Causes of chronic pain
Chronic pain can be due to a variety of causes. If
we treat the pain, but not the underlying cause, the pain will
return. The cause is then referred to as a perpetuating factor. Learn more about
the causes of chronic pain, and its perpetuating factors.
Pain
Pain is defined in medicine as an unpleasant sensory and
emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage, or
described in terms of such damage. Pain is the sensation that warns us that
damage to our bodies is occuring. It functions as a quick-acting system that
tells the motor systems of the brain that they must act to minimize or
eliminate this damage.
Types of Pain
Pain can be classified in a number of ways: 1) Pain can be classified in relation to its duration: Acute pain
is defined as short-term pain or pain with an easily identifiable cause.
Acute pain is the body's warning of present damage to tissue or disease.
Chronic Pain
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.
Gate Control Theory of
Pain
The gate control theory of pain of Ronald Melzack and
Patrick D Wall arises from evolutionary psychology. It holds that evolution
of intelligence in any natural environment, historically, begins with the
recognition of the entity's own body - called the kinesthetic sense.
Trauma
is serious physical injury to the body or mind,
usually caused by violence, disaster, or negligent behavior such as driving
while under the influence of alcohol or other drugs.
Microtrauma
is the general term given to small injuries
to the body. Microtrauma can include the microtearing of muscle fibre, the sheath
around the muscle and the connecting tissue. It can also include stress to
the tendons.
Repetitive Strain Injury (R.S.I.)
occurs when muscles, nerves or tendons become inflamed or irritated. R.S.I.
is often reflected in people who have developed arthritis as a result of
sports/workplace injury or carpal tunnel syndrome, for example. It is caused
by performing repetitive motions, using excessive force or using extreme
movements.
Delayed Onset Muscle
Soreness:
Nothing is more frustrating than the pain and
discomfort that occurs in the days that follow a workout. The common muscle
soreness and stiffness experienced one to two days after a workout may be so
uncomfortable, particularly to the new exerciser, that it may discourage
future workout attempts.
Abnormal Fascia:
When the ground substance contains an overabundance of collagen fibers that have cross-bound and coiled in on themselves,
the fascia is less able to adapt and the fascial network becomes inelastic and does not expand
readily. So when fluid is retained (edema), pressure mounts inside the tissue, and when the pressure becomes too great the nerves react by conducting pain signals to the central nervous
system.
Trigger Points
Active Myofascial Trigger Point : Is a small area of hyperirritable muscle and/or fascia that
forms a lump or ropy band within the muscle tissue, and which causes
pain. The pain may be caused while at rest or in use. The pattern of referred pain is consistent for that muscle.
Trigger Point Manual
(Travell & Simons)
Janet Travell, MD and David Simons, MD were absolute pioneers when it came
to myofascial pain and it's treatment. With these books you will have the tools to diagnose and treat effectively
(usually dramatically) the entire spectrum of myofascial pain from head to
toe, muscle by muscle.
Edema
(also spelled oedema,
formerly known as dropsy) is swelling due to accumulation of
excess fluid in any biological tissue. Edema has many root causes, but the
mechanism is simple; fluid is drawn from the blood into the tissues when
there is a higher osmotic pressure in the tissues than in the blood.
Allergies and chronic pain
Yes, food allergies
are very common in migraine cases, but did you know that a food allergy can cause muscle pain
anywhere in the body?
Food Sensitivities
According to researchers at Johns Hopkins, "There's no denying that there is a strong connection between what you eat and how you feel, and the difference is likely to become more and more apparent the older you get."
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