Summary
Chronic pain is pain that lasts a long time. In medicine, the distinction between acute and chronic pain is sometimes determined by an arbitrary interval of time since onset; the 2 most commonly used markers being 3 and 6 months since onset.
Chronic pain may originate in the body, or in the brain or spinal cord. It is difficult to treat, and is often handled by a pain management team. Some people with chronic pain benefit from opioid treatment and others from psychological treatments.
OnAir Post: Chronic Pain Overview
