What is chronic pain and how to treat chronic pain?

What is chronic pain?

Pain is a warning from the body that something is wrong. Pain can be acute or chronic:

1. Acute pain usually has a clear cause, for example, an injury or infection. After a while of rest and a treatment of the cause this pain again.
2. Pain is chronic if he lasts longer than six months. For some doctors draw the line at three to four months. Chronic pain may have an obvious cause, such as a disease such as cancer or rheumatism.
3. Some people have chronic pain without an obvious cause for. This is called a pain disorder. The pain has no warning function, but is more than a disease in itself. An example of a pain disorder fibromyalgia.

Painkillers, morphine, a nerve block or a nerve stimulation are ways to the pain.

In addition to medications help sometimes physical therapy or exercise therapy in chronic pain. Pain may also come through a cramped or awkward postures. Sports, especially swimming, helps relieve pain.

Most hospitals have a special pain treatment clinic.

Chronic pain treatment

The doctor can treat chronic pain:

1. medications;
2. a nerve block;
3. a nerve stimulation (TENS).

Medicines for pain work locally or affect the entire body.

1. Locally acting drugs gives doctors with an injection or cream.
2. Painkillers that work the entire body include acetaminophen, aspirin and NSAIDs (anti-inflammatory painkillers).
3. Help these painkillers are not enough, your doctor may prescribe strong painkillers, opiates. An example of an opiate is morphine. Opioids have many side effects, such as drowsiness, nausea, dizziness and constipation.
4. There are also medicines that make you feel the pain less intense. These include sedatives and antidepressants. The doctor will prescribe these medications are not as common because of side effects. Sleeping pills are also addictive.

Help the drugs do not, then the doctor tries to treat chronic pain with a nerve block or with a nerve stimulation (TENS). Both treatments ensure that no nerve pain can pass through to the brains.
Unfortunately, not all treat pain properly. This applies especially to the pain that occurs in the nervous system itself (neuropathic pain).

Supportive treatments for chronic pain

In chronic pain sometimes helps a paramedical treatment, such as physical therapy or exercise therapy (Cesar therapy or Mensendieck therapy). A cramped and awkward postures costs a lot of energy and can maintain the pain. Also relaxation exercises can help.
A better physical condition may also have a beneficial effect. Sports, especially swimming, is a good support of the treatment.

Psychological treatments such as psychotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy and Hypnotherapy sometimes also reduce the pain.