Acute vs Chronic Pain

The International Association for the study of Pain has defined pain as:
An unpleasant, sensory and emotional experience, associated with actual or potential tissue damage, or defined in terms of such damage'.

Generally speaking, pain acts as a warning to the body of potential or actual damage, however this is not always the case. Pain is understood and managed differently depending on whether it is acute or persistent in nature.

Acute Pain
Acute pain is short term pain of less than 3 months duration and occurs in response to injury or tissue damage (e.g. physical injury, surgery or trauma). All healing has usually taken place by 3 months and the pain typically resulves.There are many medications and treatments that are used to help control acute pain.

Chronic or Persistent Pain
Persistent pain is pain that lasts longer than 3 months, beyond the healing period of tissue damage. Despite ongoing pain, there is no new tissue injury and pain no longer acts as a signal of harm or damage. Pain does however impact on the individual's ability to carry out their normal activities, whether this is at home or work, or in social or recreational settings.

Persistent pain affects around 20% of the population and for many of these people there are no medications or treatments that lead to long-term, effective relief from their pain. The aims of treatment for persistent pain are increasing the individuals ability to cope with ongoing pain, enhance functioning and reduce suffering and distress, while minimising the risk of adverse effects.