Pain is something we all feel every day. It’s an important biological warning sign – it’s our body’s way of letting us know something may be wrong. Sometimes, this pain does not go away even though the initial injury has. This may be a sign that you are experiencing something called chronic pain.
You may find yourself struggling to find the difference between normal pain and long-lasting, more severe pain. If you do, you have come to the right place.
Chronic Pain Vs. Acute Pain
Acute Pain
Acute pain is the most common type of pain felt and is most often the result of an underlying common illness or minor injury. In some cases, it is actually the result of trauma from a more major injury or accident.
Acute pain comes on fast and typically goes away just as fast as it heals. It is easy to treat with over-the-counter (OTC) medications like ibuprofen and acetaminophen, as well as other treatments like physical therapy or exercise.
In some cases, acute pain not properly treated can turn into chronic pain with time.
Common causes of acute pain include the following:
- Surgery
- Dental work
- Cuts or burns
- Broken bones
- Labor and childbirth
Chronic pain is pain that lasts longer than six months. Chronic pain, unlike acute pain, is typically going to require treatment from a healthcare provider who can identify the underlying cause and help you find relief.
Some researchers estimate that nearly one in every four adults in the United States suffers from some form of chronic pain.
Some of the more common causes of chronic pain include the following:
- Headaches
- Cancer
- Nerve pain (neuropathy)
- Back pain
- Fibromyalgia
- Arthritis
Chronic Pain Treatment
With chronic pain, the main goal of treatment is to reduce pain enough to give you a chance to return to your everyday life once again.
Chronic pain is not a condition itself but is simply just long-lasting pain. This means that treatment for chronic pain must be personalized to each individual and their symptoms.
Ketamine for Chronic Pain Treatment
Ketamine was first approved by the FDA for use as an anesthetic, but it has also found significant use as a pain reliever over the years, with many organizations now recommending it for the treatment of chronic pain conditions.
Research into ketamine infusions for treating pain is still ongoing, but it is generally believed that ketamine helps to foster connections between synapses and restore damaged nerve connections, essentially “rewiring” the brain. Ketamine infusions may be particularly effective at not only treating the pain symptoms of Chronic Pain Syndrome, but also the additional depression and anxiety symptoms.
The recent FDA approval of Spravato (a ketamine-based nasal spray for treatment-resistant depression), as well as the development of new psychedelics research centers by John Hopkins, may indicate a shift in the chronic pain treatment industry, providing innovative new options like ketamine infusion to those who experience persistent and treatment-resistant chronic pain.
Contact us today to learn more about our innovative treatments if you or a loved one are suffering from chronic pain.
