Three Signs You Are Experiencing Symptoms of Chronic Pain

Our expert team at Aether Medicine in Wayne, PA is devoted to offering you comprehensive treatments that target the root of your problem, not just the symptoms. To do so, we get to know you, both as a patient and as a person. We'll consider your needs, history, and lifestyle factors to devise a personalized plan with your best results in mind. So, reach out to us today to schedule a consultation with board-certified physical medicine and rehabilitation physician Dr. Asare Christian.

The nationwide impact of chronic pain

Chronic pain is long-lasting pain that has persisted for more than three months. And, according to survey data compiled by the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics, around as many as 50 million adults, or more than 20%, experience chronic pain.

This potentially exhausting condition can have many causes, including injuries, nerve damage, pain associated with diseases, musculoskeletal imbalances, and other anatomical issues. It can also manifest as psychogenic pain, which occurs with no apparent physical cause.

How chronic pain differs from acute pain

Acute pain subsists after a short while and goes away after recovery. But chronic pain lasts much longer and may persist long after the damage has healed, or it may occur with no apparent cause. It may come and go, become milder or more severe, or be constant. It can be either localized, affecting a specific area, or affect the entire body.

A number of unpleasant sensations can signify that you're experiencing the symptoms of chronic pain. These include:

• Muscular aches

• Pain in your joints

• A burning feeling

• A "squeezing" sensation

• Short, sharp, "shooting" pains

• Stiffness and other immobility

The following problems can lead to even more debilitating conditions that affect every facet of your life, including the following:

• Consistent, long-lasting fatigue and recurring pains and aches that keep you from being as active as you'd like

• As you become less active, you may experience reduced fitness in the form of less flexibility, physical and mental stamina, and a general loss of interest

• Sleeping problems that don't allow you to get the rest you need and deserve, leading to a cycle of increased tiredness, fatigue, and a feeling that you're "running on empty"

But we can help you correct and prevent these draining effects, so contact us at Aether Medicine in Wayne, PA to explore your treatment options with Dr. Christian.

Chronic pain symptoms combine to create the "triad," three all-encompassing signs that signal chronic pain

Together, these comprise the "terrible triad," an ongoing cycle of symptoms that piggyback on one another to keep sufferers suffering. The constant pain leads to physical, mental, and emotional fatigue. In turn, insomnia and unrest can leave individuals feeling even more devitalized. Over time, they may become weary, sad, anxious, and fearful that their condition may not improve, worsen, or that it will return after treatment.

And it has an immensely limiting impact on those dealing with chronic pain. It disrupts careers, as it makes it extremely difficult, if not impossible, for many to give their all in the workplace, at school, at home, and elsewhere.

It also keeps countless individuals from engaging in all the activities they once loved. And it negatively affects relationships, as many are too drained by their ordeal to enjoy time with their families and friends. The constant toll of chronic pain also has a devastating impact on mood and mentality. Sufferers find themselves no longer excited about things they love, less likely to go out and socialize, and more uninterested in maintaining or forming new relationships. Additionally, chronic pain can affect the brain's emotional center and is linked to depression and anxiety disorders.

Get in touch with us for a personalized treatment plan just for you

If you feel afflicted by this all-too-common condition, contact our experts today at Aether Medicine in Wayne, PA. We're devoted to your health and happiness. And we make every effort to help you again savor all the daily joys you experienced before the effects of chronic pain. The first step toward relief is reaching out to us to schedule an appointment with our board-certified physician and rehabilitation specialist Dr. Asare Christian.