Acute pain

Pain is an uncomfortable feeling that tells you that something may be wrong somewhere in your body. Acute pain is pain that starts quickly (either suddenly, or over minutes or hours) and lasts a short time (from seconds to weeks).

Acute pain is usually caused by tissue damage or inflammation from an injury or illness.

Acute pain can be mild, moderate or severe. The word acute means how long you’ve had it, not how bad it is. It can happen anywhere in your body, and it feels different depending on what’s causing it.

Acute pain starts over a short time and lasts for seconds to weeks. It goes away when the cause gets better.  It’s important for survival because it warns you of actual or potential harm to your body.

Chronic pain is ongoing and persistent, lasting from 3 months to years. This can happen:

• because of an ongoing illness
• when pain doesn't go away as expected after an illness or injury gets better
• when there are problems with your body’s pain system.

Examples of chronic pain include fibromyalgia, lower back pain and inflammatory arthritis.

Video: Acute vs chronic pain 

Pain is often named by its cause or location.

Image credit: Freepik

Read more about the following:

• Abdominal pain
• Appendicitis
• Back pain
• Bites and stings
• Breast abscess
• Chest pain
• Cold sores
• Constipation
• Ear ache
• Gout
• Headache
• Mouth ulcers
• Pain after surgery
• Painful periods
• Shingles
• Shoulder pain
• Sinusitis - acute
• Sore throat
• Strains and sprains
• Tendinitis

The sort of treatment that you will need will depend on the cause of your pain. For example, treatments for sprains and strains include pain relief medicines, R.I.C.E.R  (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation, Referral) or a support such as a brace or a cast. Read more about strains and sprains.

Depending on the cause of your pain, pain relief might include:

• a hot pack
• rest
• a cuddle
• music
• distraction
• massage
• physiotherapy
• gentle exercise.

You can buy some pain relief medicines at your supermarket or pharmacy. Read more about pain relief medicines for short term pain.

See your healthcare provider if:

• your pain is moderate or severe
• your pain is keeping you awake at night
• you can't eat or drink
• you can't go to work or study for more than 3 days
•  it’s getting worse even though you’re taking pain relief
• you don’t know what's causing it.

It will help to think about how to describe your pain.

Apps reviewed by Healthify

You may find it useful to look at some pain management apps.