Your body does not own a computer. It can’t send you a text message about your foot or tell you in an email that your appendix is in trouble. Your body has only a few ways of signaling that there is a problem; so it relies on symptoms to show distress. One of the biggest signaling symptoms is pain. Chronic pain (pain that lasts for at least 12 weeks or more) is often a symptom of a disease process or injury.
Feeling fatigued, losing or gaining weight, sleeplessness, anxiety, irritability, changes in appetite, and fevers are all signs that your body is experiencing some kind of stress. Sometimes the reasons behind chronic pain are known; and sometimes they are not.
Chronic Pain May be a Symptom of Something Bigger
Pain may be dull or sharp, it may be constant, or it can come and go at different times. The type of pain, its location and severity, along with other symptoms can be clues as to the underlying cause. Your chronic pain may be related to a known injury, for example, or it could be a symptom of something bigger. Either way, it is your body trying to tell you something important and you should most certainly listen.
Many injuries and disorders can cause chronic pain. Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, for instance, are known for being painful, even debilitating conditions. The causes of pain can range from minor to severe and include everything from fibromyalgia to ulcers, appendicitis, or even cancer.
Pain can be difficult to describe or even evaluate, because no one else can feel what you are feeling in exactly the same way as you experience it. It is all very subjective and quite personal. There is no single test that can measure and pinpoint pain in every situation. There are, however several different kinds of tests that can aid your family medicine provider in correctly diagnosing the underlying causes of your pain.
Once diagnosed, your family medicine provider can help find the most suitable treatment options for your particular problem. When faced with chronic pain, the goal is to understand the cause, implement treatment that helps to alleviate or reduce it and to restore function in order to provide a better quality of life for you, the patient.
Some people are uneasy about tests, or they are used to the pain and try to push through it and ignore it. This is never a good idea. Chronic pain should be checked out, even if only to set your mind at ease. Chronic pain is not likely to go away on its own, and it could be a symptom of something much more serious. If you are concerned about how chronic pain is affecting your quality of life, Dr. Ishan Gunawardene of Advanced Medical Clinic can answer all of your questions. To make an appointment with us in Wellington or Royal Palm Beach, request an appointment online or call (561) 434-1935 today.
