According to a recent news article by Rachel Noble Benner, a mental health counselor, chronic pain is defined as pain that lasts longer than three months. It affects more than 100 million sufferers in the United States alone, and for those who suffer from chronic pain caused by an illness or injury it may seem as if there is no end in sight to their misery.

Chronic pain is not merely one symptom or a limited experience like acute pain; it is usually accompanied by depression, fatigue, changes in appetite and trouble sleeping. It can hold sufferers back from wanting to socialize with family and friends, and it reduces their quality-of-life.

Chronic pain requires treatment by physicians using a holistic approach in order to relieve symptoms. Physical therapists should be able to reactivate injured muscles and retune a hyper-excited nervous system; exercise will help recover a patient’s nervous system by re-teaching nerves the difference between normal and harmful sensations, and counseling on a regular basis should help establish strengths, manage depression and anxiety, and develop relaxation techniques.

 

Original post in the Washington Post by Rachel Noble Benner

Reposted in News & Observer 1/20/15 https://bit.ly/1J3vquV