Acute Vs. Chronic Pain

Whether your pain is acute or chronic, Dr. Nikesh Seth offers a wide variety of treatments including non-medicated, non-surgical approaches. Integrated Pain Consultants prioritize the comfort and safety of all patients by featuring alternative therapies.

UNDERSTANDING CHRONIC PAIN

Chronic pain is ongoing pain. It can vary greatly in severity from mild to debilitating. Many people who are considered disabled suffer from chronic pain. It’s also at the root of the opioid epidemic. Strong and addictive drugs, like opioids, were designed to be prescribed for short-term pain. When prescribed for chronic pain that likely will never subside, these medications can become severely dangerous.

Acute pain is short-term and sometimes more severe than chronic pain. Consider the pain associated with an appendix that needs to be removed or the pain felt after surgery. Although intense, this pain won’t be forever and will gradually fade. However, that’s of little comfort when acute pain is at its worst.

Many consider chronic pain “worse” because it needs to be managed for life. Even if the pain is mild, a lifetime of pain can be a tough reality to face. Others consider acute pain worse if the pain is unbearable. For instance, an intense muscle spasm caused by heavy lifting can be excruciating. Usually, the “worst” pain is decided by the person experiencing it at the moment, whether it’s chronic or acute.

Treating both the cause (if possible) and the symptoms are important. It’s also critical to treat the pain wisely and minimize the use of dangerous or addictive substances. Avoiding invasive surgeries via kyphoplasty for compressed fractures is another option.

There’s no need to live with the natural degree of pain suffered by chronic or acute pain patients. Call Integrated Pain Consultants at 480-626-2552 and schedule a consultation to discuss pain management options.