If you’ve been experiencing pain for several weeks (or even months), it’s easy to let worry overwhelm you. What’s causing it? What can you do to alleviate it? Will it have a lasting effect on your body?
At The Orthopedic Clinic, we aim to put our patients at ease while they regain their mobility and get back to doing the things they love. For this reason, we’ve provided an overview of acute pain and how to differentiate it from chronic pain.
What is acute pain?
Acute pain is experienced immediately or soon after an injury; for example, a fall, car accident, or bone fracture. It’s a signal from your body that you’ve been injured. Once the injury heals, the pain stops.
When a patient suffers an injury or trauma, they subsequently experience pain. The pain can be sharp or dull, depending on the injury.
The symptoms can last as long as the injury persists. This means that while acute pain could be short in duration, it typically commensurates with the severity of the injury and can take weeks or months to fully dissolve.
Effects of Acute Pain on the Body
The pain can range from mild to severe. A patient experiencing higher levels of pain is likely to avoid using the affected body part. This can result in overusing a healthy limb, which can stress that joint and cause additional pain in that body part. In addition, if the pain lasts for an extended period of time, it may affect other aspects of the patient’s health and routine such as:
- Blood pressure
- Breathing pattern
- Sleep
- Appetite
- Dependence on pain medications
- Emotional state
If the pain is severe enough to prevent the patient from performing their usual work duties or hobbies, it may lead to depression.
Acute vs Chronic Pain
Chronic pain is the type of ache that keeps coming back, despite the fact that there has been no specific injury.
Chronic Pain Examples
Examples of chronic pain include:
- Migraines
- Pain from arthritis
- Muscular pain
- Fibromyalgia
- Pain related to cancer
As with acute pain, chronic pain often disrupts the patient’s life, affecting their ability to eat, sleep, and relate to others. Due to its long-term nature, it has a higher probability of resulting in stress, anxiety, and depression.
Request an Appointment at The Orthopedic Clinic Today
At The Orthopedic Clinic, we want you to live your life in full motion. If you’re experiencing symptoms related to acute pain, let us help you. We’ll tailor a treatment plan that’s best for your lifestyle and get you back to doing the things you love.
Call us at (386) 255-4596 to schedule an appointment.