12 March 2019 The feeling of pain begins in nerve receptors in the skin, deep tissue and organs. When there is disease, injury or some other kind of problem, these receptors send messages along the pain pathways to the spinal cord , which passes them on to the brain. Pain medicine is a specialism that works towards reducing or blocking these messages before they reach the brain. What is pain? Pain is an unpleasant sensation that is transmitted when there is something wrong. It can be described in a different ways, for example: Tightness; Itch; “Electric shock”; Sting; Burn. If varies in intensity from uncomfortable, like a mild headache, to something severe and emergent that requires immediate treatment. What is the difference between chronic and acute pain? Pain can be classified as chronic or acute depending on its duration . Chronic pain Chronic pain is one of the health problems with the greatest impact on people of working age, because it negatively affects: Quality of life; Relationships; Ability to work. Chronic pain can last for months or years . It is pain that lasts beyond the estimated recovery time from tissue damage or is associated with a chronic disease, such as arthritis. It may be intermittent or continuous and affects patients’ daily activities to the point of: Loss of work days; Loss of appetite; Inability to perform physical activities. Chronic pain can cause other symptoms such as nausea, dizziness and fatigue . It can also cause emotional change, such as: Depression; Irritability or mood swings; Changes in lifestyle; Changes in workplace; Changes in independence and interpersonal relationships. The many causes of chronic pain include: A disease or injury from which the person has recovered though the painpersists; A condition that continues, such as arthritis or cancer. Many people have chronic pain, even with no evident injury or disease. Chronic pain is considered a medical condition that can and should be treated. Treatment of chronic pain falls under the umbrella of anaesthetics . Acute pain Acute pain is most often caused by tissue injury or inflammation, disease or recent surgery . It is limited in time and normally lasts no more than one or two weeks. It ends after treatment or solution of the problem that caused it, but can evolve into chronic pain if left untreated. Did you know that: Back pain is one of the most common health problems. It is a frequent cause of limited activity in adults; The pain caused by cancer affects most patients in intermediate or advanced stages of the disease; Arthritic pain affects thousands of people every year in Portugal; Fibromyalgia is a painful syndrome that is incurable but can be treated to improve the patient’s quality of life; There are many examples of pain, such as neuralgia and neuropathy, which affect nerves in the body, pain caused by injury to the central nervous system (brain or spinal cord) and complex regional pain syndrome. This article was written with the support of physicians and other clinical professionals from the Hospital da Luz network. The content published in the Health Guide is intended for the general public and is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It does not replace individual medical assessment, diagnosis, or personalized clinical advice from a qualified healthcare professional. The content is produced or reviewed by physicians and other healthcare professionals at Hospital da Luz and is based on the knowledge available at the time of publication or the most recent update, as indicated at the beginning of each item.
