Throughout the course of our lives, we deal with a variety of conditions associated with relatively short–term pain, such as menstrual cramps or the temporary aches and pains associated with physical activity. These conditions can be diagnosed and treated, and generally the acute pain is not long–lasting. Conversely, chronic pain can be much more debilitating and difficult to treat.
Exactly what is chronic pain? Basically, it is pain that persists, often lasting for weeks, months, even years. There are two types of chronic pain conditions. Ones like arthritis, are the result of chronic tissue inflammation. Others, like neuropathy and fibromyalgia are thought to be related to pain generating processes that have been injured. These latter pain conditions are sometimes more resistant to the usual treatments of anti-inflammatory medication like aspirin or ibuprofen. It–s important to talk to your doctor when any pain persists. When you suffer from chronically painful conditions your doctor can counsel you on the best ways to manage your discomfort. Here are a few of the most commonly experienced conditions that cause chronic pain, particularly among women:
Arthritis – is one of the most debilitating and painful
diseases to strike women. Depending on the type of arthritis, symptoms can be found
in nearly every part of the body. Believe it or not, gout, which is actually a form
of arthritis, can present in your ear lobes! Most often, arthritis affects the support
structures of the body, such as bony joints, tendons and ligaments. Osteoarthritis
is the most common type, affecting 15 million to 20 million Americans.
Fibromyalgia – affects millions of Americans. Patients suffer
from widespread muscle pain, insomnia, and fatigue. Fibromyalgia is considered a syndrome,
or collection of symptoms, rather than a disease. Other symptoms include headaches,
TMJ pain (jaw pain), morning stiffness, a sensation of swelling, numbness and tingling,
irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), irritable bladder symptoms, restless legs, memory and
concentration difficulties, dizziness or sense of imbalance, and other sensitivities.
Some people also may have symptoms of depression and/or anxiety; however, neither depression
nor anxiety is known to cause fibromyalgia.
Headaches – can be a chronic, sometimes incapacitating,
condition that can get in the way of work, school, relationships, and your overall
enjoyment of life. At their most troublesome, headaches can lead to loss of
self–esteem and depression. They can even cause serious problems with loved
ones, friends and co–workers. Although researchers have discovered the triggers
for certain types of headaches, there is still a lot of misunderstanding about headaches
and why some people are more prone to this problem. Headache pain is very real, and a
number of treatment options exist to ease, if not control, most headaches.
Neuropathic Pain – is a type of pain that follows an injury
to the nervous system which is comprised of your body’s nerves, spinal cord, and
brain. Neuropathic pain tends to occur when a nerve that normally senses hot, cold,
or pain is injured in some way. Pain associated with spine disorders or diabetes
can cause neuropathic pain. The pain following an episode of shingles (an outbreak
of localized chicken pox) is also a cause of neuropathic pain and is called
post–herpetic neuralgia, which affects elderly persons more often than other
age groups.
Pain in the pelvic cavity and/or the perineum (the skin and muscles between the
vagina and rectum) is common in women and is often difficult to diagnose. Unfortunately,
more than half (64%) of women with chronic pelvic pain remain undiagnosed. Patients are
often embarrassed about pain in the perineal or pelvic area and frequently delay seeing a
physician until the pain becomes intolerable. With chronic pelvic pain, the initial injury
may heal, yet the pain continues due to changes in the nervous system, tissues, or muscles.
You may be suffering from chronic pelvic pain if you are experiencing pain that lasts for six
months or longer; feeling depressed; finding your pain limits physical activity; and have
tried conventional treatments for pain that have failed.
Fortunately, great strides are being made both in determining how pain is created in chronic pain conditions and how the differences observed between women and men in acute pain may influence treatment responses in chronic pain conditions.
