Signs That You May Have Chronic Pain

Chronic pain can seriously impact your daily life, ruining the moments that should be enjoyable or relaxing. Even though there are about 25.3 million Americans suffering from chronic pain, there is still a group of people who believe that it doesn’t actually exist, and as a result diagnosing your pain as chronic can be a difficult task. While you should never diagnose yourself with any condition – it is always best to consult an experienced doctor – if you believe you are experiencing chronic pain, here are some of the following signs to watch out for.

Cause of the Pain

Sometimes, instances of chronic pain begin with a root cause, whether that is some early trauma, or a serious injury like a car accident. Even if you have been treated for these experiences, and an x-ray or diagnosis does not reveal any sort of leftover injury or infection, chronic pain can still persist afterwards. The most common explanation being that your nervous system is still sending pain signals even after they should stop, sometimes for years. Unfortunately, chronic pain can also begin without any sort of initial cause. For example, in older adults, the pain is usually from the natural side effects of advancing age.

Mental Stress

Because chronic pain is so persistent and confusing, it can lead to mood swings that can make the pain worse. Symptoms of stress, depression, anger, and anxiety can exhaust your nervous system and reduce the amount of naturally produced painkillers from your body. This ends up being a difficult cycle to break out of, that only gets worse over time: chronic pain stresses you out, but the stress leads to worse chronic pain. When looking to see if the pain you are experiencing is chronic, keep in mind how your mental state is affecting your physical health.

Lingering Pain

One of the most telltale signs of chronic pain – and its worst aspect – is the fact that it lingers. As stated before, chronic pain may be caused by a confused nervous system, and it may end up in you feeling the pain for years. Holistic options like massages or stretches may not be the solutions to stop the pain, and because of the stress mentioned, the subtle psychological aspects of chronic pain mean a more involved solution and a guiding expert hand is necessary to ease the negative impacts.

At Garden State Pain, we have a team of doctors dedicated to find a solution for their patients suffering from chronic pain. We make use of all the latest diagnostic tools to determine the cause of your pain, and work with you to take the best path to recovery. If you find yourself struggling with chronic back pain, book an appointment with us today.