Chronic Pain Treatment
Chronic pain is pain that lasts an extended time. In medicine, the distinction between acute and
chronic pain is sometimes determined by the amount of time since onset. Two commonly used markers are pain that continues at 3 months and 6 months since onset, but some theorists and researchers have placed the transition from acute to
chronic pain at 12 months. Others apply the term acute to pain that lasts less than 30 days, chronic to pain of more than six months duration, and subacute to pain that lasts from one to six months. A popular alternative definition of chronic pain, involving no fixed duration, is "pain that extends beyond the expected period of healing". Chronic pain may originate within the body, or within the
brain or medulla spinalis. It is often difficult to treat. Epidemiological studies have found that 8% - 11.2% of individuals in various countries have chronic widespread pain. Various non-opioid medicines are initially recommended to treat chronic pain, counting on whether the pain is thanks to tissue damage or is neuropathic. Psychological treatments including
cognitive behavioral therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy could also be effective for improving
quality of life in those with chronic pain. Some people with
chronic pain may benefit from opioid treatment while others can be harmed by it. In people with non-cancer pain, patients might try opioids only if there is no
history of either mental illness or substance use disorder. Opioids for
chronic pain should be stopped if they are not effective at treating the patient's pain.
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