{"id":105843,"date":"2026-01-02T15:59:53","date_gmt":"2026-01-02T21:59:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hildasibrian.com\/en\/?page_id=105843"},"modified":"2026-01-05T10:35:26","modified_gmt":"2026-01-05T16:35:26","slug":"chronic-pain","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/hildasibrian.com\/en\/houston-serious-injury-lawyers\/chronic-pain\/","title":{"rendered":"Chronic Pain"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Chronic pain is defined as pain that persists beyond normal tissue healing time, typically lasting three months or longer. Unlike acute pain, which serves as a warning signal following injury or illness, chronic pain often continues after the original injury has healed or develops without a clearly identifiable cause.<\/p>

Medical authorities like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention<\/a> and the National Institutes of Health<\/a> recognize chronic pain as a disease process rather than a symptom alone.<\/p>

Common chronic pain diagnoses include complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), chronic low back pain, post-traumatic headaches, radiculopathy, fibromyalgia, and persistent pain following orthopedic or spinal injuries.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Free Consultations <\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Injury Attorney Hilda Sibrian believes that everyone deserves diligent and capable legal representation to improve their chances of recovery after an accident. If you or a loved one were injured because of someone else’s fault or wrongdoing, call us. We’re here for you 24\/7.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Types of Chronic Pain<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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Nociceptive Chronic Pain<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Nociceptive pain is the most traditionally recognized form of chronic pain. It arises from ongoing tissue damage, inflammation, or mechanical stress that activates pain receptors called nociceptors. In injury cases, this type of pain often follows fractures, ligament tears, joint damage, disc injuries, or post-surgical complications.<\/p>

When nociceptive pain becomes chronic, it typically reflects incomplete healing, degenerative changes, or persistent inflammatory processes. Common examples include chronic knee pain after a traumatic injury, low back pain associated with disc degeneration, or shoulder pain following rotator cuff damage.<\/p>

Clinically, nociceptive pain is often described as aching, throbbing, sharp, or pressure-like. It tends to worsen with movement or use of the affected body part and may improve with rest. Imaging studies such as X-rays, MRIs, or CT scans are more likely to show correlating abnormalities in nociceptive pain cases, which can make these claims more straightforward to document in personal injury litigation.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Neuropathic Chronic Pain<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Neuropathic pain results from direct injury or dysfunction of the nervous system, rather than damage to muscles, bones, or soft tissues. This type of pain is common after spinal cord injuries, herniated discs compressing nerve roots, crush injuries, surgical nerve damage, or severe burns.<\/p>

Patients often describe neuropathic pain as burning, shooting, electric, stabbing, or tingling. It may radiate along a nerve pathway and is frequently accompanied by numbness, weakness, or altered sensation.<\/p>

Unlike nociceptive pain, neuropathic pain may persist even after the original physical injury has healed. Diagnostic tools such as EMG studies, nerve conduction testing, and neurological exams are often used to support these diagnoses. From a legal perspective, neuropathic pain carries significant weight because it is frequently permanent and resistant to conventional treatment, leading to long-term impairment and ongoing medical needs.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Centralized Chronic Pain<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Centralized pain, sometimes referred to as central sensitization, occurs when the brain and spinal cord amplify pain signals, even in the absence of ongoing tissue damage or nerve injury. In these cases, the central nervous system remains in a heightened state of pain processing long after the initial injury or triggering event.<\/p>

This form of chronic pain is increasingly recognized in modern pain medicine and is supported by research from institutions such as the National Institutes of Health. Patients with centralized pain may experience widespread pain, heightened sensitivity to touch or pressure, and pain responses that appear disproportionate to physical findings.<\/p>

Centralized pain explains why some injury victims continue to experience severe pain despite normal imaging or resolved structural injuries. In personal injury claims, this mechanism is often misunderstood or challenged by insurers, despite strong medical support. Proper documentation from pain specialists and longitudinal treatment records are essential to substantiate these cases.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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What is Fibromyalgia?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The CDC does recognize fibromyalgia as a legitimate and disabling medical condition, despite the stigma. It may develop independently or be triggered or aggravated by physical trauma, severe stress, or injury.<\/p>

Fibromyalgia<\/strong> is a chronic pain disorder characterized by:<\/p>