Chronic Back Pain Versus Acute Back Pain

Pain is a reaction to signals that are being communicated somewhere in your body that there is a problem. The signals come from wherever there is pain and move through the nerves in your spinal cord and to their final destination, the brain. Back Pain Treatments vary.

Types of Pain

Pain can be broken down into two categories- neuropathic and nociceptive. Understanding the type of pain you have is important because the course of treatment can then be determined based upon it. It is important to note that some individuals suffer from mixed pain which is a combination of the two types of pain.

Neuropathic Pain- This type of pain is the result of damage that occurred to nerve tissue. The manifestation of neuropathic pain is often a sharp pain that feels like a burning or a stabbing. A perfect example is that of a pinched nerve.

Nociceptive Pain- This type of pain comes about as a result of a disease or injury that does not involve the central nervous system. Most often it manifests itself as pressure or a dull ache. Arthritis pain is an example of this kind of pain.

Chronic or Acute Back Pain?

Chronic back pain can best be described as a dull, burning pain that is felt deep in the back and aches terribly. It may be localized in one area or it may be a pain that travels from the back and down the legs. Chronic back pain can lead to a burning sensation, pins and needles, numbness or tingling.

Individuals who suffer from chronic back pain often find it excruciating to do many of their ordinary daily activities. Some cannot function properly at work, even if they spend most of their day behind a desk. Back pain that lasts for more than a three month period is deemed as chronic, although it can last for much longer. Many forms of standard medical management are not effective at relieving chronic back pain. This kind of pain can have an ongoing cause, such as arthritis or damage to a nerve, or it can be related to an injury from years past.

Acute back pain on the other hand will make itself known in the form of a very sharp intense pain or a dull ache. Most often acute pain is felt very deep in the lower portion of the back. It is often most severe in one specific area, such as the right side of the back or the center of the back. Acute back pain can come and go but it is very often constant and always intense.

Very often acute back pain has no one easily identifiable cause. In some instances the pain is related to a trauma or injury. Most patients who suffer from acute back pain will improve and recover completely in a period of six to eight weeks. However many people must see their doctor to receive necessary back pain treatments for their symptoms.