understanding + Surviving acute pain
We’ve all experienced pain from one time to another, it’s an inevitable part of life! Acute pain has evolved as a warning sign, to tell us there is something underlying happening in our bodies. Naturally, the sensation makes us slow down and pay closer attention, giving us the opportunity to protect ourselves and heal!
What does acute pain mean?
Acute refers to the duration of the pain, it’s usually less than 6 months, whereas chronic pain is longer lasting in nature. Acute pain is typically, but not always, sudden in onset with a memorable cause and affects a specific area of the body. It lasts for a brief period of time which causes sharp initial pain that subsides as soon as the underlying tissue damage has healed- think of stubbing your toe!
Chronic pain on the other hand can be more widespread in the body and longer lasting, it may persist even when the underlying tissue damage has healed, with different underlying mechanisms driving the pain.
How do we heal?
The healing process involves inflammation, common symptoms include heat, redness and swelling of the area, but you may be in acute pain in the absence of these signs too!
The duration of the acute pain depends on healing time which varies between different tissues in the body; but can also be affected by lifestyle factors, medications, illnesses and stress. Estimated healing times are as follows:
Ligament 2-8 weeks
Tendon 2-8 weeks
Muscle 1-4 weeks
Spinal disc 6-12 weeks
Spinal joint 2-6 weeks
What should I do?
It’s important to note that not all injuries are the same, so getting an opinion from your doctor or osteopath will ensure you do the right thing for your body! Depending on the type of injury your brain’s inital response is to immobilise itself by spasming the surrounding muslces, which means you may not be able to move much in the affected area. Although your body does this as a protective mechanism it can be quite painful & not always the best thing for your body & the injury. Gentle, progressive loading of the area may be very helpful in a no-to-low pain range. Following prescribed exercises from your osteopath will help to strengthen and mobilize the affected area. You may also wish to use hot or cold.
Hot or cold: which is best?
From your Osteopath’s point of view, hot and cold modalities are useful at different times in the healing process.
Using ice on the affected area causes the blood vessels to constrict which reduces blood flow and can help with managing inflammation levels, this may be very useful in the initial inflammatory stage of an injury. Using ice for a few minutes, every 2-3 hours can help reduce initial inflammation. New advice says that the use of ice may hinder the healing process due to reducing the inflammation, however if you’re having too much inflammation it may be right for you!
Heat on the other hand increases blood flow and can therefore promote healing. The best time to begin using heat is after the initial days of an acute injury. It also helps the muscles to relax and can be very handy if you’re having uncomfortable muscle spasms!
When to visit an Osteopath?
Our recommendation is not to wait, especially if you are in acute pain! Your osteopath will do a full assessment and testing, along with hands-on treatment, followed by personalized advice, in order to manage inflammation, reduce pain and improve mobility in your body.
Written by our brilliant Osteopath Abbie Lane
