Understanding Chronic Pain

Pain is called "chronic" when it lasts over a long period of time. This includes pain that you feel regularly, even if it comes and goes. Chronic pain may be due to chronic stimulus from an ongoing injury or health problem. Common causes of chronic stimulus include joint degeneration (arthritis), back injury, nervous system damage (neuropathic pain), and headaches. But chronic pain is not always a signal of harm to your body. Problems with the pain-control system may lead to a chronic pain syndrome such as fibromyalgia.

Chronic Stimulus

In some cases, chronic pain is caused by an ongoing health problem, such as arthritis, back injury, or endometriosis. With this type of chronic pain, both the pain and the condition that is causing it must be treated.

Chronic Pain Syndrome

Sometimes pain persists when no cause can be found. This may occur because the brain can't produce enough endorphins to shut the "pain gates." In some cases, pain signals continue after an injury has healed. In others, increased pain sensitivity makes even minor injuries very painful.