What Is Chronic Pain Care
Pain is a signal in your body that tells you something may be wrong, like a cut or broken bone. It can feel sharp or dull, and it can happen in just one place on your body or all over it. Most of the time, pain goes away when whatever caused it heals. But sometimes the pain keeps coming back – a condition called chronic pain.
There are many treatments for Chronic Pain Care. Some are drugs, such as pain relievers; others are non-drug treatments, such as acupuncture and physical therapy. Counseling – talk therapy or cognitive-behavioral therapy – helps people think differently about their pain and learn ways to cope. Physical activity, good nutrition and adequate sleep also help. Some people find relief from meditation or breathing exercises to manage stress and pain. And some people use biofeedback to learn how to control their heart rate, breath and muscle tension.
What Is Chronic Pain Care?
Chronic pain care is the management of persistent, recurrent or uncontrolled pain lasting longer than three months. It can be in the head, neck or body and is often due to a health problem such as fibromyalgia, arthritis or migraines. Other causes of chronic pain include surgery that doesn’t heal correctly, an injury from work or a car accident or an illness such as cancer.
People of all ages can get chronic pain. But older adults are more likely to have chronic pain, especially women. This is probably because they have more health problems and they are more likely to take medication for those conditions. Chronic pain can be very difficult to live with because it interferes with daily activities, such as work and taking care of children or other family members.
It can also make you tired, irritable or depressed and affect your ability to concentrate. Some people can develop anxiety, which makes the pain worse. And some people are at higher risk for having chronic pain, such as having a job that involves physical labor or being a smoker.
The goal of chronic pain treatment is to reduce or prevent your pain from getting worse and interfering with your day-to-day life. It can involve many types of medicine, including opioids, as well as other types of medications, such as antidepressants and anti-seizure medicines. It can also include therapies such as physical and occupational therapy.
It’s important to keep in mind that it’s not just the pain itself that matters – it’s how you deal with that pain that’s really important. Managing the emotional and psychological aspects of pain can actually reduce its intensity and frequency. Psychologists are experts in helping people deal with pain. They can work with you individually in a private practice or as part of your health care team in a clinical setting. They can help you improve your coping skills, develop a healthier lifestyle and work with other parts of your healthcare team to manage your pain.