At its most basic level, pain comes in two varieties: acute pain and chronic pain. And it's the chronic kind that sends people to pain relief professionals.

Identifying Acute Pain

The severity of chronic pain can be best appreciated by comparing it to acute pain. This type of pain is an immediate warning something is wrong with the body and provokes a quick reaction. Acute pain can usually be traced to a source, like a muscle strain or injury.

The majority of acute pain comes from strains and sprains which, while painful, don't involve nerve damage. Poor posture and inactive lifestyles allow muscles to lose their natural flexibility and strength..

When weak muscles are suddenly exerted by an activity as simple as lifting something, they can respond with a spasm and the pain of a strain. The resulting injury limits the range of motion.

Identifying Chronic Pain

If pain doesn't subside after a natural healing period of about three months, it's labeled chronic pain. Unlike acute pain, chronic pain is continuous and unchanging.

Unrelenting chronic pain can raise blood pressure to dangerous levels that might lead to a heat attack or stroke. It has been determined that chronic pain is as great a contributing factor in heart disease as smoking, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

Chronic back pain and conditions like arthritis, TMJ, bursitis, tendonitis, herniated disc, migraine headaches, sciatica, fibromyalgia, whiplash and carpal tunnel syndrome set off a chain reaction of physical and mental side effects.

The persistent stress of chronic back pain can affect the nervous and immune system. Coping with chronic pain can also bring on depression and cause the brain to perceive even more pain.

Surgery for Chronic Pain Management and Chronic Pain Relief

Surgery is a last resort for chronic pain related pain. The procedure generally involves some form of blockage to inactivate the nerve causing the pain. This can involve either traditional surgery or, more recently, microwave heat.

The success of surgery in the relief of chronic pain is approximately 50% and long term results are rare. Individuals who've gone to doctors for a series of surgeries experience a lower level of pain relief with each subsequent operation.

Chronic Pain Management and Chronic Pain Relief Medications

Pharmaceutical treatments for chronic pain management range from over-the-counter medicines like aspirin to prescription drugs. The problem with chronic pain management treatments that involve drugs is that they lose their effectiveness. Worse, they actually create more chronic pain and pain.

Excessive use of aspirin, acetaminophen and ibuprofen create what is called analgesic rebound effect in which the body creates more pain so it can receive a larger dose of drugs. In other words, an painkiller addiction has been created. Drug use can also alter serotonin levels in the brain which are linked to chronic pain pain like migraine attacks.

More sophisticated prescription chronic pain pain remedies carry with them additional harmful side effects like heart disease, digestive disorders, ulcers and liver damage.

In some cases, steroids may be prescribed for pain associated with chronic pain. These may be administered by injection as a nerve block (a pharmaceutical approach to the surgery mentioned earlier). Though steroids may, at best, provide temporary chronic pain pain relief, they carry with them life threatening side effects and shouldn't be used for prolonged periods of time.

Natural Chronic Pain Management & Alternative Chronic Pain Relief

Fortunately, alternative medicine professionals offer the option of natural chronic pain management and chronic pain relief therapies without the risks of surgical and pharmaceutical approaches. Besides being more conservative than the medical establishment's methods, natural chronic pain management and chronic pain relief through is just as effective if not more so.

Pain Relief Professionals connects you to natural pain and chronic pain management practitioners--Acupuncture healers, Doctors of Chiropractic and Doctors of Naprapathy. Their state licensed status assures you of expertise in natural chronic pain management that's superior to unregulated alternative medicine healers.

For natural chronic pain management and alternative chronic pain relief, click a button below to find Pain Relief Professionals near you.