Chronic Pain Syndrome: Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment医药_健康_365医药针灸按摩医药_健康_365医药中医中药医药_健康

EnglishEspañolWhat Is Chronic Pain Syndrome?

Medically Reviewed by Sabrina Felson, MD on October 13, 2024Written by Stephanie Watson

What Causes Chronic Pain Syndrome?Symptoms Getting a Diagnosis Treatments When to Call a Doctor About Your Pain4 min read

Pain is your body's normal reaction to an injury or illness, a warning that something is wrong. When your body heals, you usually stop hurting.

But for many people, pain continues long after its cause is gone. When it lasts for 3 to 6 months or more, it's called chronic pain. When you hurt day after day, it can take a toll on your emotional and physical health.

About 25% of people with chronic pain will go on to have a condition called chronic pain syndrome (CPS). That's when people have symptoms beyond pain alone, like depression and anxiety, which interfere with their daily lives.

CPS can be hard to treat, but it's not impossible. A mix of treatments like counseling, physical therapy, and relaxation techniques can help relieve your pain and the other symptoms that come with it.

What Causes Chronic Pain Syndrome?

Doctors don't know exactly what causes CPS. It often starts with an injury or painful condition such as:

Arthritis and other joint problemsBack pain HeadachesMuscle strains and sprainsRepetitive stress injuries, when the same movement over and over puts strain on a body partFibromyalgia, a condition that causes muscle pain throughout the bodyNerve damage Lyme diseaseBroken bonesCancer Acid reflux or ulcers Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)Endometriosis, when tissue in the uterus grows outside of itSurgery

The roots of CPS are both physical and mental. Some experts think that people with the condition have a problem with the system of nerves and glands that the body uses to handle stress. That makes them feel pain differently.

Other experts say CPS is a learned response. When you're in pain, you may start to repeat certain bad behaviors even after the pain is gone or has lessened.

CPS can affect people of all ages and both sexes, but it's most common in women. People with major depression and other mental health conditions are more likely to get CPS.

Symptoms

CPS affects your physical health, your emotions, and even your social life over time. The pain can lead to other symptoms, such as:

Anxiety DepressionPoor sleepFeeling very tired or wiped outIrritabilityGuiltLoss of interest in sexDrug or alcohol abuse Marriage or family problemsJob lossSuicidal thoughts

Some people with CPS need to take more and more medicine to manage their pain, which can make them dependent on these drugs.

Getting a Diagnosis

Your doctor will ask you about any illnesses or injuries that might have started the pain. They will also ask other questions to learn more about the type of pain you feel and how long you've had it:

When did the pain start?Where on your body does it hurt?What does the pain feel like? Is it throbbing, pounding, shooting, sharp, pinching, stinging, burning, etc.?How severe is your pain on a scale of 1 to 10?What seems to set off the pain or make it worse?Have any treatments relieved it?

Imaging tests can show whether you have joint damage or other problems that cause pain:

CT, or computed tomography. It's a powerful X-ray that makes detailed pictures inside your body.MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging. It uses magnets and radio waves to make pictures of organs and structures inside you.X-ray. It uses radiation in low doses to make images of structures in your body.Treatments

To treat your pain, you can visit:

Your primary care doctorA specialist for the medical condition that's causing your pain -- for example, a rheumatologist to treat arthritisA pain clinic or center

Your doctor will tailor your therapy to the source of your pain. You might get one or more of these treatments:

Physical therapy, including heat or cold on the part that hurts, massage, stretching exercises, and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS)Occupational therapyCounseling, one-on-one or group therapyBracesRelaxation techniques such as deep breathing or meditationBiofeedbackSpinal cord stimulationNerve blocksPain medicines such as NSAIDs, antidepressants, anti-seizure drugs, and muscle relaxantsSurgery to treat the condition that caused the painWhen to Call a Doctor About Your Pain

Some pain can be normal, especially if you've recently had an injury, illness, or surgery. Call your doctor if the pain is intense, it doesn't stop, or it keeps you from doing your regular activities every day.

SourcesUpdate HistoryShare

SOURCES:

British Columbia Medical Journal: "Diagnostic judgment: Chronic pain syndrome, pain disorder, and malingering."

Frontera, Walter R., et al. Essentials of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 2014.

Medscape: "Chronic Pain Syndrome Treatment & Management."

National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: "Chronic Pain: In Depth."

Saint Luke's Health System: "Chronic Pain Syndrome."

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs: "VHA Pain Management."

Mayo Clinic: “Fibromyalgia,” “Endometriosis.”

KidsHealth: “Repetitive Stress Injuries.”

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