When pain persists for over three months, it is considered chronic. When it is present for a long period like this, it can affect the patient biologically, psychologically, and socially.
Chronic pain is complex, and influenced by a number of factors. The image above shows a few. Physical health plays a role, affected by sleep, smoking, and diet. Psychology is important too- if someone is told that their bones are “crumbling” it will affect the way they move and trust their body. Some medications can increase sensitivity to pain, and ongoing insurance claims can genuinely affect symptoms.
How Chronic Pain Works
You can think of pain as a protector- it is there for a reason. It can be overprotective though, becoming hypersensitive. This can manifest as more intense pain than normal, or pain in response to things that shouldn’t cause pain.
The hypersensitivity can be blamed on the nervous system. The area in pain is not to blame. But the nervous system is influenced by so many different things, it can be hard to make changes on your own. A doctor may prescribe painkillers to help you get on top of things, but patients often don’t want to take them for too long. Side effects can be unpleasant, or they may be concerned that the cause has not been addressed. Pharmacology can work really well alongside therapies like osteopathy to start to unpick the problem.
Ongoing Stimulus
Chronic pain can be caused by a condition, such as osteoarthritis, that continues to produce pain. This is known as “secondary chronic pain”. Although this can be associated with the hypersensitivity mentioned above, it is not always. This kind of pain is easier to manage, as fixing or improving the cause will reduce the pain.
Primary Chronic Pain
If your pain cannot be attributed to another condition, it is considered primary chronic pain. Fibromyalgia is one of a handful of conditions that count as a primary cause.
There is a grey area over chronic lower back pain. It can be difficult to pinpoint the exact cause of a case of lower back pain. Even MRIs are imperfect, as many people have structural changes (like bulging discs) without any symptoms. We know that chronic lower back pain does exist once the original problem has resolved, and in this case it would be considered primary. But it is not always clear if someone’s original stimulus has resolved or not.
Your osteopath has tests they can perform to help decipher the cause of your pain. If you have already had investigations like imaging and blood tests, bring your results to your appointment as they may be useful.
Osteopathy and Chronic Pain
Whether your pain is primary or secondary, we may be able to help. We mentioned above that pain is influenced by many factors, but fortunately osteopathy addresses a number too. Beyond the mechanical parts of the picture, we can help with lifestyle advice, reassurance, and education to name a few. Outcomes are better among empowered patients who understand what is happening and why. We cannot cure all chronic pain, but if we may be able to help you manage it.
