Pain Types and Classifications

Pain Types and Classifications

Even though the experience of pain varies from one person to the next, it is possible to categorize the different types of pain.

Abdominal Pain

Whether it is a mild stomach ache, sharp pain, or stomach cramps, abdominal pain has numerous causes.

Hip Pain: Causes and Treatment

Despite its durability, the hip joint isn't indestructible. With age and use, the cartilage can wear down or become damaged.

Chronic Knee and Joint Pain

Arthritis that affects your “shock absorbers” is the cause of pain and disability in knee and hip joints that can lead to surgery.

Back Pain

The causes of back pain can be complex -- accidents, muscle strains, sports injuries. Stiffness, pain, lower back pain, and pain radiating down the leg are symptoms of back pain.

Chronic Neck and Shoulder Pain

Overexertion, pinched nerves -- all sorts of joint and muscle problems can cause neck and shoulder pain.

Whiplash

A car accident or any abrupt jerking motion to the head and neck -- and suddenly you have serious neck, shoulder, back pain. Standard X-rays of the neck may not show any injuries.

Chronic Muscle Pain

Use your muscles incorrectly, too much, too little -- and you’ve got muscle pain.

Muscle Pain

Overuse injuries -- muscle sprains, strains, and pains -- result from all sorts of assaults, small to severe. Read more about the causes of muscle pain and treatment of muscle pain.

Trigeminal Neuralgia

It’s considered one of the most painful conditions in medicine. The face pain it causes can be treated. Learn more about what causes trigeminal neuralgia and treatments for face pain caused by it. 

Shingles Pain (Postherpetic Neuralgia)

A complication of shingles is the painful after-effects known as postherpetic neuralgia.  This condition occurs only in some people and after the rash of shingles has disappeared.

Sciatica Pain

When your rear or leg muscles worsen when sitting for a long period of time, climbing stairs, walking, or running -- it might be sciatica.

Arachnoiditis: Spinal Pain

Inflamed tissue, which surrounds the spinal cord -- caused by injury, infection, or other assaults -- can cause great disability and pain

Joint Pain

See the causes of joint pain and how to treat it with both home remedies and prescribed medication.

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome

It’s a baffling, intensely painful disorder that can develop from a seemingly minor injury, yet is believed to result from high levels of nerve impulses being sent to the affected disorder.

Central Pain Syndrome

A stroke, multiple sclerosis, or spinal cord injuries can result in chronic pain and burning syndromes from damage to brain regions.

Phantom Limb Pain

Phantom pain refers to the sensation of pain felt by patients who have had a limb amputated. Treatments are usually disappointing and do not provide relief.

Diabetes-Related Nerve Pain (Neuropathy)

If you have diabetes, nerve damage can be a serious complication. This nerve complication can cause severe burning pain especially at night.

Depression, Anxiety, and Pain

Depression, anxiety, and other emotional problems can cause pain -- or make existing pain worse.