The difference between 'Acute' Pain and 'Chronic' Pain is really important when attempting to overcome your symptoms. A lot of people would tend to use words like acute or chronic to described a 'type' of pain...
My arm pain is really acute... meaning sharp, stabbing, high intensity pain.
My back pain is chronic... referring to a dull, deep, ache.
In medical terms acute and chronic refer purely to time. Acute is new. Chronic is old. (plus we've got sub-acute which sits in the middle!)
Acute pain & chronic pain must be handled completely differently! So we need to know where you're at!
ACUTE PAIN
Typically acute pain would be referring to pain you've had for 1-2 weeks. You may have had a muscle injury, tweaked your back, had a bang or a bump playing sport etc. Within this time your body may be doing a number of things...
- Sending inflammatory cells to the injury site
- dialling up your levels of sensitivity - make the area hurt and you're aware that it needs some help.
- Increasing local muscle tone - you may develop tightness / soreness in surrounding muscles
- Reducing muscle output (Pain inhibition) - Your nervous system can inhibit muscle and make them weaker as part of a defence mechanism.
ALL OF THESE SYMPTOMS ARE NORMAL!!
During your acute phase you take it easy.. apply ice for pain relief, maybe speak to your doctor or pharmacist about medication, rest for a few days, let the area settle down. After a few days of taking it easy, then you need to start moving again & getting on with your rehabilitation.
General Rules
Don't push through pain
Keep moving
modify your activity levels
Use pain relief
There are lots of more specific rules for specific injuries but we'd be here all day. If you're unsure - Get checked.
MASSIVE GENERALISATION ALERT!
Most episodes of acute pain settle within 4 weeks. Regardless of whether you see someone or not! There, i said it.
It goes without saying that there are lots of reasons why this might not happen, and that's when you must seek help. But the human body is designed to heel, it is designed to recover, it is amazing.
CHRONIC PAIN
Chronic pain is a whole different ball game!! (Yes we've skipped sub-acute pain, and yes i'm OK with that)
Chronic pain is pain that has lasted for more than 6 months. Are you ready for a ball-drop...
CHRONIC PAIN IS RARELY TO DO WITH TISSUE DAMAGE!
Shock horror!
"But Matt, I was told I slipped a disc 10 years ago and it still hurts now, so it must be the disc!"
NOPE (and don't even get me started on 'slipped discs...' 🙄
Chronic pain refers to how your body adapts whilst you are recovering from an injury or an acute episode of pain. Muscles can get weaker, tighter, or both. We move differently, we become fearful of certain movements, our nervous system becomes more sensitive, our activity levels decline, we become de-conditioned, we 'brace' for activity... All very normal symptoms, but if allowed to continue after your healing has taken place, can all contribute to developing chronic pain. There are strong links between chronic pain and mental health... It is no longer as simple as 'tissue damage' and therefore can not be treated as such.
Certain treatment options are less effective for chronic pain - surgery, ultrasound, massage, manipulation, etc. Managing chronic pain is about re-training your body and your nervous system to become more active, more capable and less sensitive. There will be ups and downs, these are unpredictable, it will take time, it will need perseverance, it will take hard work and (in my opinion) will require support...
Are you in pain? Is it acute or chronic? Are you managing it as such?!
If in doubt... ask away!
Matt
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