What is chronic pain?

Chronic, persistent or long term pain is pain that continues for longer than 3 months. It is usually defines as a pain that persists beyond the normal time that tissues take to heal following an injury.Chronic pain is a significant global health burden.Across the globe low back pain causes more disability than any other condition.

MAIN CAUSES AND CONDITIONS OF CHRONIC PAIN:

• Low back pain
• Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Shoulder pain
• Cancer
• Cervical/Thoracic pain
• Osteoarthritis
• Headache disorders
• Fybromyalgia

FACTS ABOUT PAIN:
Acute pain– alarms us about potential tissue damage and typically comes on suddenly as a result of specific incident such as surgery, child birth, a fracture, or a trauma.
Chronic pain– serves no biologic purpose as it is not related to the threat of tissue damage. Chronic pain can be considered a disease state and can persist for months or years.Pain persists in response to being overly sensitive to a perceived threat of harm to your body, despite the absence of tissue damage.

How Physical Therapy HelpsPhysical therapy helps people with chronic pain develop the skills they need to manage and take control of their condition, increase their activity and improve their quality of life.

BENEFITS OF EXERCISE FOR CHRONIC PAIN:

• Flexibility
  -Maintain flexibility and movement
• Strength
  -Helps to build and keep muscle tone
• Cardiovascular
  -Important for cardiovascular health
• Mood-Improves mood and general well being

Exercise therapy is included in all guidelines for the treatment of chronic pain! Ask your physiotherapist, the exercise expert

Resources from World Confederation for Physical Therapy’s website.
https://www.wcpt.org/

Yours,

Riad Bejta