Pain serves an important purpose, letting you know something is wrong and protecting you from further harm. Chronic pain, on the other hand, provides no protection from anything. Dealing day in and day out with constant pain and the limitations it places on you can be debilitating. Fortunately, modern science has developed multiple options for managing chronic pain, from topical over-the-counter creams and prescription analgesics to exercise and acupuncture.
The key to finding relief, or at least a way to live comfortably with the pain, is describing it accurately to your health care providers so they can address it appropriately.
How would you describe your chronic pain?
Doctors recommend describing the pain in your own words, not in medical terms or what you think the doctor wants to hear.
Some of the most common descriptions of pain are:
- Sharp
- Stabbing
- Hot sensation
- Burning sensation
- Extreme cold
- Throbbing
- Swollen
- Sensitive to touch
- Itchy
- Numb
- Tingling
- Pins and needles
Other information for you to share with your health care provider that can help in developing a treatment or management plan:
- How often do you experience the pain?
- Is there a time of day when the pain is worse?
- Does it interfere with regular activities such as sleeping, sitting, walking, and lifting common objects?
- What makes the pain worse?
- Does anything lessen the pain even slightly?
- How often do you undertake those measures to lessen the pain?
While your family physician might be able to effectively manage your chronic pain, many chronic cases are complex and require pain management specialists. Many Pennsylvania hospitals operate pain management programs, offering multidisciplinary approaches that combine medications, physical therapy, counseling, and alternative therapies.
The bottom line: The first steps to beating your chronic pain, or at least not letting it be in charge of your life, is to share your specific symptoms with your health care professionals and explore options in your community, including programs your local hospital might offer.