There are two types of pain: acute and chronic.
Acute pain is a normal sensation triggered in the nervous system to alert you to possible injury and the need to take care of yourself. It usually doesn't last very long and goes away as your body heals.
Chronic pain lasts for a prolonged period of time. Along with discomfort, chronic pain can cause low self-esteem, depression and anger, and it often interferes with your daily activities.
We may experience chronic head pain due to raised intracranial pressure, chronic neck pain, chronic back pain (from repeat LP's), etc. Chronic pain and management of this pain is a big concern for those suffering with Intracranial Hypertension. One of the biggest problems we face is properly expressing the degree of our pain to health care professionals, and the health care professionals properly understanding the degree of pain we're truly in.
How is chronic pain treated?
Treatment of chronic pain usually involves medicines and therapy. Medicines used for chronic pain include pain relievers, antidepressants and anticonvulsants. Different types of medicines help people with different types of pain. Usually you use long-acting medicines for constant pain. Short-acting medicines are used for pain that waxes and wanes.
Several types of therapy can help ease your pain. Physical therapy (such as strengthening and stretching activities) and low-impact exercise (such as walking, swimming, biking) can help reduce pain. Not doing physical activity or trying to do too much can hurt chronic pain patients. Occupational therapy teaches you how to pace yourself and how to do everyday tasks differently to decrease pain. Behavioral Therapy can reduce your pain through methods that help you relax (such as meditation and yoga). It can also help to ease stress.
Lifestyle changes are also an important part of treatment for chronic pain. Getting enough sleep at night and not taking daytime naps can help. Stopping smoking helps too, because the nicotine in cigarettes can make some medicines less effective. Smokers also have more pain than nonsmokers, studies have shown.
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. Talk to your doctor to learn how to best control your pain.
What should I tell my doctor about my pain? Telling your doctor about your pain will help him or her find the right treatment for you. Tell your doctor where, how bad the pain is and how often your pain occurs. Also, talk about what makes the pain better or worse. Most Doctor's will want to know how bad your pain is on the pain scale of 1-10 (1 being little pain, 10 being the worst of your life). Keep a journal of days and times, and the rating of the pain.
Your doctor may review other health problems (such as arthritis, breathing problems, and heart conditions) you have because these may keep you from doing some types of therapy. Your doctor may also ask if you have had any problems with sleep, mood, or anxiety.
If you are not receiving satisfactory management of pain, ask for a referral to a pain management specialist. All too often, medical professionals see people with chronic pain as "drug seekers". Do not allow anyone to classify you this way!!! Living in constant pain can break down the strongest of spirits and take away the will to live. Your life does not have to be this way.
Where can I get more information?
American Chronic Pain Association, Inc.
P.O. Box 850
Rocklin, CA 95677
Telephone: 916-632-0922
Internet address: American Chronic Pain Association
The Canadian Pain Society
American Pain Foundation
201 North Charles Street
Suite 710
Baltimore, MD 21201-4111
Internet address: American Pain Foundation
American Pain Society
4700 W. Lake Avenue
Glenview, IL 60025
Telephone: 847-375-4715
Internet address: American Pain Society
American Council for Headache Education
19 Mantua Road
Mount Royal, NJ 08061
Telephone: 800-255-ACHE (2243) or 856-423-0258
Internet address: American Council for Headache Education
Pain.com
