Chronic Pain: What Does It Mean? A Review on the Use of the Term Chronic Pain in Clinical Practice

Abstract

Chronic pain is nowadays used as an umbrella term referring to a wide range of clinical conditions, such as fibromyalgia, migraine, or long-standing pain states without actual known causes. However, labeling a patient's clinical condition with the term "chronic pain", when dealing with pain lasting longer than 3 months, might be misleading. This paper aims at analyzing the possible pitfalls related to the use of the term "chronic pain" in the clinical field. It appears, indeed, that the term "chronic pain" shows a semantic inaccuracy on the basis of emerging scientific evidences on the pathogenesis of different long-standing pain states. The major pitfalls in using this label emerge in clinical settings, especially with patients having a biomedical perspective on pain or from different cultures, or with healthcare providers of other medical specialties or different disciplines. A label solely emphasizing temporal features does not help to discern the multifaceted complexity of long-standing pain states, whose onset, maintenance and exacerbation are influenced by a complex and interdependent set of bio-psycho-social factors. Thus, finding a more meaningful name might be important. We call upon the necessity of bringing awareness and implementing educational activities for healthcare providers, as well as for the public, on the biopsychosocial approach to assess, prevent and care of chronic pain. Further research on the etiopathogenetic processes of chronic pain states is also required, together with examinative diagnostic methods, to individuate the most appropriate label(s) representing the complex longstanding pain states and to avoid adopting the term "chronic pain" inappropriately.

Fibromyalgia: one year in review 2022

“…A great deal of research has been dedicated to the neurological aspects of FM pain, with various studies describing the brain areas involved in its perception (32)(33)(34) and their associations with specific metabolites (35). Interestingly, Muller et al found that the pattern of brain activation is not due to functional or structural alterations in the areas involved in acute pain (36), once again underlining that chronic pain is not just "longer-lasting pain" (37).…”

The effect of spinal manipulative therapy and home stretching exercises on heart rate variability in patients with persistent or recurrent neck pain: a randomized controlled trial

“…Chronic NP is, like all types of chronic pain, a complicated matter. The discussion has reached a point where the term “chronic pain” is now questioned, and other definitions have been suggested [ 4 , 5 ]. This study uses persistent or recurrent pain synonymously for chronic pain, because studies have shown that chronic pain varies in intensity and most often is episodic [ 4 , 5 ].…”

Promising Health Benefits of Adjuvant Acmella and Zingiber Extracts Combined with Coenzyme Q10 Phytosomes, Supplementation in Chronic Pain Treated with Medical Cannabis: A Prospective and Open-Label Clinical Study

“…Chronic pain subjects experience continuous recurring pain at monthly or yearly intervals, which makes it impossible to carry out ordinary daily activities [ 19 ]. Current therapies for chronic pain included nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, opioids, antidepressants, and myorelaxant agents.…”