Chronic Pain: A Complex Condition With a Multi-Tangential Approach

Cureus. 2021 Nov 23;13(11):e19850. doi: 10.7759/cureus.19850. eCollection 2021 Nov.

Abstract

Chronic pain is known as ongoing pain that lasts longer than three months with increasing healing time. It is approximated that 20% of adults of different sexes, races, and socioeconomic backgrounds fall victim to chronic pain. It is a result of several factors and can have lifelong effects. Pain is a complex matter to measure; therefore, the physician needs to understand the patient's health state to create a management plan tending to each issue adequately. There are many complications of such pain, and it can interfere terribly with an individual's quality of life. This article has reviewed the complex pathogenesis of chronic pain and the spectrum of non-pharmacologic modalities and pharmacological treatment options. It has also explored the efficacy of certain drugs and underlined the importance of nonpharmacological options such as physical exercise, cognitive therapy, and physical modalities to treat chronic pain and all the conditions that accompany this disorder.

Keywords: chronic pain; chronic pain management; chronic pain treatment; neuropathic pain; neuropathic pain treatment; nociceptive pain; nonpharmacological treatment of chronic pain; pharmacological management of chronic pain.

Publication types

  • Review