Author Mel Pohl
Chronic pain is experienced differently by each individual; however, everyone in chronic pain shares a common interest. We deal with pain and search for relief. Chronic pain can begin to affect anyone at anytime. We define chronic pain as pain that lasts longer than 6 months. Acute pain goes away, but chronic pain doesn’t.
Common causes of chronic pain are nerve damage, disc disease, arthritis, burns, pelvic infections, scarring, or cancer pain. Chronic pain can be caused by chemotherapy, infections, bursitis, multiple sclerosis, whiplash, and many other causes. The pain is real and often misunderstood. You know what pain is like and you know it is real. Science is slowly finding ways to quantify the pain we feel, but physicians often are left with only a patient’s description of his or her pain without the aid of scientific tests to provide information about how much pain you are feeling. Doctors and families are often at a loss in assessing pain and helping with the process. The doctor is responsible for determining the best appropriate treatment for each individual. Treatments can include painkillers, steroids, exercise, physical therapy, and others.
Chronic pain affects lives in so many ways. Perhaps you can’t walk or move around like you used to. Maybe you can’t get restful sleep. Ask yourself how chronic pain has affected your life. Pain can be described using many terms. Think about how you feel chronic pain and how you would describe it.
Chronic pain costs our society millions of dollars each year. And there is immeasurable damage done to individuals and families caused by ongoing suffering. There seems to be no ultimate solution or magic pill to cure your pain, but there are options. You can find relief. There is hope. Keep in mind that the pain you feel is often affected by your emotional state or mood. Often depression is linked to chronic pain. Your perception of pain is valid for you “it’s your experience“ but how you respond to your pain may actually make it worse! What chronic pain do you experience and what are some ways in which you deal with chronic pain? What advice would you have for others struggling to cope with chronic pain?
Wishing you a day without pain,
Mel
This blog post was written by Mel Pohl, MD, FASAM, author of the book, A Day Without Pain (Revised)
