Living With Pain

Types Of Pain

According to the European Guidelines for prevention of low back pain, low back pain is defined as “pain and discomfort, localized below the costal margin and above the inferior gluteal folds, with or without leg pain”.¹
Low back pain is very common worldwide and occurs in all age groups, from children to the elderly. Is now the number one cause of disability globally.²
Most episodes of low back pain are short-lasting, but recurrent episodes are common and low back pain is a long-lasting condition with a variable course.²
Lifestyle factors like smoking, obesity, and low levels of physical activity relate to poorer health and are associated with low back pain.²

Chronic (or persistent) postoperative pain (CPOP) is a potentially devastating outcome from an otherwise successful surgical procedure.³
Affects millions of patients every year, with pain lasting for months to years.³
Several studies have shown that post-operative pain, non adequately managed, can result in chronic pain.⁴
In addition to the type of surgery, there are numerous other risk factors for the development of CPOP that have been identified, including having preoperative pain, psychological factors, demographics, surgical factors and the intensity of pain in the immediate postoperative period.³

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease involving the cartilage and many of its surrounding tissues. OA may develop in any joint, but most commonly affects the knees, hips, hands, facet joints and feet.⁵
Osteoarthritis (OA) represents one of the most frequently occurring painful conditions.⁶ 20% of chronic pain is related to osteoarthritis, affecting millions of people worldwide.⁷
Primary symptoms of OA include joint pain, stiffness and limitation of movement.⁵
A number of specific risk factors have been identified including obesity and metabolic disease, age, sex, ethnicity and race, genetics, nutrition, smoking, bone density and muscle function.⁵

Trauma can be defined as a damage inflicted on the body as the direct or indirect result of an external force, with or without disruption of structural continuity.⁸
According to World Health Organization (WHO) injury is the leading cause of death among men and women age 15 to 44 years.⁹
Complaint of pain is one of the most prevalent condition among trauma patients in the emergency room settings.⁹
Two-thirds of trauma patients refer moderate or severe pain at discharge.⁸
The ultimate aim of pain management in trauma is reducing the mortality, morbidity, shortening hospital stay, contributing to early mobilization, and reducing hospital cost and enhance patient’s satisfaction and quality of life.⁹

MC-I305-05-2024

Data preparation: January 2024

Burton AK. Eur Spine J. 2006 Mar;15 Suppl 2(Suppl 2):S136-68
Hartvigsen J. Lancet. 2018 Jun 9;391(10137):2356-2367
Correll D. F1000Res (2017);6:1054
Varrassi G. Curr Med Res Opin. 2017 Jun;33(6):1165-1173
Litwic A. Br Med Bull. 2013;105:185-99
Perrot S. Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol. 2015 Feb;29(1):90-7
Osteoarthritis. WHO (https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/osteoarthritis – last accessed october 2023)
Berben SA. Injury 2008 May;39(5):578-85
Ahmadi A. J Inj Violence Res. 2016 Jul;8(2):89-98