Types of chronic pain

Upper, middle and lower back pain

With or without referred pain along the ribs and chest and legs

Head and facial pain

• Intractable migraines (not responding to conventional treatment)
• Unusual (atypical) presentation of migraine
• Trigeminal neuralgia (nerve pain from the facial nerves)
• Post-traumatic nerve pain (after injury)
• Referred pain of the face and head from the neck

Neck pain

• Degenerative changes in the cervical spine, which may affect the small facet joints and desiccated discs in the neck.
• Post-whiplash injury to the neck with pain in the neck, with or without referred pain in the shoulder blade head and arm.
• Acute degenerative disc disease or a bulge/tear in the neck causing irritation to the nerve root with severe pain in the arm may be associated with radiculopathy.

Post-surgical pain

Trauma or chronic pain in the back and chest wall following surgeries such as mastectomy and hernia repair, or limbs after a fracture and/or surgery which lasts greater than 3 months.

Visceral pain

It results from the nociceptors activation of thoracic, pelvic, or abdominal viscera. It is diffuse, difficult to localize and often presents as referred pain to superficial, structures. It may be associated with nausea, vomiting and hemodynamic changes.

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)

Severe pain that is out of proportion to the original injury and often accompanied by sensitivity, swelling, and changes in the skin.