What is Chronic Pain?

What is chronic pain? Chronic pain is pain that lasts 3 months or persists longer. Chronic pain may:

• Range from mild discomfort to severe and debilitating

• Be specific in an area or generalized

• Occur as a result of an injury, illness, infection, lifestyle or unknown cause

• Be present in all areas of the body

• Manifest as continual or regularly re-occurring pain

Often chronic pain is accompanied by other problems such as depression, anxiety, sleep disturbances and relationship challenges; thereby affecting all areas of a person’s life.

Common chronic pain conditions include:

• Arthritis/rheumatism

• Back problems (non-arthritic)

• Chronic bronchitis/emphysema

• Diabetes

• Heart disease

• Stomach/intestinal ulcers

• Migraines

It's estimated that 17% of the population aged 15 and over currently experience chronic pain. [1][1]

Chronic pain costs more than cancer, heart disease and HIV combined.

Estimates place direct health care costs for Canada to be more than $6 billion per year.

Productivity costs related to job loss and sick days equate to $37 billion per year.

Chronic pain is associated with the worst quality of life as compared with other chronic diseases such as chronic lung or heart disease.[2][2]

Help for Chronic Pain

Treatment is focused on alleviating the causes of the pain which may involve surgery or less invasive techniques such as muscle strengthening, and avoiding activities which provoke the pain.

Prescription opioids are commonly prescribed to patients with chronic pain, which may lead to adverse side effects, dependency and abuse – a growing problem in health care today.

Natural treatments to help correct the cause of chronic pain, manage painful symptoms and reduce opioid use may include:

• Deep tissue massage with stimulation of trigger points

• Acupuncture

• Chiropractic adjustments

• Heat therapy, ice therapy

• Hydrotherapy

• Physical therapy (exercises, stretching)

• Yoga, Tai Chi, meditation

• Herbal supplements

Be sure to consult with your primary chronic pain physician before trying any new treatment options. If we can help you naturally help with your chronic pain condition, please reach out to us for a consultation: 519-258-8544

[1] 150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/82-003-x/1995004/article/2819-eng.pdf

[2] (Phillips and Schopflocher 2008; Schopflocher, Jovey et al. 2010)