This post was written by Dr. Andrius Giedraitis, Pain Management, Parkview Bryan Hospital.
Living with chronic pain can be both physically and emotionally exhausting. Many of our patients ask, "What's actually happening in my body when I feel this pain?" Here, we'll explain the science behind chronic pain in everyday terms.
When does pain become chronic?
When this discomfort lasts for more than three months, it's considered chronic. The most common types include:
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Pain from tissue damage. This is the most straightforward type of pain, coming from actual injury to muscles, bones or organs. It's usually well-defined and responds to standard pain treatments.
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Neurological pain. When the nerves themselves are damaged or not working properly, they can send incorrect pain signals. This often feels different from regular pain and might burn, shock or tingle. Many traditional pain medications don't work well for this type.
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Pain without clear physical damage. Sometimes, extensive testing shows no clear physical cause for pain, yet the pain is very real. Conditions like fibromyalgia fall into this category. This happens because the pain-processing system has changed.
Five ways your pain system can change over time
Pain is normally your body's way of telling you when something is wrong and needs attention. But sometimes this system can malfunction. This results in discomfort that continues after an injury has healed or without any clear physical damage. Chronic pain causes specific changes in your nervous system:
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Your body's volume control gets turned up. Imagine your nervous system has a volume knob for pain signals. With chronic pain, this knob gets stuck on "high." Your brain and spinal cord become overly sensitive, turning even mild sensations into painful experiences. Activities that shouldn't hurt, like light touch or gentle movement, can trigger significant discomfort.
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Pain sensors become extra sensitive. The pain sensors throughout your body can also become more sensitive than usual. Think of them as motion detectors that start going off with the slightest movement rather than only when there's real danger.
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Your brain creates pain highways. Your brain is constantly adapting and creating pathways based on experience. With chronic pain, it develops strong pain highways that become the default route for signals. Over time, these paths become so established that pain messages travel more easily and frequently.
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An echo effect occurs in your spinal cord. When you experience repeated pain signals, your spinal cord can develop an echo effect where it continues sending pain messages to your brain even after the painful stimulus has stopped. This is like how an echo continues after the original sound has ended.
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Your immune system gets involved. Your body's immune system, which normally fights infection, can accidentally contribute to chronic pain. Certain immune cells can release chemicals that irritate your nerves and keep pain signals firing.
Balanced pain treatment
Understanding how chronic pain works helps us develop better treatments:
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Some medications work by calming down your oversensitive nervous system.
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Physical therapy can help retrain your brain and nervous system.
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Interventional procedures, such as nerve blocks or injections, can interrupt abnormal pain signals.
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Psychological approaches help manage the brain's response to pain.
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Lifestyle changes can reduce inflammation and immune system irritation.
Hope for healing
Chronic pain involves complex changes throughout your nervous system. The good news is that your nervous system can change again in positive ways. With the right approach, many people experience significant improvement in their pain and quality of life.
If you're struggling with chronic pain, we're here to help you understand what's happening in your body and develop a plan to address it.
At Parkview Bryan Hospital's Pain Management Clinic in Ohio, our team offers personalized and balanced care, with no referral necessary. To learn more or schedule an appointment with one of our providers, call 419-633-7343.
At PPG—Pain Management in Indiana, appointments are by referral only. If you suspect you need to see a pain management specialist, contact your primary care physician.
