Have you ever experienced swelling and inflammation in your joints for a long time? You may have felt a constant pain that drains your energy all day. It affected your mental stability and led to depression and anxiety.
What did you do if you answered yes to these questions?
Don’t worry. You’re not the only one who tries to relax every time they feel pain in their body. According to the American Academy of Pain Medicine, more than 1,5 billion people in the world suffer from chronic pain. Nearly 100 million Americans suffer from chronic pain.
The National Institute suggests that if you don’t treat it, your strength and stamina will continue to decrease over time. It can affect your mental development and increase your stress levels.
This article will help you to identify the causes of chronic discomfort and how you can manage it.
What is chronic pain?
Chronic pain is defined as any pain lasting at least 12 weeks, and can last for up to six months. Healthline says that chronic pain is pain that occurs on top of the original condition. The pain can worsen and occur intermittently prolonging healing.
Chronic pain can be a nightmare for anyone, even you. According to the American Academy of Pain Medicine, more than 1,5 billion people suffer from chronic pain around the globe. This affects about 100 million Americans with long-term disabilities.
In reality, you are hoping to eliminate the pain’s underlying cause. The chronic pain persists even after healing, and there is no obvious biological cause.
There are many types of chronic pain you can experience, such as headaches, lower back pains, cancer pains, arthritis pains, nerve pains, postsurgical or psychogenic pain.
Untreated chronic pain can lead to poor sleep, depression and anxiety, as well as guilt, suicidal ideas, or a loss of interest in sexual activity. Chronic pain can even cause your death.
Chronic pain requires pain management, which includes identifying the source of the pain, preventing it, and treating it through alternative healing and regenerative treatments.
Causes of Chronic Pain
Medical explanations for chronic pain can be varied. Researchers have suggested that chronic pain can develop after nerve pain. Some researchers have argued that chronic back pain can be caused by a severe injury or a strained muscle.
Not all chronic pain cases are the result of a previous injury. The pain may be unfounded at some point and the treatment will not work by treating the injury directly.
Don’t worry. You won’t find it as complicated as you thought. Natural Med Doc explains the causes of chronic back pain.
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
CFS is a condition that causes extreme fatigue and tiredness, which cannot be alleviated by bed rest. CFS is a medical condition that’s difficult to diagnose. There are no specific tests. Instead, your doctor will conduct a cross examination in order to determine the diagnosis.
CFS’s cause is unknown today. Recent research has theorized a virus, weakened immunity system, stress and hormonal imbalances as the main factors of CFS.
CFS symptoms can severely affect your daily life. Its symptoms can affect your sleep pattern, your mental muscle, and your physical sanity.
Fibromyalgia
You may have seen how Lady Gaga’s chronic pain ruined her life. This chronic long-term condition causes extreme musculoskeletal and fatigue pain. It can also cause sleep and cognitive problems.
Fibromyalgia, a chronic condition that is difficult to treat, is one of those conditions. Fibromyalgia is characterized by a combination other chronic pains that can be difficult to treat.
PubMed Central states that fibromyalgia is caused by the brain and the nerves misinterpreting normal pain signals. It may also be caused by a chemical balance in the brain’s dorsal ganglion that affects pain perception.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Chronic pain can affect your digestive system, affecting the normal breakdown of food and extracting nutrients. It may also cause you to have difficulty excreting waste and toxins from your body. IBD is a form of inflammatory bowel disorder.
The healthcare providers have identified Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis as the two major types of IBD. Crohn’s is an inflamed portion of the small intestinal tail. The inflammation of the large intestinal tract is the cause of ulcerative colitis.
The symptoms of IBD can interfere with daily life. You may experience diarrhea, bleeding, ulcers, abdominal pain, anemia, and weight loss. IBD can also ruin your mental health through skin disorders, eye inflammation and arthritis.
Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMJD),
The Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) connects your lower jaw to your skull. This region of the head allows you open and close your jaw, which is helpful for eating and speaking.
According to WebMD, TMJD can be caused by a number of factors, including TMJD itself, arthritis, structural problems with the jaw, poor nutrition, stress for a long time, lack of sleep and erosion of joint.
TMJ is a condition that causes a recurring pain in one area. The pain may be felt on the face, neck or jaw muscles. It can also cause locking of the mouth, clicking or popping.
PRO TIP – 3A’s for Chronic Pain
Natural pain management treatments are available to treat chronic pain. You do not have to spend thousands on surgery. Here are some practical tips that most pain clinics recommend:
#1 Do not Stress You will be spared the pain. Your essential obligations may weigh you down. Take the time to breathe, relax and meditate. Maintain your equilibrium despite your busy schedule. Make time for you. You can also increase your awareness of yourself and the environment.
#2 Use alternative medicine. Examples include reiki, acupuncture, and therapeutic touch. Over-the-counter medications are a major contributor to chronic pain. Alternative medicines are a form of “mind over matter” medicine.
Address your anxiety and Depression. You’re not alone. Pain clinics should be your last option to continue on your journey. Address anxiety and depression as soon as you can. If you hide your issues, it can worsen chronic pain.
Key Takeaways
Chronic pain can be a nightmare for anyone, even you. Around the world, more than 1.5 billion sufferers of chronic pain. About 100 million Americans are affected by long-term disability.
Common types include headaches and lower back pains. In the worst cases it can manifest as cancer pain, nerve pain or postsurgical pain.
Remember that chronic pain can be caused by two things: physical injury or unfounded biological causes. Here are some of the main causes of chronic pain.
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
- Fibromyalgia;
- Inflammatory Bowel Diseases
- Temporomandibular joint Dysfunction (TMJD)
Follow these 3As to avoid chronic pain:
- Avoid Stress
- Alternative medicines are available
- Take action to combat your depression and anxiety.