The Most Common Types of Chronic Pain

Chronic pain can feel debilitating, as the intense pain can impact a person’s daily life and may even cause a mental health disorder, such as depression or anxiety.

If you experience a painful, reoccurring issue that occurs for at least 12 weeks, it will be classed as chronic pain by a doctor.

A reported 10% of the world’s population lives with a form of chronic pain that affects their daily lives. Find out more about the most common types of chronic pain.

Chronic Headaches

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), nearly half of the world’s adult population experiences at least one headache per year.

Also, it reports that headaches are often under-recognized and under-treated in countries across the world.

Yet, headaches are debilitating, and chronic headaches will occur 15 days each month for at least three months.

Of course, there are different types of chronic headaches, which have various causes and treatment options, such as:

• Cluster headaches
• Migraines
• Eye strain headaches
• Tension headaches

Your symptoms will provide an insight into your headache triggers and determine the treatment options available.

For example, migraines are caused by nervous system triggers or a hormonal irregularity, which you can treat with Sumatriptan medication from chemistclick.co.uk.

It will narrow your head’s blood vessels to prevent pain signals from being sent to your brain.

Lower Back Pain

According to a 2022 study published in the Journal of Orthopaedic Translation, approximately 568.4 million people live with lower back pain.

Similar to headaches, lower back pain can impact almost every aspect of a person’s daily life, as it can cause pain, stiffness, and muscular tension.

Most people will experience reoccurring lower back pain due to an injury or health issue, such as osteoporosis, arthritis, or daily wear and tear.

For example, a person may experience chronic back pain due to a slipped disc caused by lifting or unusual twisting.

However, the issue could stem from soft tissue damage due to physical strain or trauma to ligaments, back muscles, or tendons.

Different treatment options are available for lower back pain, such as:

• Massage treatments
• Electrical nerve stimulation
• Physical therapy
• Acupuncture
• Lifestyle changes
• Over-the-counter pain medications
• Biofeedback therapy
• Laser therapy
• Non-surgical spine treatments
• Mindfulness and meditation

Chronic Joint Pain

Chronic joint pain can occur due to advancing aging, a physical injury, or an infection.

The intense pain will feel uncomfortable and debilitating and may affect a person’s mobility and daily function.

One of the most common causes of chronic joint pain is arthritis, which affects approximately 350 million people worldwide.

Yet, there is more than one form of arthritis and many types of joint pain, such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, bursitis, tendonitis, and repetitive motion injuries.

Rest, ice, and over-the-counter painkillers can initially treat joint pain, but it is vital to arrange an appointment with a doctor if symptoms don’t improve.

Nerve Pain

Millions of people globally are living with neuropathic pain.

A chronic issue tends to occur when a person’s nerves become damaged, compressed, or exposed to drugs that destroy the protective coating.

There are various types of nerve pain a person can experience. For example, people with diabetes are prone to developing diabetic neuropathy in their feet and hands.

Also, sciatic nerve compression can cause pain to travel from the lower back down to the buttocks and legs.

Most people with chronic nerve pain can receive anti-convulsant or antidepressants from a doctor, or they might benefit from non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or a prescription painkiller.