Types of Pain
Pain is a general term that describes any kind of unpleasant or uncomfortable sensation in the body. There are many different types and causes of pain, and these can be grouped into eight different categories to help with pain management
This starts suddenly and only lasts for a short period (ie, minutes, hours, a couple of days, occasionally a month or two).
It is usually caused by a specific event or injury, such as:
- A broken bone
- A car crash or other type of accident
- A fall
- Burns or cuts
- Dental work
- Labor and childbirth
- Surgery.
Chronic Pain
is pain that has persisted for longer than six months and is experienced most days. It may have originally started as acute pain, but the pain has continued long after the original injury or event has healed or resolved. Chronic pain can range from mild to severe and is associated with conditions such as:
- Arthritis
- Back pain
- Cancer
- Circulation problems
- Diabetes
- Fibromyalgia
- Headache.
Bone Pain
This is a tenderness, aching or discomfort in one or more bones that is present during both exercise and rest.
Bone pain is commonly associated with conditions or diseases that affect the structure or function of bone, such as cancer, a fracture (broken bone), infection, leukemia, mineral deficiency, sickle cell anemia, or osteoporosis. Many pregnant women experience pelvic girdle pain.
Nerve Pain
Nerve pain is caused by nerve damage or inflammation. It is usually described as a sharp, shooting, burning or stabbing pain and may also be called neuralgia or neuropathic pain. Some people describe it as being like an electric shock and it is often worse at night.
Nerve pain can severely interfere with a person’s life and affect their sleep, work, and physical activity levels. They are often very sensitive to cold and may experience pain with even the slightest touch. Many people with chronic nerve pain also develop anxiety or depression.
People with neuropathic pain are often very sensitive to touch or cold and can experience pain as a result of stimuli that would not normally be painful, such as brushing the skin.
Common causes of nerve pain include:
- Alcoholism
- An injury to the brain, a nerve, or the spinal cord
- Cancer
- Circulation problems
- Diabetes
- Herpes zoster (shingles)
- Limb amputation
- Multiple sclerosis
- Stroke
- Vitamin B12 deficiency.
Soft Tissue Pain
This is pain or discomfort that results from damage or inflammation of the muscles, tissues, or ligaments. It may be associated with swelling or bruising and common causes include:
- Back or neck pain
- Bursitis
- Fibromyalgia
- Rotator cuff injury
- Sciatic pain
- Sports injuries, such as sprains or strains
- Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) syndrome.
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