Chronic Pain Management

Chronic Pain Management

What Causes Chronic Pain?

Disorders and Conditions

Chronic pain is a complex and debilitating condition that affects millions of people worldwide. When looking at what causes chronic pain, we will never be able to blame it on one thing or one root cause, as pain itself is complex and dependent on multiple factors. Therefore, it’s important, when looking at conditions associated with chronic pain, that we consider all the biological, psychological, and social factors involved.

 

While the list for diagnoses that fall under chronic pain grows exponentially every year, the ones that appear to be the most common include:

  • Arthritis (including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and many more)
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Chronic fatigue syndrome
  • Polymyalgia rheumatica
  • Multiple sclerosis
  • Chronic back pain
  • Mild traumatic brain injuries/concussion
  • Headaches/migraines
  • Neuropathy
  • Chronic pain syndrome
  • Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS)
  • Functional neurologic disorder (FND)
  • Post cancer pain
  • Post stroke pain 

Injuries

Injuries have the potential to start the processes that are related with the development of chronic pain, especially those that are the result of traumatic accidents (car accidents, high force sports injuries, etc). Managing chronic pain due to injuries can be very challenging as pain and damage are never correlated well. What this means is that pain may persist despite the fact that the injury was treated and healed effectively. 

 

Additionally, it’s important to acknowledge other psychosocial stressors that are impacting one’s condition. Individuals who sustain traumatic injuries often face emotional distress and increased frustration, especially if the injury prevents them from returning to their sport or work. This can lead to other symptoms, such as anxiety, depression, fatigue, on top of all the other physical manifestations of the original injury. 

Understanding and addressing these factors is crucial to developing effective treatment for chronic pain that can help individuals recover and regain their quality of life.

Can Pain Be All in Your Head?

Absolutely NOT. There is no such thing as psychosomatic pain! Pain is never all in your head no matter what anyone tells you. People who struggle with chronic pain are often stigmatized in the healthcare industry and are told that the pain is all in their head, which could not be further from the truth. In reality, this stigmatization of individuals with chronic pain has only resulted in worsening symptoms for many individuals who are already currently struggling. 

When looking at the definition of pain, the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) defines pain as “an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with, or resembling that associated with, actual or potential tissue damage.” 

While you will find a number of different organizations and healthcare providers defining different types of pain, the IASP only recognizes three distinct types of pain: 

  • Nociceptive pain: Pain that arises from actual or threatened damage to tissues that is detected by specific sensors called “nociceptors.” This type of pain is related to physical and chemical injuries such as stepping on a nail, burns, or breaking a bone.
  • Neuropathic pain: Pain related to clear structural and physiologic changes of a nerve. This type of pain is typically labeled as “nerve pain” such as neuropathy or nerve root pain (also known as radiculopathy, with sciatica being the most common form).
  • Nociplastic pain: Pain that arises despite no clear evidence of actual or threatened tissue damage. It is related to complex interactions of the nervous system (specifically those related to nociception), the immune system, and the endocrine system. Examples of nociplastic pain include complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), fibromyalgia, and osteoarthritis pain.

It’s important to acknowledge that when you experience pain, it’s always 100% real and can only be felt by you. No matter how many images or tests show that there may not be anything inherently wrong, it does not mean your pain is all in your head. It just means we must account for all the various biological, psychological, and social factors influencing the three mechanisms above. 

Our Chronic Pain Treatment Program

At DMR Move, we do our best to provide hope to the hopeless. A majority of our clients are individuals who have tried numerous other interventions or rehab clinics with limited success. Our chronic pain program is designed to teach you practical skills that are responsible for REAL change for people who are struggling.

Our chronic pain program has proven results to help move you towards a more meaningful and fulfilling life. By using the world-renowned Human Rehabilitation Framework (HRF™), one of our highly qualified chronic pain treatment specialists will complete a thorough, personalized evaluation that goes over your full history, your physical exam, a movement exam, and learns about the unique interconnected factors that make you, YOU. From there, they will help you to develop a comprehensive plan to move forward. This plan includes:

  • Creating a functional diagnosis
  • Measuring progress
  • Building skills and strategies that are specifically targeted to your unique needs
  • Ensuring that your process and journey are meaningful and fulfilling

Most of our clients have seen at least 6 other healthcare providers with little improvement or worsening function before coming to us. On average, our clients demonstrate 25–50% improvements in their personalized, quality of life measures in just 7 visits!

Find Chronic Pain Relief at DMR Move

If you have been struggling with chronic pain and are looking for an approach that can help you learn to work with your symptoms and improve your quality of life, we encourage you to contact us today. Our entire mission is built on inspiring hope and promoting growth in your life. Schedule an appointment with DMR Move, and learn more about how we can help you on your path to recovery.

Frequently Asked Questions

When Is Pain Considered Chronic?

According to the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP), chronic pain is defined as pain that persists beyond 3–6 months. It’s important to recognize that there is no gold standard test or image to diagnose you with chronic pain and ultimately is dependent on the individual experiencing symptoms. Pain is always 100% real and 100% subjective to the individual who is experiencing it, meaning that no one else can tell you how much pain you are in. 

How Common Is Chronic Pain?

Chronic pain is a significant public health problem that affects millions of people worldwide. According to the IASP, chronic pain affects approximately 20% of the adult population globally with estimates of roughly 25 million people in the US alone.

Does Chronic Pain Raise Blood Pressure

Struggling with chronic pain is a very exhausting and debilitating condition. People who are faced with these symptoms often experience neurological, endocrine, and immune changes that tend to affect overall heart rate, blood pressure, and fatigue levels. While it may seem that the list of diagnoses can grow when living with chronic pain, our movement and pain specialists at DMR Move can help you make sense of your symptoms by addressing all the various interconnected factors that make you, YOU! 

How Does Chronic Pain Affect Daily Life?

Chronic pain can impact daily life both physically and mentally. Many individuals who are diagnosed with chronic pain also experience symptoms such as fatigue, loss of motivation, anxiety, increased fear, and depression. These symptoms together have been known to take a toll on individuals making it much more difficult to get through a normal day. 

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