"Chronic pain can be one of the most exhausting and overwhelming side-effects of injury, illness, or aging."

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

Following are some common definitions for painful conditions. click on the blue text for more detailed information provided by:

Back Pain

One of the most common causes of chronic pain. More work days are lost in the U.S. due to back pain than to the common cold.

Migraine Headache

The most common type of vascular headache is migraine. Migraine headaches are usually characterized by severe pain on one or both sides of the head, an upset stomach, and at times disturbed vision.

Tension Headache

Headache pain occurs in the tissues covering the brain, the attaching structures at the base of the brain, and the muscles and blood vessels around the scalp, face, and neck. The brain itself is insensitive to pain.

Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is a syndrome that includes serious fatigue as well as chronic muscle pain and specific point tenderness, usually in association with sleep problems, fatigue, stiffness, headaches, facial pain, abdominal discomfort, irritable bladder, numbness or tingling, and problems thinking. The cause is not known, but physical therapy and other techniques may provide significant benefit and improve the quality of life.

Scoliosis

Scoliosis is a three-dimensional curvature of the spine. It may develop as a single primary curve (resembling the letter C) or as two curves (a primary and compensating secondary curve that form an S shape). Scoliosis may occur only in the upper back (the thoracic area) or lower back (lumbar), but most commonly it develops in the area between the thoracic and lumbar area (thoracolumbar area).

Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD) -

A severely painful condition arising from a partial nerve injury. The pain is generaly burning in nature and is out of proportion to physical findings. There may be associated swelling and the region involved vascilates between hot and cold, red and pale, sweaty and dry. The skin/nails dry, thin, and crack. RSD is also called Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS).

Lumbar Fusion

Surgical treatment of abnormal spine bone (vertebrae), such as abnormal curvatures (scoliosis or kyphosis) or injuries. The surgery stabilizes (fuses) vertebrae together with bone grafts or metal rods. The most common spinal area involved is the lower (lumbar) spine, but upper (cervical) spine involvement can occur.

Failed Back Surgery Syndrome

Radioculopathy

Cancer Pain