain assistance.
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Those who are fat
According to studies, half of the patients seeking obesity therapy have mild to severe pain. Experts aren't clear if this is because of the stress that extra weight places on the body or the complicated way obesity interacts with the body's hormones and metabolism.
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Those who are older than 65
Chronic pain is typically seen in people older than 65; as a person grows older, they become more susceptible to a variety of factors that causes chronic pain.
To Conclude:
Some aches and pains are to be expected, especially if you've just had surgery, an illness, or an injury. If the pain is severe, does not go away, or prevents you from conducting your daily activities, you should see a doctor. There's a good possibility you're dealing with chronic pain syndrome.