Chronic pain can strike just about any part of your body, from your head to your toes, from your skin to your well-protected internal organs. Arthritis, back pain and headache are the most common types of chronic pain but chronic pain can occur in many forms and for many reasons. Here’s a list of the more common types of chronic pain.
Arthritis
Arthritis means joint inflammation. Arthritis appears in many forms. Some forms appear gradually, while others suddenly how up and then disappear, only to return gain later. The disease can strike any joint in your body and may be triggered by various causes, including an injury, lack of physical activity, natural wear on your joints and genetic disease. The two most common forms of arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Osteoarthritis
This common condition results when cartilage that cushions the ends of bones in your joints starts to deteriorate. If the cartilage wears down completely, you may be left with bone rubbing against bone, inflaming the joint and producing pain.
Rheumatoid arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis likely stems from an immune system disorder that causes your immune system to attack the lining in your joints, just as it does intruding viruses or bacteria.
Back pain
Most back pain occurs in your lower back (lumbar area), which bears most of your weight. Acute back pain often stems from an injury or accident that has a known origin but the cause of lingering back pain is less clear. The pain may be related to one of the following conditions:
Muscle strain and spasm
Muscle strain can occur if you lift something too heavy, twist too sharply or stand on your feet too many hours. Spasm is your back’s response to injury, designed to immobilize you and prevent further damage. Any movement of the injured muscles can set off a wave of stabbing pains.
Sciatica
Nerve inflammation or compression of a nerve root in your lower back can cause sciatica. You may feel the pain radiating from your back down through your buttock to your lower leg. Tingling, numbness or muscle weakness also can occur.
Herniated disk
Routine daily wear and tear or strain can cause a disk between the bones in your back (vertebrae) to protrude or rupture. When the disk ruptures, the jelly-like interior of the disk pokes out from its normal position between your vertebrae. The problem is when the bulging material happens to press against an adjacent nerve.
Complex regional pain syndrome
The condition is thought to stem from an overreaction of your sympathetic nervous system. CRPS is one of the least understood forms of chronic pain.
Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is a condition that affects your muscles, tendons, and ligaments. The pain appears in nearby joint tissues and it doesn’t cause any inflammation, just pain. Common symptom of fibrobyalgia is an “aching all over.” The pain may be a deep ache or a burning sensation.
Fibromyalgia usually becomes noticeable in your 30s. They may flare and then subside, but they usually don’t disappear completely. Physicians usually diagnose fibromyalgia after they’ve tested for and eliminated the possibility of other conditions.
Headache
Tension-type
This is the most common type of headache. They range from mild to severe, and you may experience a slow-building, dull, tight, pressurized pain that covers your forehead, scalp, back of the neck or both sides of your head. Tension-type headache appears to come from contraction of the muscles on the outside of your skull. Stressful events tend to be trigger for this type of headache.
Migraine
Migraines generally produce throbbing pain on one side of your head. Bright lights and loud noises may intensify the pain, and you may become nauseated and vomit. The pain can range from moderate to severe. Most migraines linger for only a few hours before peaking and slowly subsiding.
During a migraine, blood vessels in your brain, neck and scalp tighten, reducing blood to your brain. This tightening is followed by a sudden expansion of the vessels to larger than their normal size, causing blood to rush into them, producing swelling and pain. A drop in levels of serotonin, a brain chemical, seems to be the cause of these changes. Migraines appear to be hereditary and may be triggered by several factors:
Hormone fluctuations
Diet
Environment
Lifestyle
Medications
Cluster
A cluster headache is worse than a sever migraine and one of the most excruciating head pains imaginable. The pain site is usually on one side of your head, often in or around an eye or near the middle of your face by your teeth. Lying down typically worsens the pain.
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Irritable bowel syndrome
Irritable bowel syndrome is a complex disorder in your lower intestinal tract that causes pain, bloating, gas and recurrent bouts of diarrhea or constipation. It’s a common gastrointestinal disorder and the pain often occurs below the navel and can be dull and aching or sharp and sudden. The condition may stem from changes in the nerves that control sensation or muscle contractions in your bowel.
Mouth, jaw and face pain
This pain is often the result of dental problems but at times could stem from other orofacial conditions.
Temporomandibular joint disorders
Temporomandibular joint disorders (TMJ), refer to a group of symptoms affecting these joints and their attached muscles. A common symptom is pain in your face, neck or ears. The causes of these disorders include trauma to the joints, degeneration of the joints and hormones.
Overuse strain injuries
These injuries result from overuse of your muscles and tendons, especially those in your hands, wrists and arms. Carpal tunnel syndrome is the most recognized overuse injury. It results from constant strain on your wrist, which can inflame the tendons below your carpal ligament. When the tendons swell, they press against a nearby nerve located beneath your carpal ligament, producing pain.
Neck pain
An injury or poor posture can strain muscles, ligaments, or tendons in your neck, causing inflammation and pain. Neck pain also may stem from a herniated disk or degeneration of joints in your upper spine as a result of osteoarthritis or osteoporosis.
Peripheral neuropathy
Peripheral neuropathy usually affects your hands and feet, causing a tingling pain that’s generally accompanied by numbness. At times, the pain can also be shooting or burning. Peripheral neuropathy can result from side effects of medication, infection, or vitamin deficiencies. The most common causes are diabetes, alcoholism and autoimmune diseases that can damage small nerve endings.
This page was first published on May, 15th, 2008 and was last updated on May, 15th, 2008