Chronic Pain and Its Impact on Quality of Life

Chronic pain causes untold suffering to thousands of people yearly, but what exactly is chronic pain? Who suffers from it? What sort of relief can they expect to get? Let’s see what the facts are.

What Is Chronic Pain?

The term chronic pain might seem self-explanatory to some. It can even be a bit of an obtuse term to others. Chronic pain is a persistent, ongoing pain lasting more than three months.

People who suffer from chronic pain often have trouble sleeping, experience mood swings, have trouble concentrating on tasks, and have difficulty performing daily activities. There are many ways chronic pain can impact your life.

However, many conditions can cause the development of chronic pain.

Conditions that Cause Chronic

Chronic pain may occur after an acute illness or injury, such as a back injury or surgery. It may also result from various medical conditions, which we will examine shortly. But it’s essential to note that it’s not always clear what causes pain at times

Some of the most common causes of chronic pain include:

Surgical pain
Wrist pain or carpal tunnel syndrome
Foot and ankle pain
Migraine headaches
Arthritis pain
Fibromyalgia
Abdominal pain
Sciatica and neuropathy
Back and neck pain
Undiagnosed conditions

How Can Chronic Pain Impact Your Life?

Chronic pain is more than just a physical sensation. It’s a condition that impacts your life in many ways. And it can be hard to know when you’re hurting yourself by trying too hard to cope.

Chronic pain can be an overwhelming experience, but what is the overall impact on your quality of life?

Physical Health

When you live with chronic pain, the impact on your physical health is significant. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes that chronic pain is a significant public health problem in the United States that affects more than 20 million adults yearly. Living with chronic pain is no easy feat.

Pain is a complex experience that can lead to changes in sleep patterns, eating habits, energy levels, and other factors affecting your overall health.

Mental Health

People with chronic pain can develop a wide range of mental health problems. Some of these problems directly result from chronic pain, but others are caused by how people deal with it.

Some of the most common mental health disorders that can potentially manifest as a result of an unmanaged chronic pain condition include

Anxiety Disorder
Depression
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Relationships

Pain is a subjective experience, but it has a real impact on lives. It can affect your relationships with other people, including close loved ones.

Finances

Chronic pain conditions can be costly to treat. Medical expenses, such as physical therapy and medications, can easily reach thousands of dollars each year. The cost of chronic pain can vary from person to person, depending on factors like how long you’ve had your condition and the severity of the pain.

Work-Life

Chronic pain can affect your ability to work because of the pain itself or because of the treatment you need for it. If you’re not able to do your job because of a chronic pain condition, your employer may be legally required to make reasonable adjustments so that you can continue working.

Get Professional Help for Chronic Pain

Chronic pain is a significant public health problem associated with high levels of disability and pain-related distress and costs billions of dollars to society each year.

Chronic pain management often requires a multi-pronged approach to achieve maximum long-term results. Luckily, our qualified and experienced team of healthcare and medical professionals at Pain Therapy Associates is equipped and empowered to diagnose and effectively treat all chronic pain conditions via a wide range of procedures, therapies, and treatments.Reach out to us today to schedule your consultation and first treatment session.

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Pain Therapy Associates

3200 W Higgins Suite 101, Hoffman Estates, IL 60169

847-352-5511

847-352-5585 (fax)

info@painhelp.com

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