Acute pain results from disease, inflammation or injury.  It is immediate and usually of short duration, a normal response to injury and  may be accompanied by anxiety or emotional distress.  The cause of acute pain can usually be diagnosed and treated.

Chronic pain is pain that persists for more than three months, beyond the time of normal healing.  The cause of chronic pain is not always apparent, although it can be caused by chronic medical conditions.  Chronic pain often impacts a person’s quality of life, sleep and productivity.

Efforts to reduce pain have focused on treatments such as rest and therapies such as acupuncture.  It is particularly effective by reducing inflammation, increasing mobility, and improving healing speed.