Acute pains may be simple at first. But if you’re someone who constantly experiences pain in specific areas of the body, there is a significant chance that the acute pain you’re feeling has now turned into chronic pain.
By definition, chronic pain gets influenced by various conditions such as arthritis, nerve damage, cancer, and other illnesses. But other reasons contribute to acute pains becoming chronic pain, and here are some of them.
Pregnancy
Pregnancy can be a wonderful, joyous, and exciting thing. But it’s also one of the most challenging times in a woman’s life. However, besides having to carry the baby and endure the pain of childbirth, women also bear the pains that come along with the complicated changes the body is going through.
Hormones like estrogen, progesterone, and relaxin are responsible for softening the joints and opening up the pelvis so the baby can pass through it. But the loosening of the joints affects women’s mobility and causes pain in the knees, hips, and other joints.
Severe Physical Injuries
Injuries are another common cause of acute pains turning into chronic pains. When you’re hurt, the pain that you feel is acute pain. But the pain is usually not the only thing you’re feeling. You also think of other physical responses like swelling, throbbing, and stiffness.
The pain you experience after a severe injury is only temporary and will eventually go away. But the other symptoms continue to stay with you even after the pain disappears, which is when the acute pain turns into chronic pains.
Mental Health Problems
Emotions are an essential part of the human body, and they should never be ignored. However, when you’re feeling extremely depressed, anxious, and stressed, your pain can worsen. Mental illness can bring out the worst in people, and those suffering from this type of condition may experience severe pain all over the body. It will cause the acute pain that you feel to become chronic pain.
Existing Medical Conditions
Some people who suffer from physical conditions may also complain about being in pain. It’s usually difficult to treat pain when you’ve got another situation along with it.
For instance, take a person who has diabetes. They usually experience acute pain, but their pain can worsen to chronic pain if their blood sugar levels get too high.
Aging
Aging is unavoidable, and it’s something that we all have to go through. But as we grow older, we also start to experience health problems that can worsen our pains. Both men and women begin experiencing pain in their joints because the body loses its ability to repair itself as we age.
Although aging is a healthy process, it can bring a lot of problems with it, including chronic pain that brings discomfort and difficulty in everyday life. For example, if you have arthritis and you’re experiencing acute pains, it can turn into long-term aches if it’s not taken care of.
Conclusion
While some pain is natural and expected, you should never ignore it. If you’re experiencing pains regularly, you may be experiencing chronic pain. But it’s not that easy to understand what will eventually turn your acute pain into chronic pain. Pain is invisible, and so is the difference between acute and chronic pain. It’s best to consult with experts to get to the root of the pain and get a solution for it.
Naprapathic Medicine of New Mexico is a pain center found in the heart of Santa Fe. Our goal is to help patients overcome stress and pain without using any drugs by providing a hands-on approach to pain relief. Learn more about our services or get in touch with a naprapath near you through our website today.