What is Pain? 
Pain occurs when something hurts, causing an uncomfortable or unpleasant feeling. You are the best judge of your pain, and the presence of pain often means that something is wrong. Listen to your body and seek help from a doctor like Gem State Holistic Health’s Dennis Harper, DC or Joshua J. Morris, MD.
Multiple types of pain affect you in different ways. Two main categories of pain are Acute and Chronic.
What is the Difference Between Acute and Chronic Pain?
Acute Pain
Acute pain is a sharp pain that usually comes on suddenly and is caused by something specific. This type of pain is temporary; it usually doesn’t last longer than six months. Acute pain goes away when there is no longer an underlying cause for the pain.
Common Causes of acute pain include:
    • Surgery
    • Labor and childbirth
    • Broken bones
    • Dental work
    • Burns or cuts
After acute pain goes away, you can return to life as usual.
Chronic Pain
Chronic pain is ongoing and usually lasts longer than six months. This type of pain persists after the injury or illness that caused it has healed or gone away. This is because pain signals remain active in the nervous system. Some people suffer chronic pain even when there is no past injury or apparent body damage.
Chronic pain is linked to conditions such as:
    • Headaches or migraines
    • Arthritis
    • Cancer
    • Fibromyalgia
    • Nerve pain
    • Back pain
The stress from Chronic pain produces physical conditions like:
  • Tense muscles.
  • A lack of energy
  • Limited ability to move around
  • Changes in appetite
Chronic pain also causes emotional effects:
  • Depression
  • Anger
  • Anxiety
  • Fear of re-injury (This fear could limit your ability to return to work or leisure activities)
There are more specific types of pain, but Acute (short-term, temporary) and Chronic (long-term, continuous) are the main ways to describe pain so that you’re best able to treat it.
When you start to experience pain, consider its location, your recent activities (surgeries, moving heavy items, etc.), and pre-existing health concerns (diabetes, cancer, etc.). Keep track of how long you have experienced it. Then, tell your doctor as much information about your pain as possible.
Need help figuring out what kind of pain you are experiencing and why?
Gem State Holistic Health is happy to help! Call or schedule an appointment today with one of our doctors: 208-476-3158
Along with helping you determine what kind of pain you have and why you are experiencing it, we can help you find ways to eliminate your pain. In our next newsletter, we will discuss Pain Elimination vs. Pain Management. We believe that Eliminating Pain, keeping you pain-free, and living a fully active life, is the true win. Find out why Gem State Holistic Health believes Pain Elimination is better than Pain Management by subscribing to our newsletter!