Chronic pain is alarmingly common. Some research reports suggest that as much as 30% of the adult population suffers from some form of chronic pain. While most forms of chronic pain are completely manageable and often barely noticeable, certain individuals do experience more severe forms of chronic pain. This can have life-changing consequences, leaving them in situations where they struggle to work or keep as active as they would like. 

Can It Be Psychological?

This is a common question among patients who are suffering from chronic pain. Essentially, they want to know whether it’s all in their head and whether they might simply be experiencing something that is within their control. While this is possible, it’s far more common for pain and particularly chronic pain to have a physical cause. It’s unlikely that you will suffer from pain simply because your brain feels like torturing you. If you are suffering from pain that is neurological, then it’s definitely worth exploring further. It can be a sign of a deeper issue. Cognitive therapy can help provide the support you need here too. 

Be aware that there are some forms of chronic pain that were once considered to be psychological such as fibromyalgia. Researchers now dispute this and instead believe that there is a physical cause that simply has not yet been fully discovered or found. 

Are Alternative Treatments Worth Exploring?

If you research online, you’ll find that there are numerous alternative treatments that some people do recommend for chronic pain. You might wonder whether these are effective and whether there is evidence they work. The answer to this question is it depends on the treatment that you are exploring. Some are definitely more effective than others. For instance, companies such as Remington Medical’s physiotherapy equipment and supplies provide machines and equipment with a focus on energy medicine. The concept of energy use as a medicine is not a new one. Indeed, it has been around for years and stems from Chinese alternative medicine and therapies. Indeed, the main concept of many forms of traditional Chinese therapy stem from the idea that the body is surrounded by energy fields and that tension can be relieved by impacting these fields of energy. Surprisingly, there’s a lot of research that suggests that energy medicine does provide beneficial results to patients. 

Will It Get Worse?

While it does depend on the specific type of chronic pain that you are experiencing, there is quite a lot of research that suggests that most pain does get worse over time. For instance, if you start to develop issues with RSI, then this is going to get worse. This could be true even if you change your behavior to reduce the risk. 

It’s also possible that chronic pain gets worse or more severe because the medicine that you are using to treat it becomes less effective. The reason that this could happen is due to the fact that the body will adjust over time and becomes less receptive to the more that you use certain types of medicine. 

Can It Be Cured?

In some cases chronic pain is treatable and in rare cases, it can be cured completely. It’s far easier to cure chronic pain if there is a clear physical cause and there often will be. However, it’s worth noting that the surgery and medical treatment needed to erase the issue completely can be both dangerous and expensive. There are often severe complications and you should always be aware of the risk here as a patient. Don’t commit unless you know exactly what could happen if things go wrong. 

If your pain does get worse, then you will need to consider exploring alternative treatments that might be available to you. There are lots of different alternative treatments to consider and some are sure to provide additional support that you need. For instance, there is currently a lot of excitement around CBD and what a substance like this could mean for people who are suffering from severe levels of chronic pain. 

Will It Impact My Quality Of Life

Chronic pain can feel like a constant burden but it doesn’t need to destroy your life completely. There are ways to cope and the first step will always be making sure that you get the support you need. There are many different options here including therapy. Therapy is often necessary as people suffering from severe pain do tend to also experience mental health issues. The right therapeutic approach can help individuals come to terms with their pain and tackle it head-on.