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Pain that continues for weeks, months or even years is called chronic pain.

Sometimes, when people have chronic pain they don't know what is causing it. Along with discomfort, chronic pain can cause low self-esteem, depression and anger, and it can interfere with your daily activities and sleep. Sometimes chronic pain is due to an ongoing cause, such as cancer or arthritis. Sometimes the cause is unknown.

What treatments are available?

There are many ways to treat pain. Treatment varies depending on the cause of pain. Pain relievers, acupuncture and sometimes surgery are helpful. Biofeedback and relaxation techniques can be used effectively. IPMR has a clinical psychologist specially trained to address the issues of chronic pain, or a referral can be made to other psychologists who are qualified in this area.

Several types of therapy can help ease pain. Physical therapy (such as stretching and strengthening activities) and low-impact exercise (such as walking, swimming or biking) can help reduce the pain. However, exercising too much or not at all can hurt chronic pain patients. Occupational therapy teaches you how to pace yourself and how to do ordinary tasks differently so you won't hurt yourself.

Most pain treatments will not take away all of your pain. Instead, treatment should reduce how much pain you have and how often it occurs.

See also: Depression, Arthritis, Fibromyalgia, Osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Back Pain, Bursitis Source: U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health