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There
are generally two types of pain, Acute Pain and Chronic
Pain. Understanding the type of pain you have will help
your doctors and nurses provide the best treatment to relieve
your pain.
Acute
Pain
Acute
pain is temporary. It may last from a few seconds to several
months. It usually goes away as normal healing occurs. Pain
due to an injury or pain during childbirth are examples
of acute pain.
Pain
after a surgical procedure is also acute pain. This type
of pain is called post-operative pain. Pain after surgery
is not something you have to just "put up with."
Your doctors and nurses want you to be comfortable after
surgery. They will ask you questions about where you feel
the pain, how long it lasts and what causes the pain to
increase or decrease. They might ask you to rate the pain
using a number or picture scale.
Controlling
your pain after surgery is important to your recovery. With
less pain you can start walking sooner, do your breathing
exercises easier, and may even leave the hospital earlier.
Patients whose pain is well controlled after surgery may
avoid some complications, such as pneumonia and blood clots.
There
are different methods and treatment options for relieving
your pain. Click here
to learn about specific post-surgical pain relief options.
Make sure to talk with your doctors and nurses to get the
method that will work best for you.
Chronic
Pain
Chronic
pain lasts long beyond the time of normal healing. Chronic
pain may be the result of an injury that did not heal properly
or may be due to other reasons such as nerve damage, cancer
or arthritis. In some cases, the exact cause may not be
known. The pain may be constant, lasting six months or longer
or it may even come and go for months or years. Neck pain,
lower back pain and migraine headaches are examples of chronic
pain.
Chronic
pain affects many people. It is one of the major reasons
for disability in the United States. Chronic pain can make
it difficult or even impossible for you to lead a normal
lifestyle. Pain interferes with many aspects of your life
- physical, psychological, social and occupational. Dealing
with chronic pain may make you feel depressed and it could
change your sleeping or eating habits. There are a variety
of treatment options and resources available for people
with chronic pain.
(For
more information about chronic pain, please visit the American
Chronic Pain Association at www.theacpa.org)
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To
understand different types of pain, click here.