Chronic Primary Pain is recognized as an official diagnosis according to the International Classification of Diseases, 11th revision (ICD-11). This classification system is based on expert consensus, and is the industry standard in healthcare. For example, every diagnosis I make in the Emergency Department is assigned an ICD-11 code.
Inclusion of Chronic Primary Pain is a major step forward, as theories once considered "fringe" are now becoming recognized as the cutting edge in holistic healthcare, integrating recent advances in neuroscience and psychology with clinical medicine.
This condition is defined as "pain in 1 or more anatomic regions that persists or recurs for longer than 3 months and is associated with significant emotional distress or significant functional disability (interference with activities of daily life and participation in social roles) and that cannot be better explained by another chronic pain condition."
Chronic Primary Pain is indeed synonymous with neuroplastic pain, TMS, mind-body syndrome, and other less precise terminology various authors have used over the years. This is in contrast to Chronic Secondary Pain, in which structural pathology in the body such as cancer, inflammation, or nerve damage underlies the pain.
Examples of diagnoses which can be due to Chronic Primary Pain include, but are not limited to:
Chronic widespread pain (CWP) such as fibromyalgia
Complex regional pain syndrome
Chronic headaches and orofacial pain: migraine, tension-type headache, trigeminal autonomic cephalgias, temporomandibular disorders, burning mouth, orofacial pain
Chronic visceral pain: chest pain syndrome, epigastric pain syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, abdominal pain syndrome, bladder pain syndrome, pelvic pain syndrome
Chronic musculoskeletal pain (other than orofacial): cervical pain, thoracic pain, low back pain, limb pain
As a diagnostic expert with almost 15 years of experience in clinical medicine, I can help you determine whether you have chronic primary pain. These syndromes are often misdiagnosed as a physical/structural pathology in the body despite multiple rounds of negative testing.
While these syndromes can be quite debilitating, it is important to remember that they are induced by an abnormal functional state of the mind and body. There is usually no permanent damage, and in fact nothing wrong with your mind or body. These dysregulated states can be retrained and your quality of life can be restored. Treatment is often multifaceted, incorporating concepts from Pain Reprocessing Therapy, emotional work, lifestyle modifications, and physical training.
Contact me at any time, as I'm accepting new clients, and I would love to help you restore your quality of life!