Category: Pain Management

• Aches
• Types Of Body Pain
• What Causes Body Aches?
• Symptoms
• Get Rid Of Achy Body
• How To Manage Body Pain
• manage pain naturally
• Body Pain – Conclusion

Body pain has become a common issue with people in today’s world. It can be of two types-

• Acute Pain 
• Chronic Pain

In this blog, we discuss the details of body pain. The causes of body pain, the signs and symptoms of body pain, the body pain management, and remedies to get rid of body pain. 

What Are Body Aches?

An uncomfortable symptom that is caused by muscle inflammation and soreness.  Body aches occur when muscles are inflamed through physical stress or an immune response. 

There might be different symptoms of body aches-
1. If you go for a run, walk, or stand for a long period of time, you might feel that your body aches, as the activities might cause muscle stress or strains. 

2. If you are suffering from a cold or flu, you might feel your body aching.

When your body fights off any infection, it causes short-term muscle inflammation that makes you feel uncomfortable and achy [1].

What Are The Types Of Body Pain?

The experience of pain is different from person to person. Therefore, it is easy to separate pain into different types, which are listed below-

1. Acute Pain 

Acute pain remains for a shorter period of time. This pain might cause serious tissue damage, such as bones, muscles, or organs. 

2. Chronic Pain

Chronic pain is different in nature and remains for a longer period of time. For instance, osteoarthritis. This pain is more likely to cause mental health issues like depression, anxiety, etc.

Other Ways to Classify Pain:

1. Nociceptive –  Pain caused by tissue damage.
2. Neuropathic – Pain caused by nerve damage.
3. Psychogenic – The pain that comes from psychological conditions like stress, depression, anxiety, etc, is called psychogenic pain. 

Pain also may be classified by the type of tissue involved or part of the body affected. This pain might also be referred to as muscle pain or joint pain. Pain might also be chest pain or back pain [2].

What Causes Body Aches?

 8 different causes of body aches are laid down below-

1. Dehydration –

Water is an essential ingredient for the normal functioning of the body. Lack of water might lead to muscle cramps. 
Dehydration symptoms include –

• Exhaustion
• Extreme thirst
• Dizziness or disorientation
• Urine dark in color. 

2. Stress –

It is a mental health condition but can impact the body on a cellular level. Stress can cause infection, which leads to inflammation of muscles and might result in aches or pains. 
Symptoms of stress and anxiety include-

• Sweating
• Hyperventilating
• Headache
• Trembling

3. Fibromyalgia-

It is a chronic condition that makes your whole body exhausted and achy.  The reason behind the condition is unclear; however, rheumatoid arthritis increases the risk. 

Symptoms of Fibromyalgia-

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Difficulty in thinking, focusing, and refreshing
• Sleep problems
• Headaches and Migraines

4. Pneumonia-

It is a lung infection that affects the body. The condition can cause chest or muscle pain. 

Symptoms of Pneumonia include-

• Dry cough which produces green, yellow, or blood-tinged mucus.
• Low-Appetite
• Confusion
• Fatigue
• Low-Appetite

5. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome –

It is a sleep disorder that blocks the air pathways, causing fragmentation in the sleep cycle.
People suffering from CFS might suffer from muscle aches, along with insomnia, weakness and exhaustion.

6. Arthritis –

It is a condition that occurs when a person’s joints become inflamed. The condition makes the autoimmune system attack the healthy tissues that line the joints. 

Pain and achiness are common symptoms of arthritis. 

7. Lack of Sleep –

According to many scientists, there is a link between sleep and pain. People experiencing chronic pain find it hard to sleep, or according to many researches, it was found that people suffering from insomnia experience chronic pain. 

8. Autoimmune Disorders –

• Lupus- This is a condition where the body’s auto-immune system attacks the healthy tissues, causing inflammation. 
• Myositis- It is a condition that causes inflammation of the muscles. Symptoms include fatigue and a general feeling of being unwell. 
• Multiple Sclerosis- It is an auto-immune condition that affects the central nervous system and makes the body feel achy [3].

Signs and Symptoms of Body Pain

10 signs and symptoms of Body Pain are listed below-

1. Morning stiffness
2. Joint Aches or aches all over the body 
3. Muscle pain and widespread muscle aches 
4. Rashes
5. Difficulty in sleeping or falling asleep
6. Headaches
7. Anxiety
8. Impaired cognitive function and memory problems
9. Fatigue 
10. Swelling [4].

How To Get Rid Of Achy Body? 

 8 Natural Ways to get rid of body pain are listed below-

1. Stay hydrated. Drink at least 8-12 glasses of water daily.
2. You should do daily physical exercise, at least a 20-minute walk where the muscle stretches to prevent stiffness. 
3. Make sure to eat a lot of fruits and vegetables and a lot of complex carbs as part of your diet. 
4. You should make sure you meet your daily protein diet, like egg whites, soya, fish, meat, and cottage cheese, in your diet routine. 
5. You should eat walnuts and almonds daily, as they are rich in omega fatty acids that prevent muscle fatigue in the body. 
6. Drink green tea, orange juice, lemon juice, and coconut water daily.
7. You should limit your carbohydrate intake. Take rice for one time and use brown rice instead. 

Other ways to get rid of Body Pain

1. You should take a bath with warm water. This makes the muscles relax and relieve pain, making you feel better. For better results, you can also add Epsom salts and soak it for 12 minutes. The magnesium in the salt helps the body to relieve pain.

2. You should lie down and cover yourself with a blanket; the warm temperature makes the body and muscles relax and helps reduce pain. Heat treatment is really effective in treating pain caused by arthritis or severe muscle pain. 

3. You can apply peppermint oil, lavender oil, and coconut oil, which act as a remedy for sore muscles. 
4. You can apply an ice pack on the sore spot. Ice helps to reduce muscle inflammation and pain. 

Acupuncture is another method to relieve pain. It is an alternative to over-the-counter medicines and addictive opioids. It is an old traditional Chinese practice where the practitioners use small, thin needles that pierce the skin at specific acupuncture points. There are specifically 2000 acupuncture points connected by pathways called meridians. An energy called Qi (pronounced Chee) flows through these meridians and promotes good overall health. 

Pain Management- How To Manage Body Pain

Basically, the treatment options for any pain depend on the underlying cause and severity of the pain. 

Treatment might start with conservative therapies like- 

• Over-the-counter aspirin
• Acetaminophen or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (ibuprofen)

The Pain Management specialists recommend interventional therapies like-

Medication Management –

This includes the pain specialist, who will help you with knowledge of how to take the pain medication properly.

Steroid Injections –

One of the steroid injections, called dexamethasone, helps reduce pain and inflammation. Steroid injections are very effective for arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and numerous other etiologies of inflammation and pain.

Nerve Blocks –

It is an injection therapy that alleviates pain caused by nerves. Just like any other injection, one has to go through ultrasound or fluoroscopy with contrast dye to correctly locate and inject pain medication. 

Neuromodulation –

It is a treatment that uses low-voltage electrical pulses to block the sensation of pain. 

Body Pain – Conclusion

Experiencing body pain can be uncomfortable, but it is a common symptom of various health issues. In most cases, body pain is easily treatable, but for some, it can last for a long time, indicating a serious underlying medical condition that may require treatment.

• Overview
• Types of Chronic Pain 
• Causes of Chronic Pain
• Chronic Pain Symptoms
• Chronic Pain Diagnosed
• Treatment For Chronic Pain
• Chronic Pain Home Remedies
• Chronic Pain – Conclusion

Pain is a common reason many people seek health care, and it is a leading cause of disability in the world. It can take a toll on the mental and physical health of a person. Some pain persists for longer than 3 months; such pain is termed chronic pain. 

In this context, we have discussed about chronic pain in detail. 

Chronic Pain – An Overview

Chronic pain is a type of pain that lasts for a long period, usually for more than three months. It doesn’t have a permanent cure and can last for even years. 

Between 2019 and 2021, the prevalence of chronic pain in the United States ranged from 20.5% to 21.8% (among adults), and the high-intensity chronic pain  (pain that is persistent with substantial restriction of life activities) prevalence was 6.9% to 7.8%, as graphically represented below. 

Types of Chronic Pain 

Chronic pain can be divided into:

• Neuropathic pain
• Nociceptive pain. 

Neuropathic Pain:

Neuropathic pain is a type of chronic pain that is caused by nerve damage or tissue injury. Neuropathy is caused by damage to the nerves themselves instead of a physical injury. One of the main causes of this type of pain is diabetes.

Sources of Neuropathic Pain:

Nine sources of neuropathic pain are: 

• Diseases,
• Infections,
• Accidents,
• Surgery,
• Arthritis,
• Parkinson’s disease,
• Facial Nerve Problems,
• Complex Regional Pain Syndrome,
• Carpal tunnel syndrome.

Nociceptive Pain

Nociceptive is a chronic body pain that detects noxious stimuli by nociceptors, which are carried through the CNS,  or central nervous system, for the body to protect itself from any kind of harm.

Nociceptors are receptors that are present in various parts of the body, such as somatic and visceral tissues. 

Nociceptive pain can be classified into:

• Visceral pain.
• Somatic pain. 

Visceral Pain: 

Visceral pain results from internal organs, in the chest cavity or the abdomen specifically. It can come from referred pain (it can be felt in a part of the body rather than its original source). For example:

•  Migraines
• Badder pain
• Endometriosis.  

Somantic Pain:

Somatic pain turns out from injuries in the outer body, like muscles, tendons, joints, bones, or skin. 

Examples of somatic pain include joint injuries or arthritis [2] [3]. 

Causes of Chronic Pain

Chronic pain has several root causes. Some of the common origins of chronic pain include:

• Endometriosis:

It is a painful condition that causes tissue comparable to the uterine lining to grow outside the uterus. 

• Back pain:

One of the main causes of chronic pain is back pain. Back pain is defined as the physical discomfort in the spine or back of the body. 

• Cancer

Chronic pain can be associated with cancer as a side effect of its treatment or the disease itself. 

Cancer is a disease that causes the uncontrollable growth of cells in the body.

• Interstitial cystitis

Interstitial cystitis, or bladder pain syndrome, is a condition characterized by burning, pain, and pressure in the urinary bladder, along with urgency and frequency. [4].

Chronic pain symptoms

Chronic pain can feature psychological and physical symptoms, such as the ones as follows:

Physical Symptoms of Chronic Pain

Six physical symptoms of chronic pain are:

• Aching, burning, shooting, or electrical shock-like pain.
• Discomfort in the muscles or joints. 
• Loss of energy
• Difficulty sleeping due to pain.
• Decreased mobility.
• Pain that may be widespread or local to one area, such as a single joint or many. 

Psychological Symptoms Of Chronic Pain

Seven psychological symptoms of chronic pain are listed below:

• Anxiety or depression.
• Tension and stress.
• Reduced interest in participating in social activities. 
• A feeling of isolation because of the pain. 
• Fear of pain not going away or worry about pain becoming worse.
• Worry over job loss due to a chronic pain condition. 
• Difficulty concentrating and remembering things [4]. 

How Is Chronic Pain Diagnosed?

During the diagnosis process, your doctor will check your health history and do a physical test, but before that,  you’ll be asked a few questions about your pain. For example:

• In which location is your pain?
• Since how long you’re suffering from chronic pain?
• Have you ever experienced chronic pain before?

Based on the answers to the questions above and the results of various physical tests, your healthcare provider will recommend you to have diagnostic tests (one or more).

These include:

• Blood tests: 

Blood tests are helpful in providing ideas about what is the cause of pain in the body. They show if there is any sign of inflammation, infection, or abnormalities in an organ. 

• X-rays:

X-rays are radiations known as electromagnetic waves that create pictures of the inside of your body. It helps to show bone problems such as fractures or arthritis. 

• Magnetic Resonance Imaging:

This test is helpful in showing compressed nerves, organs, or soft tissues and is helpful in providing about the main cause of certain types of pain. 

• CT scan:

Computed tomography, also known as a CT scan,  is a test that shows internal organs and soft tissues and is helpful in detecting various types of cancer. 

• Nerve conduction tests:

These tests help doctors identify abnormalities in both muscles and nerves. This procedure is carried out by giving an electrical shock (small) to a nerve, and the electrical signal traveling down the nerve is measured. 

How To Deal With Chronic Pain – Treatment For Chronic Pain

There are various things that you can do to manage chronic pain. Some of the ways are laid down below:

Medication for Chronic Pain:

Some common medicines prescribed for chronic pain are:

• Antidepressants
• Pain relievers
• Anticonvulsants.

Some other medical treatments to manage chronic pain include:

Nerve blocks: 

In this treatment, a doctor injects an anesthetic near the region of your pain to reduce feeling in that area. Nerve blocks can sometimes locate the source of your pain and can provide diagnostic information. 

Epidural steroid injections:

This injection comprises an anti-inflammatory medicine – a corticosteroid or steroid- that is injected into the space around your spinal nerves, known as the epidural space, to treat chronic pain caused by inflammation or irritation of spinal nerve roots.

Therapies for Chronic Pain

There are various therapies that one can use to relieve chronic pain, two of them are mentioned below:

CBT or Cognitive-behavioral therapy: 

This method teaches you ways to cope with pain and helps you think differently about pain.

Occupational therapy: 

This therapy teaches you how to do tasks differently every day to avoid injury and lessen pain. 

Alternative Treatments For Chronic Pain

Alternative treatments to manage chronic pain are –

Acupuncture:

Acupuncture is effective in treating chronic pain such as musculoskeletal, headache, and osteoarthritis pain, according to a review by  Andrew J. Vickers et al. published in 2018 [6]. 

Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy is a therapy that makes use of essential aromatic oils by inhaling or through the skin [7] [8].

According to research, aromatherapy can cause an instant decrease in chronic pain. 

Chronic Pain Home Remedies 

Home remedies for chronic pain are:

Exercise 

While doing physical activities, the body produces hormones that decrease the perception of pain, known as endorphins, which are crucial for managing chronic pain. 

Fish Oil

Fish oil is a supplement that is rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are important because they help to build brain cells, and also perform other essential body functions.

Fish oil is found to be an effective option for managing chronic pain because it has anti-inflammatory properties as well. 

In one study, which was published in 2006, many people were asked to take 1200 mg of fish oil with eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids if they were suffering from back and neck pain. After 75 days, 125 people reported back and informed they had stopped taking pain reliever medicines [9]. 

Turmeric

Turmeric consists of curcumin, which has anti-inflammatory properties and helps in reducing chronic pain. 

Heat and Ice

Applying heat and ice directly to the sites of pain has been an effective way of reducing pain. Applying ice to reduce inflammation and swelling shortly after you experience a strained tendon, ligament, or muscle may bring relief. 

Interestingly, once the inflammation has reduced, heat can help decrease the stiffness that comes with strain and sprain [10]. 

Chronic Pain – Conclusion 

Life with chronic pain is not easy, and there is no permanent cure for this type of pain, but by working with your doctor, finding the right treatment,  and making smart and healthy choices, you can make improvements significantly.