Chronic pain can stem from a variety of conditions, often lasting beyond the normal healing process. Understanding the most common causes can help guide proper treatment and pain management strategies.

Back pain is one of the leading causes of chronic pain. It can result from conditions like herniated discs, spinal stenosis, SI joint dysfunction, or failed back surgery syndrome. Persistent back pain is often due to nerve compression, joint inflammation, or muscle imbalances. Arthritis-related pain occurs when joint inflammation leads to stiffness and discomfort.

Osteoarthritis, the most common type, is caused by cartilage breakdown, while rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition that leads to joint damage and chronic inflammation. Nerve pain, or neuropathy, happens when nerves become damaged or irritated, leading to burning, tingling, or shooting pain.

This is common in diabetic neuropathy, post-surgical nerve injuries, and complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS). Nerve pain can persist even after the initial injury has healed, making treatment more complex. Fibromyalgia is a condition that causes widespread pain, fatigue, and sensitivity to touch. Unlike arthritis or nerve pain, fibromyalgia is thought to result from how the brain and spinal cord process pain signals rather than structural damage.

Other common causes include migraines, post-surgical pain, and musculoskeletal disorders. Because chronic pain can come from different sources, treatment often requires a combination of physical therapy, medications, interventional pain procedures, and advanced therapies like spinal cord stimulation (SCS) or regenerative medicine.

If pain persists despite treatment, talk to your doctor about a personalized plan to target the underlying cause and improve daily function.