What is Chronic Pain?
Acute pain is a normal sensation triggered in the nervous system to alert you to possible injury and the need to take care of yourself. Chronic pain is different, it persists. Pain signals keep firing in the nervous system for weeks, months, even years. This pain can be initiated by single event such as sprained back or there may be an ongoing cause of pain like arthritis, cancer or ear infection.
What is Fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia is a medically unexplained syndrome characterized by chronic widespread pain and a heightened painful response to pressure.
Symptoms include difficulty with swallowing, bowel and bladder abnormalities, numbness, tingling and cognitive dysfunction are common symptoms. Symptoms of fibromyalgia can vary in intensity. Fatigue, sleep disturbances, cognitive difficulties, and joint stiffness are the most prevalent symptoms reported.
Additional common symptoms may include depression, anxiety, migraines, tension headaches, pelvic pain, irritable or overactive bladder, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), temporo-mandibular joint disease (TMJD), and gastrointestinal reflux disease (GERD). There is no cure for fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia can make you extremely sensitive to pain all over your body (Generalized Pain Disorders). For example, if you hurt yourself, such as stubbing your toe, the pain may continue for much longer than it normally would. Multi-disciplinary approaches for relief of symptoms are recommended including medications, cognitive behavioral therapies, and gentle exercise.
Will chronic pain go away on it’s own?
Unfortunately, There is no cure for chronic pain, the best thing you can do is identify and treat its cause. Many people with who suffer from this don’t know its cause and can’t find a cure. Carolinas Pain Center has a group of providers and pain specialists who ensure each patient receives an individualized, multidisciplinary approach to care and a personal treatment plan.
