Acute Pain

Acute pain occurs when the body tells the brain there is something wrong with our bodies.
Pain that occurs in this manner is our body's way of telling us something is wrong. 

An example of this type of pain would be intense pain from a broken wrist from a car accident.  However, once the fractured bone is healed, the pain stops.  If your pain does not stop or comes back, even weeks later, this is likely chronic pain syndrome, for many that pain is a daily occurrence.

Chronic Pain

Chronic pain is pain lasting more than 3 to 6 months or that occurs beyond the usual course of a medical treatment, or beyond reasonable time for an injury to heal.  Chronic pain can be caused by diseases or injuries.

One of the hardest parts of dealing with chronic pain is that no one else can feel our pain.  Since pain is a feeling generated within our own bodies and interpreted by our own brain, no one can know exactly what we feel.

Impact of Chronic Pain

Chronic pain negatively impacts all aspects of an individual's life, including emotional, vocational, financial and social elements. The entire family is dramatically affected by the chronic pain of any family member.

Many who live in chronic pain feel isolated because they can no longer work or they must drop out of their normal activities, thus further isolating themselves from friends and family.  Chronic Pain Support Groups are helpful for many people because only they can relate to each other.  It's important to have a strong support system in place with family, friends and others who may not feel the same pain, but like you,  live with pain on a  daily, constant basis.