Tune in below to the latest Art of Healing Podcast as we journey to explore the hidden complexities of chronic pain. With a unique blend of Western medicine and Eastern healing practices, the episode delves into how chronic pain silently alters the body, mind, and spirit. Chronic pain, unlike acute pain, often escapes empathy due to its lack of visible symptoms. Chronic pain presents unseen challenges and far-reaching consequences that include elevated stress hormones, memory issues, depression, insomnia, and cardiovascular health problems.
At any point in time, up to 20% of the world’s population is living with chronic pain1. This means that billions of people worldwide are suffering from one or more types of pain. Pain is subjective, meaning there are no obvious ways to quantify the experience of pain. Pain immediately after an injury, surgery, or illness is called acute pain. With 1 in 5 people living with chronic pain, that means either you, or someone you know lives with chronic pain. Understanding the basics of chronic pain helps you understand how chronic pain is impacting you as well as those in your life
Acute pain is necessary to keep us safe from further injury. An example of acute pain is pain in the knees from prolonged sitting. The body is letting you know it is time to move, and we know that prolonged sitting is not good for us.
Acute pain is often a necessary evil on our healing journeys. If you have an broken bone, the bone must hurt as it is repaired surgically, and as it begins to heal. When we cut ourselves, the cut hurts immediately after the injury, as the are locally produces chemicals that stimulate the inflammatory reaction that recruits parts of the immune system needed in tissue repair.
The most painful conditions that cause acute pain are childbirth, passing a kidney stone, and an attack of shingles. These conditions cause pain that is blinding. During any of these episodes, pain is severe enough that
When does pain become chronic pain?
Chronic pain is an unpleasant physical sensation that persists beyond 6 months and no longer serves any obvious physiological purpose2.
In this article, we will review the types of chronic pain. This knowledge can help you understand what is at the root cause of your chronic pain.
Physiology of Chronic Pain
Chronic can be classified according the the possible cause of the pain. Chronic pain can be classified in the these categories:
Types of Chronic Pain3
- Somatic Nociception
- Visceral Nociception
- Neuropathic Pain
“Nociception” is medical speak for pain, and is a term that is frequently used in medical textbooks.
Somatic Nociception, or Somatic pain, are the results of physical damage to tissues. This can include damage to the skin, joints, connective tissues, or bones. This is the pain we feel after a sprained ankle or a cut on the hand. Somatic pain allows the physical body a way to communicate with the conscious mind about localized pain. If the somatic pain is acute, there is likely some relief by making adjustments, such as movements, cool compress, heat, or massage.
Visceral Nociception, or visceral pain, is pain that comes from the organs. Examples of visceral pain include angina from heart pain, stomach pain from ulcers, or colon pain from diverticulitis. Visceral pain is the body’s way of detecting a problem within the organs. Visceral pain can be difficult to describe and detect as the organs do not have any many nerve fibers dedicated to pain as the extremities.
Neuropathic pain derives from damage to one or several parts of the nervous system. Neuropathy is a common kind of neuropathic pain. Neuropathy is damage to nerves in the body from causes such as diabetes, forever chemicals, or chemotherapy.
The podcast episode highlights the intriguing connection between the chakra system and chronic ailments. We take a deep dive into the chakra system, explaining how energy blockages can manifest as physical conditions such as arthritis, migraines, and irritable bowel syndrome. Each chakra, from the root to the crown, plays a critical role in maintaining physical, emotional, and spiritual balance. The episode explores how disruptions in these energy centers can lead to various forms of chronic pain, providing listeners with a holistic perspective on managing pain and promoting overall well-being.
The episode also touches on the importance of recognizing the silent impact of chronic pain on individuals’ lives. Chronic pain can lead to significant changes in a person’s demeanor, often without others realizing the underlying cause. It can be particularly challenging for older adults who may be reluctant to share their struggles. We explore the need for empathy and understanding, encouraging listeners to be more aware of the potential hidden pain experienced by loved ones and the elderly.
- Goldberg, D.S., &McGee, S.J. (2011). Pain as a global public health priority. BMC Public Health, 11, 770. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-11-770 ↩︎
- Pain. (2016). In Goldman-Cecile Medicine. ↩︎
- DynaMedex. Chronic Pain in Older Adults. EBSCO Information Services. Accessed April 20th, 2024. https://www.dynamedex.com/condition/chronic-pain-in-older-adults ↩︎