Persistent Aches and Pains: Why You Shouldn’t Ignore Them
When serious injuries occur, we know we need to do something about it. Our bodies will tell us something is wrong through the nervous system and pain receptors. If they didn’t, very treatable issues might go unattended and become severe.
It seems obvious when pain is acute to see a healthcare professional. However, it can be all too easy to ignore lesser aches and pains, even when they persist.
Just because some pains don’t wholly obstruct our day-to-day life, doesn’t mean we should put up with them. Chronic pain can worsen over time, or point to more serious underlying causes. Self-medicating with over-the-counter painkillers will not cure the condition nor prevent it from getting worse. Neither will ignoring it.
Plus, in the meantime, persistent pain can have a lot of adverse effects on our lives. Here’s why you shouldn’t ignore your body’s ongoing aches and pains.
Persistent Pain Can Be a Symptom of Something Else
As with any medical issue, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Even if your symptoms are only giving you minor concern, seeing your doctor is a wise early action for peace of mind. In rare cases, minor symptoms can denote a more serious problem or injury that you will be glad to catch earlier rather than later.
Some pains can also be a symptom of an otherwise unfelt musculoskeletal issue. A disorder of joints and bones can result in pains elsewhere in the body, due to pinched nerves or obstruction of the body’s other systems. A chiropractor or physiotherapist can help determine and treat these underlying causes.
Pain Affects Your Mood, Sleep, and Performance
It’s understandable that persistent pain can affect our mood. It can make us restless, distracted, and tired but unable to relax. Such side effects can often fly under the radar but, regardless, they certainly are not promoting good well-being.
Common chronic pain problems include back pains, headaches, and other joint pains such as elbow or shoulder pain. All of which affect our ability to work or sleep efficiently. In turn, the knock-on effect can be further mood deterioration and general health deterioration.
These and other common pains can be due to misalignment, which may be worsened or caused by both active and inactive situations. Whether you’re seated for long periods of time at work or are highly active and liable to suffer things like sports injuries, you could benefit from consulting a chiropractor about your pain.
Untreated Pain May Persist or Get Worse
Because pain ignored or patched over with painkillers doesn’t treat underlying causes, those causes are likely to continue or further deteriorate. In some cases, the patient will then end up with an issue that is more significant and harder to treat.
Though it can seem like a hassle to confront a ‘manageable’ pain issue, further down the line it could become necessary and more inconvenient. Don’t delay if you’re suffering from persistent pain. If you think you could benefit from restorative and preventative chiropractic treatment, get in touch with Forest Hall Chiropractic Clinic today.