Pain may accompany many medical conditions. Following an illness or injury, pain may persist and when medical examination excludes other causes, many clinicians will make the diagnosis of chronic pain.  
Chronic pain can take many forms and patients may be diagnosed as having fibromyalgia, whiplash, non-specific low back pain, headache, repetitive strain disorder or chronic fatigue, among others.  
No one cause can explain the very personal experience of chronic pain. The muscles and soft tissues may become weak and tender due to lack of normal use and poor posture.  
Decreased physical activity, inability to work, financial worries and poor sleep may all lead to stress and depression. This vicious cycle increases pain levels and decreases the ability to function in everyday life.  

Medical procedures and medications often produce side effects, which make patients feel worse.

  
One may hear different opinions about the cause and recommended treatment for chronic pain. This can cause increased stress and a futile search for a miracle cure.  
Although there may be no miracle cure for chronic pain, much of the suffering and disability that accompanies chronic pain is preventable and manageable.
Learn more about managing chronic pain.
   

 

© 2003 David Etlin MD FRCPC, Medical Director