June 27, 2023 Dr. Bruce Blackwell

Difference between Acute and Severe pain

Understanding the difference between acute pain and severe (chronic) pain can help you to determine the right treatment.

Pain is mainly a sign that tells you something wrong is happening in your body.

When it comes to pain, there are two different types of pain: acute and severe (chronic).

Whatever type of pain you are going through, it is always unwelcome, uncomfortable, and unpleasant.

No matter what sort of pain, it can always affect your life negatively and range from minor to severe.

In this blog, you will read about the major differences between acute and severe pain and how they can be treated.

What is Pain?

When something hurts and causes an uncomfortable feeling in your body, pain occurs.

Occurrence of pain usually means that something wrong is going on in your body.

What are the differences between acute and severe pain?

Acute pain

To know if the discomfort caused to you is acute or severe pain, first, understand what is acute pain.

When it comes to acute pain, it is sharp and sudden. This type of pain is caused by illness or injury.

Acute pain often lasts for three to six months and its discomfort is mild.

While suffering from acute pain,  you will notice that your discomfort does not last for more than a few seconds.

At times, it can be extreme and last for a few weeks or months like when you break your leg in an accident.

Although, you get relief from this pain, once the underlying cause is treated effectively.

This type of pain is generally caused by the following medical conditions:

• Surgery
• Muscle strain
• Trauma like burns, cuts, and broken bones
• Labor and childbirth

When compared to severe pain, it is easy to diagnose acute pain because most injuries that cause this pain are clear.

However, if your underlying cause is not clear then a diagnosis of acute pain can be difficult sometimes.

In such conditions, your doctor will recommend diagnostic tests to determine the right cause of pain.

Symptoms of acute pain

While suffering from acute pain, you can experience the following symptoms:

• Weakness
• Sharp pain
• Painful tingling
• Localized throbbing
• Pain along with sensations of burning or stabbing
• Numbness

Treating acute pain is quite simple when compared to the treatment of severe pain type.

In most cases, doctors first treat your underlying cause of pain which makes your discomfort go away quickly.

After the root cause of the pain is treated, your doctor will aid you in managing any discomfort unless the injury is cured.

Treatment of acute pain usually includes anti-inflammatory medicines and painkillers as they respond well.

Also, hot and cold compresses might be effective in easing swelling caused by acute pain.

Severe pain

When your pain last for more than six months, it is contemplated as severe.

You might experience this type of pain constantly or it might even come and go.

When it comes to chronic or severe pain, it can have a clear cause like shingles or cancer. 

Sometimes, an injury or disease can cause changes that make you more sensitive to discomfort even if the original cause of pain is treated.

For instance, a sprained wrist or broken bone can leave you with enduring pain after an injury has gone away.

Sometimes your old injuries can even worsen years after they have already healed.

There are times when severe (chronic) pain has no valid cause and is deliberated psychologically.

Under such conditions, your pain is associated with various mental factors like anxiety or stress.

Severe pain is often connected to various medical conditions stated below:

• Fibromyalgia
• Musculoskeletal disorders
• Arthritis
• Back pain
• Headache
• Multiple sclerosis
• Shingles
• Nerve damage

When you fail to manage your severe pain, it can lead to other health issues which ultimately affect your quality of life, including:

• Loss of appetite
• Muscle stiffness
• Depression
• Loss of energy
• Insomnia
• Restricted mobility
• Anxiety

It becomes difficult to diagnose severe pain because of various potential causes and different ways it presents itself.

Your doctor will conduct some medical exams to figure out whether you are suffering from acute or severe pain.

Also, the doctor will ask you to explain your discomfort and other symptoms which you might be experiencing.

They will discuss your medical history, and ask about past ailments, present stress levels, and injuries.

Symptoms of severe pain

Severe pain can appear in numerous ways and its symptoms can range from mild to serious.

Some common symptoms of severe pain include:

• Exhaustion
• Interrupted sleep
• Depression
• Insomnia
• Irritability

When compared to acute pain, a different treatment approach is required for severe pain.

Each individual can experience different severe pain which means this type of pain is treated on an individual basis.

To tackle severe pain conditions, your doctor can use a combination of treatment methods like opioid analgesics.

Both acute as well as severe pain can cause painful and unpleasant feelings to a person experiencing it.

In case, your pain occurs suddenly and is associated with a recent injury then it is most likely to be acute pain.

You can find out the right treatment plan for yourself only when the type of pain you are experiencing is determined.

On the other hand, if you experience ongoing pain for more than six months then your pain will be considered severe.

This type of pain is quite challenging as it is hard to recognize the cause of pain and not everyone reacts to a similar treatment approach.

After reading this blog, you must have got an idea about the differences between acute and severe pain.

Related Article - Difference between severe pain and Acute Pain

So, if you undergo any type of pain, acute or severe, immediately contact your doctor to get effective treatment and improve your quality of life.