Chronic Pain

Dr. Joshua Goldner

What do you think of when you hear the term “chronic pain?” Chronic pain affects approximately 50 million Americans and is an important condition to identify and treat.

According to the American Chronic Pain Association chronic pain is, “ongoing or recurrent pain, lasting beyond the usual course of acute illness or injury or more than 3 to 6 months, and which adversely affects the individual’s well-being.”

Chronic pain varies in intensity and frequency. Some experience chronic pain constantly while others only feel it in episodes.

If you feel any kind of consistent pain for 3 months, you may be suffering from chronic pain. Pain can originate from a wide variety of sources. When it comes to chronic pain, the main sources are:

• Joint pain
• Headaches
• Back pain
• Injury related pain

If you think that you may be experiencing chronic pain, start by determining if you are experiencing the following symptoms:

• Constantly feeling any level of pain, mild to severe
• Aching, shooting, or burning types of pain
• Extended feelings of soreness, stiffness, or tightness

Aside from the obvious physical issues caused by chronic pain, many individuals also report psychological struggles, such as fatigue, mood changes, stress, anxiety, depression, irritability, or restless nights of sleep.

If you are worried that you are experiencing chronic pain, it may be in your best interest to arrange a consultation with a pain management specialist. Ask your primary care physician about a referral to the Fisher-Titus Pain Management Center or visit fishertitus.org/pain to learn more.