Short term, or acute pain, is often a warning sign of disease or injury and usually goes away with proper treatment. Unlike acute pain, chronic pain and chronic pain syndrome can persist after the normal healing period has ended. Some chronic pain syndromes do respond to conventional medical management whereas some require a multi-disciplinary approach. Both chronic pain and chronic pain syndrome can be associated with psychological symptoms such as depression, anxiety, and can have devastating emotional, physical, and economic consequences. As a result, significant interruption can occur in the patient’s social, recreational, and interpersonal lives. With chronic pain, patients can experience physical decline through decreased physical activity, sleep disturbance, weight gain or loss, and dependence on pain medications. Interest in social activities and work may decrease and pain becomes the focus of the person’s life. At PRCMG, we believe that as a team, we can help all patients conquer pain. With years of experience and education, we understand that the impact of Chronic Pain is far more serious than generally recognized. With our collaborative team approach, our ultimate goal is to help patients effectively manage their pain and improve their quality of life. We do this by educating patients, increasing functional capacity, reducing their suffering, and optimizing their use of medical resources
