Consequences of pain

Pain can have short term and long term consequences. Severe, unremitting acute pain may result in:

• Hypoxia (low oxygen from stress and reflex reactions - holding breath, slow breathing)
• Hypercapnia (increased carbon dioxide in the blood ? holding breath, slow breathing)
• Hypertension
• Excessive cardiac activity (increased heart rate with fear, panic and anxiety)
• Psychological problems (fear, anxiety, post traumatic stress from excruciating pain)

Short term and long term pain can negatively impact quality of life.

• It can interfere with ones ability to carry daily routines
• It can interfere with family, social and work relationships
• It can dramatically increase living expenses at a time when ability to earn money has been reduced ? i.e. hospital costs, doctor visits, pharmaceutical costs and cost for service of other health care providers including physiotherapists, occupational therapists, massage therapists, chiropractors etc.