The International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) revised the definition of pain in 2020 as "An unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with, or resembling that associated with, actual or potential tissue damage." Ongoing or recurring pain for three or more months has been defined as chronic pain by the same organization. In comparison, acute pain can have an abrupt onset and is usually short-lasting. Chronic pain problems usually manifest initially as acute pain, and many chronic pain conditions are associated with an intermittent acute flare-up of pain.
Chronic pain is a widespread health problem, with approximately 100 million people in the United States suffering from chronic pain in 2008. About 13 to 50% of adults in the United Kingdom have been estimated to suffer from chronic pain. This leads to a significant economic toll through direct healthcare costs associated with treatment and lost productivity. The estimated economic burden ranged from $560 to $635 billion in 2010, which is much higher than that of diabetes, cardiac problems, or cancer.
The goal of treatment for chronic pain is the reduction of pain intensity and the improvement of function and quality of life. Apart from efficacy, the adverse effects, side-effect profile, economic factors, and patient preference should also be considered during the selection of a treatment modality. Multimodal management has been recommended for chronic pain, including medications, exercises, lifestyle modification, physical therapy, pain psychology, behavioral modalities, interventional pain modalities, and alternative medicine.
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