The International Association for the Study of Pain (IASO) defines pain as an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage.
Pain is not just a physical sensation. It is influenced by attitudes, beliefs, personality and social factors and can affect emotional and mental wellbeing. Although two people may have the same pain condition, their experience of living with pain can be vastly different. There are three main categories: acute, chronic and cancer pain.
Lasts for a short time and occurs following surgery or trauma or other conditions. It acts as a warning to the body to seek help. Although it improves as the body heals, in some cases it may not.
Lasts beyond the time expected for healing following surgery, trauma or other conditions. It can also exist without reason. Although chronic pain can be a symptom of other disease it can also be a disease in its own right, characterised by changes within the central nervous system.
This can occur in patients with early stage and advanced disease, and in cancer survivors as a severe and debilitating side-effect of treatment.
Living with chronic pain can cause suffering. When pain persists after the injury or pathology has healed it can be difficult and when medical science cannot identify the cause of pain, often pharmaceuticals, such as analgesics, antidepressants and anticonvulsants are prescribed to relieve the suffering. But hey, physical therapies and exercise are also recommended and can help to relieve your symptoms naturally. We can help to reduce pain, improve posture, movement, range of motion and function.