What’s the difference between Acute and Chronic Pain?

Acute pain

Acute pain starts suddenly and tends to be sharp in quality. It could be a momentary pain, or something that flares up repeatedly for several weeks or even remain for up to six months. Acute pain serves as a warning of disease or threat to the body. It can be relieved provided the underlying cause is dealt with properly, otherwise it may develop into a chronic condition.
For Acute back pain such as severe muscle spasms we may suggest you come and see an Acupuncturist. For assistance in recovering from a fall or shock, we may recommend a Cranial Osteopath or a Cranial Sacral Therapist. At this stage it may be too soon to see an Osteopath, but it all depends upon the cause of the pain and the nature of the discomfort.
Recommended treatment depends upon the cause and the most problematic symptoms.

Seek immediate medical help if you feel at risk of having seriously injured yourself, or are suffering undiagnosed pain for which you cannot explain the source.

Chronic Pain

Chronic back pain is defined by the condition that causes it, or if undiagnosed, the longevity of the pain experienced. Generally, back pain that continues past 3-6 months can be considered as Chronic. If you are experiencing pain long after the tissue damage of an injury has repaired then, it is possible that the nervous system has become so used to the pain pathway that it misfires and gives a pain indication long after the damage has been repaired. Chronic pain, at this stage, then becomes the problem as supposed to the symptom. It is not always easy to deal with such an exhausting condition, that it is quite common for people to lose faith that they will recover, they may become depressed and cut out many movements that cause discomfort. This in turn exacerbates the situation as the phrase, “Use it or lose it” is a fundamental notion with regard to maintaining healthy mobility.