4 Common Types Of Chronic Pain

Chronic pain is by no means a rare issue. As many as 8 in 10 American adults can experience chronic pain at some point in their lifetime.

Commonly classified as any pain throughout the body that lasts for more than 12 weeks, chronic pain can have all manner of root causes, from an old sports injury to a current medical condition or disease.

But which types of chronic pain are the most common among Americans, and what are their sources? Here’s a closer look at just a few of the many causes behind your chronic pain, as well as what you can do to find relief finally.

1. Back Pain

Per a study conducted by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, roughly 84% of Americans will experience chronic back pain at some point during their life.

With a tendency to occur in the lower back, this type of pain can be caused by an injury but is more commonly linked to a medical condition, including:

• Compression fractures
• Spinal fractures
• Spinal stenosis

2. Joint Pain

Another leading type of chronic pain in the country begins in the joints. This type of pain often starts with an old or new injury and tends to worsen as we age.

Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid arthritis are both prime culprits when it comes to chronic joint pain, but so are reparative motion injuries, (common in current and former athletes), as well as Tendinitis and Bursitis.

3. Nerve Pain

Nerve pain affects approximately 10% of the population and occurs when the nerves throughout the body are compressed, damaged, or stripped of their protective exterior due to many factors.

This type of pain can be caused by years of wear and tear, such as carpal tunnel syndrome which results from repetitive motion or can also be caused by medical conditions like a shingles outbreak.

4. Head Pain

Chronic headaches are also common across the board. They are often linked to stress and psychological factors, as well as physical issues.

Tension headaches and migraines can be instigated or worsened with stress, while eye strain headaches are linked to your vision, and cluster headaches can be brought on by the enlargement of blood vessels throughout the head.

We Can Help

While the above pains cover some of the basic causes, the list is by no means exhaustive, and there can be more than one triggering factor at play.

For example, your lower back pain may have started with a compression fracture or other physical issue. With stress, depression, and weeks of painful movements, other factors may cause it to worsen or to stick around for weeks, months, or even years at a time.

Simply put, to address your pain, you have to pinpoint the root causes that are completely individualized, and are specific to you and you alone.

By working with a pain management expert who digs deep to research your personalized issues, you can accurately and successfully address your pain head-on.

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