Pain is defined as “an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage or described in terms of such damage” (IASP).

Chronic pain is pain that persists or recurs for more than three months.

Chronic pain affects approximately 30% of adults. Its prevalence increases with age. It affects women and disadvantaged socioeconomic groups more than others. [1]

Here are five facts to help you better understand and manage pain:

Chronic pain can be effectively managed through exercise

Exercise can help reduce your pain threshold by activating your “internal pharmacy.” A mechanism called exercise-induced inhibition plays a key role in this reduction [2]. However, in people with chronic pain, this mechanism can sometimes be impaired, requiring precise adjustment of exercise intensity to avoid worsening pain after activity. Physical therapists are the healthcare professionals of choice to guide you in finding the right exercises and intensity.

In addition to reducing pain, exercise is beneficial for maintaining or improving your ability to perform various daily activities, and is recognized for its benefits on physical and mental well-being.

Meditation is an effective method for reducing pain

Meditation is one of the non-drug therapies that can be particularly useful in reducing pain and improving quality of life. [3] However, if you don't feel drawn to meditation, don't worry, there are other alternatives available.

Painkillers in pain management

Painkillers are part of the therapeutic arsenal for pain management, as are non-drug therapies such as physical activity, meditation, hypnosis, and psychological therapies such as behavioral therapy or pain acceptance therapy, which can be very effective. The idea is often to combine these therapies to find the formula that works best for managing pain on a daily basis and doing the activities you want to do.

Physical activity when you are in pain

When you feel pain, it is important to take it seriously, especially if it is acute. In this case, it may be helpful to temporarily stop activities that cause or aggravate the pain. However, if certain activities are not painful, it is strongly recommended that you continue them. For example, if you have lumbago and it hurts when you bend forward, but walking does not cause you any pain, keep walking. Gradually, it will be beneficial to re-expose yourself to painful activities in a gradual manner to reduce sensitivity in the long term.

Is the level of pain correlated with the severity of the injury?

The level of pain is not always proportional to the severity of the injury. For example, a cut from a sheet of paper can be very painful, even if it does not have serious consequences. Conversely, some fractures or cruciate ligament tears may cause little or no pain at first, despite the severity of the injury. Don't hesitate to consult a healthcare professional so that they can diagnose and predict how your pain will develop.

SOURCES :

[1] Douleur · Inserm, La science pour la santé. Disponible sur: https://www.inserm.fr/dossier/douleur/

[2] Sluka KA, Frey-Law L, Hoeger Bement M. Exercise-induced pain and analgesia? Underlying mechanisms and clinical translation. Pain. sept 2018;159 Suppl 1(Suppl 1):S91‑7.

[3] Hilton L, Hempel S, Ewing BA, Apaydin E, Xenakis L, Newberry S, et al. Mindfulness Meditation for Chronic Pain: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Ann Behav Med. avr 2017;51(2):199‑213.