May 24 2008
CP Symptoms
How you can tell if you may have a chronic pain condition.
Pain
Chronic pain is that which occurs after injury longer than it should, undetermined pain from an unknown source, or pain that manifests from emotions or mental illness. If you are having pain that lasts longer than 4-6 weeks after an injury or illness, or have pain that you cannot reason the source for, please see your doctor and ask the appropriate questions.
Mood Disturbances
People with chronic pain generally have moodiness, mental fog, and confusion. This is due to a lack of sleep, living with unending pain, or from a lack of self worth. If you are having more moodiness than normal, or find yourself irritable over the little things that formerly wasn’t bothering you, please see your doctor or mental health professional.
Sleep Disturbances
Chronic pain can keep you up nights. This decrease in sleep can rob you of health and make you confused. Sleep is a key factor in coping with chronic pain. If you are having insomnia or any inability to sleep due to pain, please see your doctor or a sleep center specialist.
Fatigue
Stemming from the sleep disturbances and living with pain daily, fatigue is a very real part of chronic pain. Many will be tired even when they aren’t sleepy. They can have what is termed “crashing fatigue” where you are fine one minute and then so tired the next minute that you barely can move and stay awake. If you have experienced crashing fatigue or any feeling of tiredness more than your normal amount, please see a doctor or a sleep center.
Muscle aches, stiffness
Some pain seems to come from deep within your bones and joints. Back pain and arthritis are two examples. Then there is tissue pain, coming from muscle aches and stiffness within the muscles. You may find yourself stretching more than normal, or trying to “work out” the stiffness. If this lasts longer than what would be normal for a muscle ache (just a few days) then please see your doctor and tell him of this development.
Whatever sign or symptom you may be experiencing, when it is time to see your doctor remember to convey your symptoms in a confident manner. Don’t say “it’s probably nothing” or “I shouldn’t bother you with this, but”, if you aren’t taking your symptoms seriously chances are your doctor won’t either. You have the right to get the proper diagnosis and treatment for that diagnosis, but it will all start when you take yourself and your pain seriously.
Chronic Pain is something that most of us can’t fathom. My mother suffers from it. But you still can’t know how a person is feeling and there have been times that I’ve been unsympathetic because, I never imagined someone in pain all the time. As my mom’s condition worsened, I make every effort to be of assistance to her.