Pain. It is largely unavoidable in some fashion. Whether physical, mental, or emotional, at some point we all encounter pain. Physical pain in the body can vary from acute to chronic, sharp to dull, achy to deep. It can appear suddenly, or develop slowly over time. But the one thing we can be sure of about pain, it is an indication that something is wrong.

Physical pain is associated with injury or harm somewhere in the body. It alerts us to a problem, and motivates us to respond to distress. Acute harm may require immediate intervention, and typically we recognize these types of pains. Severe burns, organ malfunction and broken limbs necessitate urgent care, and we instinctively know to promptly attend to these more serious scenarios.

However, chronic pain persists long after the occurrence or visible signs of injury have passed. This pain extends beyond the ‘usually presumed recovery period.’ Physical signs of chronic pain can include sore muscles, achy joints and loss of mobility. Prolonged symptoms can lead to restless sleep, anxiety and even depression.

So why do we experience pain long after the precipitating event has passed? Perhaps the simplest explanation is due to the fact that pain signals may continue to fire and remain active in the nervous system for weeks, months and even years! Additionally, there are other opportunistic ‘players’ that factor into pain consideration. After an injury, adhesions can form in the area, leading to fibrosis and immobility. Adhesions are fibrous bands which bind between the tissues, and naturally occur after injury as a response to the body’s repair mechanisms. They commonly develop in the tissue after disturbance and disorganization occurs due to injury, in an attempt to stabilize the area.

The burden on chronic, untreated injuries cannot be overstated. Left unattended, tissue becomes adhesive and weak, and joints lose their mobility. Restricted joints lead to tension, postural imbalance and vulnerability. We become susceptible to additional tissue harm and injury.