Jun 19 2008
FAQ on Chronic Pain
Some of the more frequently asked questions regarding chronic pain.
What is Chronic Pain?
By simple definition, chronic pain is any pain that lasts over time. But really, what does that mean? Chronic pain was formerly defined as a pain that lasted over six months, then it was three months, and now it is widely accepted to be any pain that last longer than what normal healing time would be. It is also used to define pain that is caused by an unknown or incurable condition, such as fibromyalgia.
What Does Pain Mean?
Pain means different things depending on what meaning of the question you are going to answer. Learn what it means by definition, the mechanics of how pain works in your body, and the changes it takes on in the individual.
Who Is At Risk for Chronic Pain?
According to the University of Michigan Health Systems, while one in five live with chronic pain in America, most were women and many of those women were African American. Typically a woman’s chronic pain complaint was less likely to garner a reaction than their male counterparts at their health care professional’s office. Research in this area has also shown that adults over age 50 were more able to cope with their pain, while those younger were more prone to depression.
Where Should I Start in Beginning to Get a Chronic Pain Diagnosis?
Wondering what medical specialist is right for your specific chronic pain condition? There are several choices, and one is right for you. From family practitioner, to chiropractor, to pain specialists and psychiatrists, some of the different types of medical professionals are explained for you.
How Can Chronic Pain Affect My Career?
Coping with chronic pain while you are at work is a necessity. Without some changes in the workplace, you risk getting worse pain than you have originally or injuring a different area that currently isn’t in pain. Some of the injuries that you can get in the work place are neck, back, shoulder, and wrist pain. Others include eyestrain, stiffness, headaches, carpal tunnel syndrome, and repetitive strain injury. Some of these come simply by doing basic office things like typing for long periods of time or staring at a computer monitor eight hours a day, but there are things that you can do to help lessen your chances of increasing your chronic pain.
That’s interesting that complaints of pain from women garnered less attention from physicians than from men. Is it because they believe that women have a lower threshhold for pain, or view it as complaining versus an indication that there is a real problem? Shouldn’t they treat complaints of pain the same for any patient regardless of gender or race? It makes me wonder.