Pain comes in many forms. The way you treat your pain may vary based on the type of pain you’re experiencing. Two of the main categories of pain are acute pain and chronic pain. In this guide, we’ll compare acute pain vs. chronic pain to help you better understand the discomfort you’re in. We’ll also discuss treatment paths you can pursue to get the pain relief you deserve.
What Is Acute Pain?
Acute pain refers to short-term pain that comes from a specific event, like surgery or childbirth. If you have pain after a dentist appointment that goes away after a few days, that is acute pain. Most forms of acute pain go away within a few months. Once the injury that sparked the pain is healed, the pain subsides.
What Is Chronic Pain?
Chronic pain is persistent pain that lingers for three months or more. Examples of chronic pain include arthritis, persistent migraines, fibromyalgia, back pain, and joint pain. Chronic pain may respond to some home remedies, but it usually requires professional intervention for relief. Thankfully, there are modern treatment paths that don’t require surgery or long-term medication.
Can Acute Pain Turn into Chronic Pain?
Yes, acute pain can turn into chronic pain if the underlying issue does not heal. For example, you may have an injury at work that doesn’t heal properly. The pain may go away for a while, but eventually, it comes back in a different way.
Another example would be a sports injury from high school that suddenly comes back as an adult. You may have done something to aggravate the old injury, or maybe you re-injured yourself altogether. Whatever the case may be, it is entirely possible for something that was once acute pain to become chronic pain.
Personalized Treatment for Acute and Chronic Pain
The good news is that there are treatments available for almost every form of pain, including acute pain and chronic pain. Here at Macomb Pain Management, we provide advanced solutions and minimally invasive procedures to deliver pain relief where you need it most. We don’t just treat the symptoms. We address your pain at the root. Each client receives a personalized pain management plan that’s tailored to their needs.
Macomb Pain Management
8152 25 Mile Rd Suite B
Shelby Township, MI 48316
Reach out to (248) 844-8281 to schedule an appointment for chronic pain treatment.