I was recently asked by a listener to discuss chronic pain and ways to cope.

Living with chronic pain can feel like an overwhelming and isolating experience, affecting not

just your body, but your mind and spirit as well. It's important to acknowledge that chronic

pain is not just a physical

sensation. It often impacts every aspect of your life, from your mood and energy to your relationships

and sense of hope. And that's precisely why we're going to talk about it today. Welcome back to

Savvy Psychologist. I'm your host, Dr. Monica Johnson. Every week on

this show, I'll help you face life challenges with evidence-based approaches, a sympathetic ear,

and zero judgment. Chronic pain is pain that lasts for an extended period, typically defined as

persisting for 12 weeks or more, despite treatment

or resolution of the initial injury or condition that caused it. Unlike acute pain, which is a

direct response to a specific injury or illness, and resolves as the body heals, chronic pain can

continue even after the initial cause has been

addressed. It often affects a person's physical, emotional, and mental well-being.

Chronic pain can stem from various sources, including injury or trauma, so an injury that heals,

but the pain persists. There's also medical conditions,

so conditions like arthritis, fibromyalgia, or nerve damage. You can also have post-surgical

pain. So this is pain that continues long after surgery is over. And then lastly, nerve damage.

So this can be due to conditions like diabetes or certain infections.

Common types of chronic pain include lower back pain, headaches or migraines,

arthritic pain, neuropathic pain, which is another way of saying nerve pain, and fibromaralgia pain.

Chronic pain is complex as it affects people differently.

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