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Persistent Pain
Pain that persists past about three months behaves differently from acute pain. The nervous system becomes more sensitive, so pain no longer reliably reports tissue damage — it can be very real and very severe with nothing structurally wrong. This is not the same as being told it is in your head. It is a genuine, physical change in how the system processes signals, and it is treatable.
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Does this sound like you?
Most people have several of these, not all of them.
- Pain continuing well beyond expected healing times
- Pain that spreads beyond the original area
- Unpredictable flare-ups without an obvious trigger
- Ordinary touch or movement hurting more than it should
- Fatigue, poor sleep and reduced tolerance for activity
Why it happens
- An initial injury where the pain system stayed sensitised after healing
- Repeated flare-ups reinforcing a protective pattern
- Fear of movement leading to deconditioning, which increases pain
- Poor sleep, which measurably lowers pain thresholds
- Stress, low mood and anxiety, which are contributors rather than causes
What we would do about it
Roughly in this order — each step waits for the one before it.
- A clear explanation of why the pain persists, which is genuinely therapeutic
- Graded activity that builds tolerance without repeatedly provoking flares
- Pacing strategies to break the boom-and-bust cycle
- Movement and strength work reintroduced at a manageable level
- Sleep and stress strategies as part of the plan, not an afterthought
- Working with your GP and other providers where a team approach is needed
See a doctor first if
- Your pain followed a significant injury
- It is getting worse rather than settling
- It comes with numbness, weakness or unexplained weight loss
This page is general information, not a diagnosis. Symptoms overlap between conditions, so the right treatment depends on an assessment.
Real pain, even when the scans are clear
Being told nothing is wrong is not the same as being told nothing can be done. Persistent pain has established, effective treatment — it just is not the same treatment as a fresh injury. Ask a question first, or call us on 0403 907 587.
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Other chronic conditions we treat
Related reading: widespread pain and fatigue, long-term joint pain and back pain that has not settled.
General information only, not advice about your own problem — nothing here replaces an assessment. Source: Chronic Pain on Physiopedia.
