Persistent pain can affect sleep, mood, participation, and daily life.
Pain may arise from muscles, joints, organs, or damaged nerve pathways.
Tissue signals and changes in the nervous system contribute through different mechanisms. Pain from nerve damage differs from signals triggered by injured body tissue.
Personal descriptions, rating scales, and questionnaires help clinicians assess pain. Location, quality, triggers, and daily impact also matter.
Aging can add musculoskeletal and other health-related sources of pain.
