Living With Chronic Pain
I live with chronic pain
Coralie Wales, President, Chronic Pain Switzerland
Many people think that chronic pain means extreme pain. Well, this is not really what it means. Although chronic pain can be really extreme, it actually has to do with the duration of pain rather than the severity of pain.
We all understand ACUTE pain, this is the pain we grow up with. We hurt ourselves, experience pain, then heal and the pain goes away. That's "normal".
Chronic or persistent pain is pain that lasts for more than three months, or beyond normal healing time. It doesn't obey the same rules as acute pain. It is seen as somewhat of a mystery.
It can be a result of chronic illness, like arthritis or diabetes or it can be a result of traumatic injury that leaves lasting pain, such as after a motor vehicle accident, or sometimes it is called "medically unexplained" pain. This does not mean there is no physiological reason for the pain, it is just that it cannot be described or detected using current medical technologies like x-rays and CT scan.
The nervous system changes as pain continues. Researchers have shown that the nervous system can adapt to pain and make it worse. A phenomenon called Central Nervous System Sensitivity can actually worsen the experience of pain. Thoughts, feelings, and movements are important in that they can increase or decrease pain by exciting or inhibiting this process. This is because there are chemicals associated with thoughts, feelings and movements. Also making it worse is the progressive deterioration in fitness that occurs when normal activities are given up over time. Click here for more to help you understand how your pain works. (please go to the "explaining how the nervous system contributes to pain" page)
Because relieving persistent pain can be difficult, it can take time to get back to a fuller, more rewarding life. Managing persistent pain is about much more than just using medicine. By being actively involved in a multidisciplinary approach to managing your pain, you can help your recovery and improve the quality of your life and how you live it, even though your pain persists.
A multidisciplinary approach means you consult a number of health professionals, including your GP, and possibly a physiotherapist, pain specialist, social worker, nurse, occupational therapist pain specialist, rheumatologist, psychologist or rehabilitation counsellor to develop a range of strategies for you to use in managing your pain.
Whilst it is important to follow your healthcare professional's advice, you must also be knowledgeable about your own pain so that you can make intelligent decisions. Management strategies are always individualised, because pain varies so much from person to person. Someone with arthritis may do well with occasional use of an over-the-counter pain reliever, whereas someone else may need a prescription pain reliever and regular appropriate exercise to feel good. Someone with "medically unexplained pain" may find that paracetamol helps whereas other medicines don't etc.
Once pain persists your role in managing it becomes really important. Understanding that what you think, feel and do on a day-to-day basis will have an effect on your pain is a good way to start to take some control over your pain. Click here for more about self-management of chronic pain (link to self management page)
Many people find that talking to others is an important way for them to learn new skills and find the courage and inspiration to challenge their pain. For more information about joining a support group, go to the Support group page.