Chronic Pain Symptoms and What They Mean
People may experience pain of short duration or for longer periods of time. When the pain is experienced for longer than six months, it is called chronic pain.
For pain to be chronic, it doesn't have to be every minute of the day or night. It could be pain experienced only at certain times of the day, such as these times:
- in the morning upon awakening (commonly found in those who have arthritis or foot conditions such as plantars fasciitis or Achilles tendonitis)
- during specific activities (commonly found in those who have different types of spinal conditions or carpal tunnel syndrome)
- during the nighttime (commonly found in people who have cancer)
- during times of emotional stress
- after a traumatic injury such as a car accident or fall
- after an infection sets in
Symptoms of Chronic Pain
Chronic pain symptoms may include:
- Pain of any type that does not go away
- The feeling of burning, aching, shooting pains or even electrical sensations
- A feeling of stiffness, soreness, tight muscles or tendons, and/or any discomfort
Changes in Behavior from Chronic Pain
Because of chronic pain, the person experiencing it will act differently during the day and night. These are some of the changes in behavior that commonly accompany chronic pain:
- Tiredness and fatigue much of the time
- Inability to sleep at night
- Declining desire to participate in favorite activities or activities that are necessary for daily living, such as vacuuming, grocery shopping, cleaning the house and washing the car
- Moodiness, expressing these more often: fear, irritability, depression, anxiety, stress, and hopelessness
- Eventually disability
- Depressed immunity, reflected in the tendency to come down with more frequent colds and flu, and infections
Chronic pain may range from mild to especially severe. Doctors measure pain subjectively on a pain scale from 0 to 10 where 0 is no pain at all and 10 is the most severe, excruciating pain that is relentless. Although the scale is subjective, it gives health professionals a way to determine whether the condition is improving or not.
