Chronic vs. Acute Pain: What You Need to Know
Pain is a part of life, but not all pain is the same. Whether you have just twisted your ankle or have had nagging back pain for the last few years, understanding the type of pain you are having will help to create your treatment plan and recovery in physical therapy. Identifying the difference in pain types (acute vs chronic) is key to getting the right treatment plan, gaining relief, and getting your quality of life back faster! Learn about chronic vs. acute Pain: What You Need to Know
Acute Pain
Acute pain is the body’s immediate pain response to injury. It typically comes on suddenly and is often “sharp” and intense in feeling. It is linked to a clear injury, such as a trip, fall, burn, or surgery, and gives off a warning signal that there was potential for damage to the body and requires attention.
- Most often has a specific mechanism of injury (injury/surgery)
- Duration: less than 3-6 months
- Improves as the underlying cause (injury/surgery) heals (ex, muscle, tendon, ligament, etc.)
- Severity: Can range from mild to severe. All acute injuries are not equal and can range in grades of sprains, tears, etc, leading to the severity of the injury and time it takes to heal.
- Purpose: protective response from the body to detect damage/injury
- PT Goal: heal the underlying injury
- Examples: sprained ankle, pulled muscle, post-surgical pain, or back/neck pain following a sudden movement or accident.
Physical Therapy for Acute Pain
Treating and assessing acute pain early is essential to a fast recovery. Addressing acute pain early can help speed up healing/recovery, reduce compensations in the body, and complications, as well as reduce the risk of it turning into chronic pain. Physical therapy helps restore normal movement, reduce the body’s inflammatory process, and prevent long-term issues through patient-tailored exercise programs, manual therapy, and patient education.
Chronic Pain
Chronic pain typically persists well beyond the normal healing time for the specific injured tissue. It can feel many ways, from “achy, soreness, pinching, tightness”, etc, and may be unpredictable. It can sometimes exist when the original injury has healed, and sometimes, there may be no clear cause at all.
- May persist despite healed tissue or resolved injury
- Duration: Longer than 3 to 6 months
- Often accompanied by other factors such as emotional distress, fatigue, or sleep disturbances.
- May worsen over time without intervention
- Purpose: often not a protective mechanism, as pain lasts after the healing of the injury
- PT Goal: manage overall symptoms and improve function in the patient
- Examples: chronic low back pain, fibromyalgia, arthritis, repetitive overuse injuries, or pain following surgery or injury that doesn’t resolve.
Physical Therapy For Chronic Pain
Chronic pain can include changes not just in the affected tissue/injury site, but in the nervous system as well. It can become a vicious cycle if left untreated, where pain leads to inactivity, which causes stiffness and weakness in the affected area, leading to more pain.
Physical therapists address chronic pain through:
- Targeted exercises to improve strength, mobility, and function
- Manual therapy to reduce stiffness, tissue tightness, and improve joint function
- Neuromuscular re-education to retrain body movement and pain perception
- Pain neuroscience education to help understand pain and reduce the fear of movement
When to See Your Physical Therapist
If you’re experiencing pain that interferes with your day-to-day activities, whether it started yesterday or has been lingering for months, it’s a good time to consult your physical therapist. Early treatment can prevent long-term issues, and for chronic pain, PT offers tools to help you regain control, stay active, and feel more confident in your body again. Whether you’re recovering from surgery, managing arthritis, or trying to avoid pain medications, we’re here to support you every step of the way.
If you’re ready to take the next step toward relief, our team at Freedom Physical Therapy is here for you. We’ll work with you to build a treatment plan that fits your needs, lifestyle, and goals. Visit any of our convenient locations in Mukwonago, Fox Point, Grafton, or Brookfield—and start your journey toward more movement, less pain, and more Freedom.