By Oluwasola Samuel, freelance writer. With medical review and editorial support by the DLHA Team.
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A black lady holding her neck in pain with unhappy facial expression. Image credit: Freepik.
Living with chronic pain is more common than you might think. In Africa, many people endure this hidden struggle daily. But what exactly is chronic pain, and who does it affect?
Chronic pain is a type of pain that lasts for three months or more, even after the injury or illness that caused it has healed. Chronic pain can affect every part of your life, from how you move to how you sleep and even how you feel emotionally. Chronic pain can take many forms, from a constant dull ache to sharp, burning sensations that come and go. Chronic pain can affect anyone, regardless of your age or sex.
To find lasting relief, you must understand the difference between acute pain and chronic pain. [1] Acute pain is your body's natural response to an injury or illness. It is usually short-term, lasts for 7 days or less, but often extends up to 30 days. Acute pain usually occurs suddenly after an injury or surgery and goes away as the body heals. However, chronic pain occurs differently. The pain can persist for long, even after the initial injury or condition has healed. Chronic pain lingers for a long time because your nervous system continues to send pain signals to your brain, even when there’s no damage or injury to your body.
You might be wondering what role the nervous system has to play here. [2] You need to understand that the nervous system plays a key role in pain generally. Normally, the nervous system sends signals to the brain to alert you when something is wrong, like when you get close to a fire or touch a hot stove.
Living with chronic pain can be challenging and stressful. Many different health conditions can cause chronic pain. For some, it's caused by an injury that never completely heals. For others, it’s a result of some health conditions like arthritis, migraine, or back problems. Infections can also lead to long-lasting pain, especially if they cause nerve damage. But sometimes, chronic pain may arise from less common causes, like complex regional pain syndrome, which affects your limb after an injury. [3] Fibromyalgia is also a less common condition with symptoms like musculoskeletal pain, sleep issues, and fatigue. [4]
Living with chronic pain can be challenging and tasking. People feel chronic pain differently. For some, it might be a dull, constant, aching feeling. For others, it could be a sharp, stabbing, unbearable pain that comes and goes. Chronic pain can affect your sleep. When your sleep is affected, it can lead to fatigue, thus affecting your mood and overall quality of life. When chronic pain lingers, it can also lead to anxiety and depression, thereby affecting your mental health. At this point, it's important to find effective ways to manage both the pain and the emotional stress it might have caused.
Chronic pain can be complex and tough to manage. The good news is that there are treatment options available to manage it. You should also note that there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution to it. Your healthcare provider would advise you on the type of treatment that is best for you, based on the cause and severity of your pain.
Many people find relief through a combination of treatments or therapies. Taking medications, like over-the-counter or prescription drugs, is often the first line of defence for most people. Other types of pain medications, including antidepressants, are also available, and your healthcare provider will prescribe them according to your needs. But it doesn’t stop there.
For some, physical therapy could be recommended to help strengthen their body and manage pain. Physical therapies like yoga or full-body stretch exercises can help ease the physical and mental strain of chronic pain.
Other treatment options may include psychotherapy, nerve blocks, transcutaneous electrical stimulations (TENS), surgery, and complementary and alternative therapies like acupuncture, massage, chiropractic care, or herbal remedies. [5, 6, 7, 8, 9] It’s important to talk to your healthcare provider to help find a lasting option and what works best for you.
Chronic pain is a complex condition that can affect many aspects of your life. But with the right approach, it is possible to manage it effectively. First, you need to identify the cause of chronic pain and find the right treatment options that best work for you to help regain and take control over your life. Remember, managing chronic pain isn’t just about easing the physical symptoms; it’s about taking care of your mental and emotional health too.
Instead of suffering in silence, make a conscious effort today to listen to your body and seek professional help or advice. You deserve to live a life that’s not held down by pain. You deserve to live a healthy and fulfilling life.
References
Related: Always add related internal links as applicable to your draft submissions.
Understanding Neck Pain: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment
How to Deal With Joint Pains - Tips for Africans
Diagnosis and Treatment of Osteoarthritis
What Africans Need to Know about Osteoarthritis
Published: September 11, 2024
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