What Is Chronic Pain? A Guide to Understanding and Living With Long-Term Pain
Living with chronic pain is incredibly challenging. It affects your sleep, your mood, your hormones, your relationships, your work, and your independence. Many people feel misunderstood, dismissed, or told “nothing is wrong” — even when the pain they feel is very real.
As a pharmacist who has supported chronic pain sufferers for more than 15 years, I see every day how deeply pain can impact someone’s life. I also see how much hope, relief and progress can occur when people finally understand what chronic pain is — and what can be done about it.
This article is written to help you understand chronic pain, why it happens, why it often lasts longer than expected, and what practical options may help you live a more comfortable and empowered life.
What Exactly Is Chronic Pain?
Chronic pain is defined as pain lasting longer than 3 months, or beyond the normal time it takes for tissues to heal.
But in simple terms, this is how I explain it to patients:
Chronic pain is when the nervous system stays “switched on” for too long, even after an injury has healed or when scans show nothing wrong.
It is a real medical condition, not “in your head,” and it involves changes in how the brain and nerves process pain signals.
Why Does Pain Become Chronic?
There are several reasons:
The nervous system becomes sensitised
Over time, the nerves can become overly reactive — like an alarm system that goes off too easily.
Pain pathways become “trained”
Just like muscles become stronger with repetition, pain circuits can become more efficient at firing.
Stress, poor sleep, anxiety and fatigue amplify pain
Chronic pain and poor sleep form a cycle — one worsens the other.
Hormones and inflammation can shift
Long-term pain affects cortisol, serotonin and general immune function.
Scans don’t tell the full story
People can have severe pain with a normal scan — and people with terrible-looking scans sometimes feel perfectly fine.
Pain doesn’t always mean damage.
It’s more complex than that, and understanding this can be incredibly empowering.
What Conditions Commonly Lead to Chronic Pain?
In my pharmacy practice, the most common chronic pain conditions I see include:
Osteoarthritis
Sciatica
Nerve pain of all types
Fibromyalgia
Chronic back pain
Migraines & tension headaches
Endometriosis
Post-viral or post-COVID pain
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Chronic pain is extremely common, and many people experience more than one contributing condition.
Why Chronic Pain Is Often Misunderstood
Unfortunately, many chronic pain sufferers experience:
Being told “it’s all in your head”
Feeling dismissed because scans look normal
Friends or family not understanding what they’re going through
Doctors focusing only on one treatment option
Years of frustration trying to find answers
From my clinical perspective:
Chronic pain is one of the most misunderstood conditions in healthcare.
It’s not about weakness, exaggeration or psychological issues — it is a real, biological change in the nervous system.
How Chronic Pain Affects Your Life
Chronic pain can affect almost every aspect of daily functioning:
Sleep: pain makes it harder to fall and stay asleep
Mood: irritability, anxiety and low mood are common
Hormones: long-term stress changes hormonal balance
Mobility: simple tasks feel harder
Energy: constant fatigue is extremely common
Relationships: you may avoid events or feel like a burden
Independence: pain can limit your work, hobbies and lifestyle
You are not alone — and how you feel is valid.
What Helps Chronic Pain? (A Pharmacist’s View)
One of the most important things I’ve learned in 15+ years is this:
Chronic pain rarely improves with one single treatment.
A multi-layered approach almost always works better.
Here are some of the approaches that commonly make the biggest difference for my patients:
Natural options like PEA capsules
PEA helps calm sensitised nerves and reduce inflammation over time.
(I’ll share case studies below.)
Prescription nerve medications
When used correctly and reviewed regularly.
Slow, gentle movement
Walking, stretching, physio-guided exercises.
Movement reduces nerve sensitivity.
Heat therapy
Helps muscles relax and signals safety to the nervous system.
Better sleep routines
Pain improves dramatically with better sleep quality.
Stress reduction techniques
Mindfulness, pacing, deep breathing, CBT-based strategies.
Anti-inflammatory diet
Reducing processed foods, sugar and inflammatory triggers.
Support & reassurance
Understanding pain reduces fear — which reduces pain intensity.
Chronic pain is complex — but it is manageable with the right approach.
Real Patient Case Studies (From My Pharmacy)
These examples are anonymised but represent real outcomes I’ve seen repeatedly.
Case Study 1 — Sciatica (68-year-old male)
Previous treatments: Gabapentin
PEA dose: 300 mg daily
Outcome:
Noticed a reduction in nerve pain frequency and intensity, allowing him to reduce dependence on gabapentin.
Case Study 2 — Carpal Tunnel (48-year-old male)
Previous treatments: Pregabalin
PEA dose: 600 mg daily
Outcome:
Reduced nerve pain and improved hand function, with the added benefit of being able to lower his dose of prescription medication.
These cases reflect what I see frequently:
Many chronic pain sufferers improve when we add options that calm the nervous system without sedation or side effects.
The Role of PEA in Chronic Pain (And Why I Use It Often)
PEA (Palmitoylethanolamide) is a naturally occurring compound your body makes in response to stress, inflammation and pain. It has been studied extensively for nerve pain, inflammation and long-term pain conditions.
In my practice, I often use:
Relieve Therapeutics PEA Capsules
Ultra-micronised for optimal absorption and effect
These are the capsules many of my chronic pain patients use long-term because:
They are non-sedating
They are non-addictive
They can be taken alongside prescription pain medications
They support nerve health and inflammation pathways
They are extremely well tolerated even in older adults
PEA is not a quick-fix painkiller.
It works gradually, usually over 2–6 weeks, with best results after consistent use.
But when it works — it can be life-changing.
Living With Chronic Pain: What You Need to Know
Living with chronic pain is hard, but there are key truths I want every person to understand:
You are not imagining it
Your pain is real, even if tests show nothing.
Chronic pain is a condition, not a personal failure
It can happen to anyone.
You don’t have to “tough it out”
There is genuine help available.
Understanding your pain helps reduce it
Education lowers fear, which lowers pain intensity.
You can improve, even if you’ve had pain for years
With the right plan, many people regain mobility, confidence, and quality of life.
Final Thoughts: There Is Hope
Chronic pain is overwhelming, exhausting and often isolating.
But it is also manageable, treatable, and understandable.
With the right knowledge, support and treatment plan, many people experience meaningful improvement — even after years of struggling.
If you’re living with chronic pain:
Stay patient
Stay open to multi-layered treatment
Celebrate progress
Seek help early
Don’t suffer in silence
And remember:
Pain doesn’t always mean damage — and progress is absolutely possible.