Chronic Pain - Symptoms
The symptoms of chronic pain include:
- Pain that does not go away as expected after an illness or injury.
- Pain that may be described as shooting, burning, aching, or electrical.
- Discomfort, soreness, tightness, or stiffness.
Pain can lead to other problems, such as:
WebMD 5: What You Need to Know About Pain
As with other subjective experiences, such as love, fear, or anger, there's no way to objectively measure pain. We asked Sean Mackey, MD, PhD, chief of the Pain Management Division and associate professor of anesthesia at Stanford University School of Medicine, to explain the unpleasant sensation we all feel in different ways.
Read the WebMD 5: What You Need to Know About Pain article > >
- Fatigue, which can cause impatience and a loss of motivation.
- Sleeplessness, often because the pain keeps you awake during the night.
- Withdrawal from activity and an increased need to rest.
- A weakened immune system, leading to frequent infections or illness.
- Depression, which is common and can make your pain worse.
- Other mood changes, such as hopelessness, fear, irritability, anxiety, and stress.
- Disability, which may include not being able to go to work or school or perform other daily activities.
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