The Difference Between Chronic & Acute Pain And How These Pains Need To Be Treated For Best Results
Chronic pelvic pain can include vulvar or vaginal pain, clitoral or urethral pain, pubic symphysis or SI joint pain. Chronic pain can mean pain anywhere in the pelvis.
In this video, Dr. Liz dives into the difference between chronic pain and acute pain and why they need to be treated differently.
Acute pain, like pain that occurs when stepping on the nail, is pain associated with tissue damage. This pain is associated with injury. But as the tissue heals, we expect to see the pain signals go down over time.
But for about a third of the population, instead of the pain signals decreasing as tissue heals, the pain signals actually stay the same. This pain is no longer correlated to tissue damage. What this tells us is that the brain has become sensitized to pain.
Another way to think about this is like our brain is an alarm system. We want our alarm system to go off when an intruder is banging on the door, not when a leaf blows by the front stoop. This is an alarm problem. Chronic pain is the same, it's an alarm, or a nervous system problem.
To treat chronic pain, we need to treat the brain. We do this by helping you identify ways to begin reminding your nervous system that it's healthy, comfy and safe. Learn more about ways to make your nervous system feel safe here or watch this 5 minute clip for a few tactics you can employ to start treating your chronic pain today.
And feel like you need more guidance to find the right treatment approach for your chronic pelvic pain? Send us a message to learn more about whether PT is a good fit for you.
This post was written by Dr. Liz Cote, PT, DPT, OCS. Liz (she/her) earned her Bachelor of Science in Exercise and Movement Science at the University of Vermont in 2014. She went on to earn her doctorate in physical therapy from Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts in 2018.
Liz moved to Austin after graduating and never looked back. She earned a Manual Therapy Certification in 2019, and went on to become a board certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist shortly thereafter. With four years of experience in treating a variety of orthopedic and pelvic health patients, Liz is excited to use her knowledge, experience and clinical brain to support folks through their pregnancies and postpartum recoveries.
When not rocking it as a physical therapist in the clinic, Liz enjoys exploring Austin, paddleboarding, trashy reality TV, spending time with friends and family and watching her favorite sports teams- the New England Patriots and Boston Bruins!