{"id":15209,"date":"2020-03-05T18:40:00","date_gmt":"2020-03-05T23:40:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/physioextra.ca\/conseils-sante\/douleur-persistante\/"},"modified":"2026-03-27T17:29:23","modified_gmt":"2026-03-27T21:29:23","slug":"chronic-pain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/physioextra.ca\/en\/health-tips\/chronic-pain\/","title":{"rendered":"Chronic or Persistent Pain: How Can It Be Treated?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Acute and subacute pain<\/h2>\n

Pain is triggered when there is tissue damage (tendon, muscle, bone, etc.) following an injury, accident, or illness. It results from interactions between multiple neurons (nerve cells) and danger receptors known as nociceptors.<\/p>\n

The International Association for the Study of Pain defines pain as \u201can unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with, or resembling that associated with, actual or potential tissue damage\u201d (IASP<\/a>).<\/p>\n

When an injury occurs, acute pain serves as a reminder to temporarily protect the injured area.<\/p>\n

Tissue healing generally occurs within 4 to 6 weeks following an injury. During this process, damaged fibres rebuild according to their function. Pain evolves along this healing cycle and becomes subacute. However, prolonged immobilization can lead to tissue stiffness, which can itself become a source of pain. It is therefore important to gradually resume activities during the healing phase.<\/p>\n

With proper injury management and adequate recovery, pain normally subsides once the body has completed healing.<\/p>\n

What about persistent pain?<\/h2>\n

Sometimes, after an injury, physiological changes occur within the nervous system, causing it to remain in an alert state. The circuits that transmit pain signals to the brain become more sensitive, a phenomenon known as peripheral or central sensitization.<\/p>\n

The alarm system then activates at a much lower threshold than before. For example, pressure that would normally be harmless may be perceived as painful. Pain, initially useful for protecting the body, becomes a false alarm maintained by various factors.<\/p>\n

Even once tissue healing is complete, the body may continue to react as though there is danger, maintaining muscle contractions, tension, and protective behaviours.<\/p>\n

Over time, pain may intensify and lead to persistent disability.<\/p>\n

The brain itself can also become sensitized to pain, a process known as central sensitization. Many factors can influence the persistence and intensity of pain, including stress, depression, sleep quality, lifestyle habits, and nutrition.<\/p>\n

Pain is considered chronic when it remains present beyond the normal healing period or persists for more than three months (Government of Qu\u00e9bec<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Chronic pain then becomes a condition distinct from the initial injury.<\/p>\n

Risk factors for sensitization<\/h2>\n

Three main categories of factors contribute to the development of hypersensitivity:<\/p>\n