[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/tcfxmed.com\/what-qualifies-as-chronic-pain-will-it-ever-go-away\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/tcfxmed.com\/what-qualifies-as-chronic-pain-will-it-ever-go-away\/","headline":"What Qualifies as Chronic Pain? Will It Ever Go Away?","name":"What Qualifies as Chronic Pain? Will It Ever Go Away?","description":"In the United States, one in five people suffers from chronic pain, which means we all know someone struggling with chronic pain complaints. This pain might be in a specific region, as in migraines or chronic low back pain, or throughout the body.\u00a0 What is pain? It\u2019s essentially an unpleasant experience \u2013 whether that\u2019s sensory…","datePublished":"2021-07-16","dateModified":"2021-07-29","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/tcfxmed.com\/author\/beaconmm\/#Person","name":"BeaconMM","url":"https:\/\/tcfxmed.com\/author\/beaconmm\/","identifier":2,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/63603849ac374d72a317bdfe23d943a6dee4f6368ff5d61597b033a7d2c124ff?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/63603849ac374d72a317bdfe23d943a6dee4f6368ff5d61597b033a7d2c124ff?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Tri-Cities Functional Medicine","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/tcfxmed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/logo-1.png","url":"https:\/\/tcfxmed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/logo-1.png","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/tcfxmed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/happy-healthy-chronic-pain-scaled.jpg","url":"https:\/\/tcfxmed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/happy-healthy-chronic-pain-scaled.jpg","height":1709,"width":2560},"url":"https:\/\/tcfxmed.com\/what-qualifies-as-chronic-pain-will-it-ever-go-away\/","about":["Chronic Pain & Inflammation"],"wordCount":1331,"articleBody":"In the United States, one in five people suffers from chronic pain, which means we all know someone struggling with chronic pain complaints. This pain might be in a specific region, as in migraines or chronic low back pain, or throughout the body.\u00a0What is pain? It\u2019s essentially an unpleasant experience \u2013 whether that\u2019s sensory or emotional \u2013 that\u2019s associated with something that is causing us harm. There are lots of possible causes.We\u2019ve all felt pain. While it may be unpleasant, pain plays a vital role in protecting your health by alerting you of injury or illness. Basically, pain is your body\u2019s way of telling you that something isn\u2019t right. Pain is meant to make you uncomfortable so that you know you need to do something \u2013 or stop doing something \u2013 to avoid harm to your body.If you touch a hot burner, the sensation you feel is your body\u2019s way of telling you to remove your hand immediately. If you stub your toe, the pain you feel is also your body\u2019s way of telling you to stop walking because there is something harmful in your path. Once the injury heals, you stop hurting. But what happens when pain doesn\u2019t go away? If your pain doesn\u2019t improve with time, your doctor may have answers.You don\u2019t have to go through life in constant pain. Contact our team to find the root cause.Acute Pain vs. Chronic PainThere are two main types of pain: acute pain and chronic pain.Acute PainAcute pain refers to pain that you experience in short duration \u2013 anywhere from one minute to three months. It\u2019s most often felt when you sustain a soft-tissue injury or temporary illness and subsides once you have recovered.Chronic PainChronic pain is vastly different than acute pain. It\u2019s not a symptom of an underlying problem, it is the problem. Chronic pain is discomfort that lasts for more than three months.Chronic pain can be constant or intermittent. For example, suppose you have frequent headaches over many months or years. In that case, you are living with chronic pain, even if the pain isn\u2019t always present. Past injuries and health conditions such as fibromyalgia or arthritis are often contributing factors to chronic pain.When to Seek Treatment for PainMost pain is short-term and doesn\u2019t require medical attention. Examples of normal pain include skinning your knee, pulling a muscle, feeling post-surgical pain at the incision site, or spraining your ankle. While normal pain can necessitate a visit to a doctor or the emergency room \u2013 such as for a serious burn wound or a broken bone \u2013 these are still typical scenarios that won\u2019t lead to long-term, chronic pain.But if your pain is severe, lasts longer than seems normal, or you don\u2019t know what\u2019s causing the pain, you may want to call your doctor. Some causes of chronic pain that may require medical attention include:ArthritisFibromyalgiaAutoimmune diseaseDiabetesA herniated discCancerChronic migrainesA compressed or pinched nerveSciaticaChronic fatigue syndromeHeart attackStrokeAn injury that had peripheral damage or was not treated effectively in timeA serious infectionEndometriosisPost-operative issuesWant to learn more? Watch our free webinar on chronic pain.Impacts of Chronic PainChronic pain can be debilitating, impacting you physically and mentally. At its worst, chronic pain can affect every aspect of your life. It can make you short-tempered and irritable, damaging relationships. It can also impact your ability to work. People living with chronic pain may also experience loneliness, anxiety, depression, fatigue, and increased stress.Here are the various ways chronic pain affects different areas of wellness.Physical WellnessUntreated and persistent pain can be detrimental to your physical health. Consequences to your physical health include reduced physical activity, which can cause muscles to weaken because they are not being used. When you can\u2019t get the exercise you need to stay healthy and strong, it can lead to increased pain over a longer period of time.Mental WellnessOne of the biggest impacts of chronic pain is on your mood. Being in pain can be emotionally taxing, and chronic pain often puts patients at a greater risk of developing anxiety and depression. Chronic pain can feel as though it has sapped all the joy out of your life.Occupational WellnessChronic pain can leave you unable to work or carry out hobbies you once loved. This can not only be detrimental to your mood, but it also brings about financial concerns on top of everything else. If this sounds familiar, it\u2019s time to do something urgently.Social WellnessThose living with chronic pain can feel like no one understands. It can be a very isolating journey, especially if others around you expect you to recover and start feeling well again, which can bring elements of tension to even your closest relationships.Intellectual WellnessSometimes patients worry excessively about their chronic pain. This can take up a significant amount of your thoughts and feelings, leaving you with minimal energy and motivation to learn and retain new things. It also causes brain fog, fatigue, and gastrointestinal issues.Treating Chronic PainConventional methods such as medication can help treat acute pain. Unfortunately, turning to your medicine cabinet isn\u2019t enough to remedy chronic pain. Instead, a multi-faceted holistic approach to get your body back in balance and functioning properly again is the best way to overcome chronic pain.Medication can only temporarily treat pain. But this temporary fix doesn\u2019t get to the root cause of chronic pain. Chronic pain often doesn\u2019t respond to treatments used for acute pain. In fact, sometimes these treatments can make things worse. Chronic pain requires chronic treatment.This is because each person will experience chronic pain differently. The same solution that manages the pain of a broken bone won\u2019t help chronic migraines. Patients have long sought a non-pharmacologic approach to chronic pain. Functional Medicine\u2019s focus on a therapeutic partnership between patient and doctor offers a better path forward for pain management.Functional Medicine and Chronic PainFunctional medicine practitioners understand that chronic pain is a unique individual experience that cannot be objectively measured like other medical conditions. A functional medicine doctor will not only take the time to understand the pathology of your chronic pain, but also the underlying symptoms that accompany it.A functional medicine doctor will listen to your medical history, looking out for specific factors that may be maintaining your chronic pain instead of helping it. This includes your diet, exercise habits, stress, sleep, and any environmental toxins you may be exposed to. The way we live, the food we eat, and our relationships significantly impact our health and well-being.Your functional medicine doctor will also run tests for nutrient deficiencies, underlying infections, and hormone imbalances to try to identify the root cause.Functional medicine treats chronic pain by addressing poor habits and identifying realistic lifestyle options that may benefit you, such as proper nutrition, exercise, and alternative therapies. Examples of treatment solutions include:Anti-inflammatory dietGetting enough sleepSupplements such as magnesiumMovement therapy such as yoga and stretchingTopical analgesicsCBD oilWill Chronic Pain Go Away?Curing chronic pain is not always possible, given how it affects everyone in different ways. Managing your pain will require a commitment to lifestyle changes. But when done right, a mostly pain-free existence is possible.Are you experiencing chronic pain? Find out how our team can help.Tri-Cities Functional Medicine is located in Johnson City, Tennessee, and serves patients throughout Tennessee and into Virginia, North Carolina, West Virginia and Kentucky. These areas include but are not limited to: Washington County, TN, Sullivan County, TN, Carter County, TN, Greene County, TN, Knox County, TN, Bristol, TN, Holston Valley, TN, Tri-Cities, TN, Walnut Hill, TN, Elizabethton, TN, Greeneville, TN, Morristown, TN, Blountville, TN, Bluff City, TN, Kingsport, TN, Jonesborough, TN, Colonial Heights, TN, Limestone, TN, Knoxville, TN, Bristol, VA, Abingdon, VA, Grundy, VA, Asheville, NC, Boone, NC."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"What Qualifies as Chronic Pain? Will It Ever Go Away?","item":"https:\/\/tcfxmed.com\/what-qualifies-as-chronic-pain-will-it-ever-go-away\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]