The study also examined how pain progresses into chronic pain. Participants who experienced acute pain were more likely to develop chronic pain in the next year, with about one in six people with non-chronic pain reporting chronic pain a year later. In other words, without early intervention, experts say, pain can sometimes compound; what starts as an acute or occasional ache might worsen into a long-term problem. But not everyone has equitable access to that care, Dr. Darnall said.
How to get help for chronic pain
Experts recommend first going to a primary care doctor if you are experiencing pain that interferes with your daily life. If you’re not improving after six weeks, Dr. Bottros recommends seeking out a specialist. If you are struggling to find a chronic pain specialist, Dr. Shirvalkar recommends looking into pain centers at major universities, many of which offer telehealth appointments.
Community hospitals may also be able to offer resources. Dr. Darnall said that advocacy organizations for particular conditions, like the Marfan Foundation, can also provide educational materials and help patients find providers. Recent changes to Medicare have also expanded coverage for treating chronic pain, Dr. Nahin said.
In response to the opioid epidemic, some doctors have tried to move away from medication as the first response to treating chronic pain. It’s critical to treat chronic pain through a multimodal approach, experts said, using several therapies. A patient may go to physical therapy, for example, but also see a mental health professional for cognitive behavioral therapy. “One flavor of treatment is never going to be adequate,” Dr. Shirvalkar said.
Mental health treatment is a particularly promising, but often underused, way to address chronic pain. “A psychologist can fundamentally help reframe how people relate to their pain or even the cues that they listen to in their bodies,” Dr. Shirvalkar said.
Newer treatments are also on the horizon: Researchers are examining whether psychedelics, virtual reality treatments and brain stimulation can alleviate pain.
“It’s not a one-size-fits-all,” Dr. Darnall said. “Patients are not a monolith.”
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