Most of us have experienced some kind of pain at some point in our lives. When your muscles are overworked, or you get a cut on your finger, you experience pain. Pain is body’s way of telling us that something is wrong and needs attention.
Pain can be mild which can be cured with rest and mild medication. However, in the case of chronic pains, the body experiences pain for weeks, months or even years after the injury has healed.
Apart from injury, several other conditions can lead to chronic pain like arthritis, auto-immune diseases, cancer and others. Scarborough chiropractor, Dr. Adam Rocchi classifies chronic pain as any pain that lasts for 3-6 months or more.
Types of Chronic Pain
There are two main categories of chronic pain apart from pain related to cancer.(1) The first is nociceptive pain which is due to damage of actual body tissue. Musculoskeletal pain or MSK that is related to injury of the joints, bones, ligaments, tendons, and muscles is an example. The second is neuropathic pain which is often felt as a burning sensation or a shooting pain as a result of damage to a nerve or tissue.
What makes your body feel the pain?
When an injury occurs, it turns on the pain sensors in that area, and a series of messages are transmitted through the nervous system to the brain which gives us the feeling of pain. When you recover, the pain signals stop. However, in the case of chronic pain, the nerve signals keep on getting transmitted even after you have recovered. The main problem here is re-occurrence of pain after you think you have recovered.
Causes of Chronic Pain
Identifying the cause of pain is vital, and one should consult Mt Pleasant Chiropractor Dr. Adam Rocchi who can help in the identification of the root cause and guide you on the treatment plan. Just as an example, a common cause of chronic back pain in older people can be narrowing of the spinal canal, which leads to nerve compression, joint pain, and inflammation known as canal stenosis. Other causes of pain can manifest in the form of headaches. Dr. Rocchi says that a headaches can happen due to numerous factors such as environmental, nutritional, spinal and stress.
Such interdependencies make diagnosis and treatment complex. Hence, it is of paramount importance that any pain is taken seriously before it becomes chronic.
One method for improving pain control is to use what is known as the “gate control theory”. This is where stimulation of body tissues with things like movement, massage and chiropractic adjustments can fire nerve fibres that block pain transmission. Dr Rocchi uses a computerized instrument to direct low force impulses into restricted areas of the spine to improve movement and provide feedback into the nervous system to reduce pain. Combined with the Trigenics Neurological Treatment System on the soft tissues like muscles it can be very effective.
Symptoms of Chronic pain
Chronic pain can continue day after day or come and go and can feel like:
- Burning
- A dull ache
- Throbbing
- Squeezing
- Stinging
- Stiffness
- Shooting
- Soreness
Chronic pain can also make you feel tired and weak. It also sometimes leads to loss of appetite, mood swings, and sleep deprivation.
Understanding chronic pain
Chronic pain is difficult to handle. It can interfere with your daily routine, take a toll on your self-esteem and make you feel depressed, angry, anxious and frustrated.
Chronic Pain Australia Association is working on this and is trying to help as many people as possible, through the National Pain Week. They and a team of dedicated volunteers are helping patients to get over social and other barriers so that they can get access to resources and information on treatment of chronic pain.
Everyone experiences pain in a different way even though they may have similar injuries. Pain is a complex interface between mind and body which involves many factors such as thoughts, culture, genetics, and emotions, past experiences, stress, and environment. Since pain is a complex phenomenon, therefore there cannot be the same treatment for everyone. Thus, consulting Scarborough Chiropractor Dr Rocchi is essential as he can diagnose the cause and recommend therapies and lifestyle changes before the pain turns chronic.
So, if you are suffering from any kind of chronic pain call the practice now on (08) 61508785 Scarborough or (08) 61508783 Mount Pleasant to arrange an appointment.
References:
- American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine https://www.asra.com/page/45/types-of-chronic-pain Retrieved Thursday 6th July 2017
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