If you pick up a heavy bag or twist your knee, distress signals coming from the injured part of the body get relayed to the brain. The brain then produces a pain sensation to warn you that something is wrong and muscle spasm so you can protect and rest the area. There also may be inflammation, swelling or bruising in that part, which are healthy responses by the body to heal the damaged area. Depending on the severity of the injury and the type of tissues involved, recovery might take from just a couple of days to up to 12 weeks.
Acute Pain |
Sudden onset, often with a physical injury |
The cause is usually clear |
Diagnosis can be made from a physical examination |
Other than the symptoms, general health is usually good |
Change can often be evident with tests and scans |
Short term (up to12 weeks) |
Associated with signs of inflammation (Swelling, redness etc…) |
Often responds well to treatment including pain killers and anti-inflammatories |
