건양대학교병원

Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine

Pain is an important signal that tells us something is wrong with our body. Generally speaking, when the root cause of the disease is eliminated, the pain disappears, but there are cases where the pain still remains. Undesirable lifestyle or posture can also cause chronic pain. When pain repeatedly occurs or persists for a long time, it can lead to not only problems in the area with damaged peripheral tissues but also functional and structural changes in the neurons at the junction of peripheral nerves and spinal cord, thereby resulting in hypersensitivity to pain signals. This is why intense pain is felt even when the tissue damage is miniscule, and even after the damaged tissue is restored to normal, the pain may continue. Also, the sympathetic nerve reflex increases, which may impede blood circulation, and the patient may avoid exercise, which can lead to muscle weakness and atrophy and in turn more serious chronic disorders such as arthritis and osteoporosis. Prolonged pain and associated symptoms will ultimately cause changes in thinking, emotions, and behavior as well as psychological conditions, and as a result, the patient may eventually end up with a chronic pain syndrome. This can be avoided by coming to the Pain Clinic, which treats all kinds of acute and chronic pain.