Chronic pain is medically defined as pain that has lasted 6 months or longer. This constant or intermittent pain has often outlived its purpose, as it does not help the body to prevent injury. It is often more difficult to treat than acute pain. Expert physician care is generally necessary to treat any pain that has become chronic.
When opioids are used for prolonged periods drug tolerance, chemical dependency and even psychological addiction may occur. Chemical dependency is common among opioid users; however, psychological addiction is rare. Apparent drug tolerance to the pain-relieving effects of opioids may occur, but is usually associated with increasing progression of the underlying disease rather than an actual decrease in efficacy of the drug.
Chronic pain is essentially caused by the bombardment of the central nervous system (CNS) with nociceptive impulses, which causes changes in the neural response. The pain subsequently provokes changes in the behaviour of the patient, and the development of fear-avoidance strategies. As a result, the patient may also become physically atrophied and deconditioned. However, it is important to remember that chronic pain is multifactorial, involving psychological, physical and social factors.
There are various types of chronic pain- malignant and non-malignant. Cancer pain can be from the cancer itself and from treatment.
Non-malignant pain includes:
· arthritis,
· neuropathy/neuralgia,
· back pain from injury or disorders (cervical stenosis, degenerative disc disease, other disc disorders, etc),
· migraines and other types of headaches,
· abdominal pain from chronic pancreatitis,
· bowel disorders, etc;
· pelvic pain from various conditions (endometriosis, interstitial cystitis, etc);
and also diffuse conditions such as:
· fibromyalgia,
· reflex sympathetic dystrophy,
· lupus and other systemic autoimmune/connective tissue conditions,
· multiple sclerosis
· and some other neuromuscular conditions.
Chronic pain basically can be anywhere in the body, this is just a list of some of the conditions that affect people long term (usually longer than 6 months).
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Pain Free: A Revolutionary Method for Stopping Chronic Pain Author: Pete EgoscueDescriptionPete Egoscue learned a lot about pain when, as a Marine officer, he was wounded in Vietnam. He segued from patient to physical therapist, and now runs a famous clinic in San Diego, where he claims he's helped 95 percent of his patients cure chronic pain--including Jack Nicklaus and Charles Barkley, whose athletic careers he helped prolong...  |
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The Pain Survival Guide: How to Reclaim Your Life (APA Lifetools) Author: Dennis C. TurkDescriptionIf you suffer from chronic pain, this proven 10-step program brings hope and relief, showing you how gradual changes in specific behaviors can lead to great improvements in your ability to cope. Psychologists Turk and Winters' recommendations are based on solid research that shows what works and on their success with thousands of patients... |
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Staying Sane with Chronic Pain Author: Niall FinnDescriptionStaying Sane with Chronic Pain is a self-help book for people who have chronic pain. It is written by someone who has chronic pain and who has to live with it.The focus of the book is how to find a way of coming to terms with pain and live with it in such a way that your mental health and your peace of mind is of primary importance... |
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Managing Chronic Pain: A Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Approach Workbook (Treatments That Work) Author: John OtisDescriptionChronic pain has a multitude of causes, many of which are not well understood or effectively treated by medical therapies. Individuals with chronic pain often report that pain interferes with their ability to engage in occupational, social, or recreational activities... |
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Guide to Healing Chronic Pain - A Holistic Approach Author: Karen Kan MDDescriptionAre You Trying to Get Relief from Chronic Pain without Drugs or Surgery?Have you been diagnosed with a so-called incurable pain condition like herniated discs, arthritis, multiple sclerosis, migraine, nerve damage or fibromyalgia?Have you tried all sorts of medications, injections, physical therapy or even surgeries for your chronic pain and nothing has worked?Do you feel betrayed by the medical system because you've done everything your doctors have told you and you're still in pain?Does your heart ache because you can't play with your children or grandchildren?Are you worried about the long term side effects of the pain medications?Do you feel like you will never be able to enjoy a normal, active life again?This guide to natural pain relief encompasses the body, mind and spirit, and will help you:Discover cutting edge, natural pain relief tools and therapies you can use to heal your pain with or without your doctor's consentUse inexpensive infra-red acupuncture patches to reduce and eliminate pain symptoms within seconds or minutesReduce and reverse the inflammation to your body caused by stress, toxins, trauma and drugsRe-wire your brain and nervous system to get your body's self-healing mechanisms up and running againHarness the Law of Attraction and the power of the Mind to remove obstacles to healingEliminate negative thoughts and emotional baggage associated with your chronic painReconnect with your Spirit and Higher Self so that your healing can be a joyous journey of self-discoveryRally the "right" support team to help you healHere's what other Healing Experts have to say about Guide to Healing Chronic Pain - A Holistic Approach:"Guide to Healing Chronic Pain is not only an absolute must read for anyone suffering from chronic pain, but also for anyone wanting to stay perfectly healthy for the rest of his or her life... |
Tags: Health Medical Pharma, Pain Management, drug tolerance
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