Understanding the Ups and Downs of Pain During Recovery - Syracuse Journal-Democrat

Understanding the Ups and Downs of Pain During Recovery - Syracuse Journal-Democrat

Many equate pain with injury and thus assume that pain should be a straight line when recovering. So, if pain flares up a bit, they worry that something is wrong. Maybe the injury is getting worse, or they “overdid it” the day before. In reality, pain often rises and falls during normal recovery, and these ups and downs do not automatically mean you’re injuring yourself. Pain is more complex than a simple measure of tissue damage.

VIEWPOINT | Pain during recovery is a matter of ups and downs

Many equate pain with injury and thus assume that pain should be a straight line when recovering. So if pain flares up a bit, they worry that something is wrong. Maybe the injury is getting worse, or they “overdid it” the day before. In reality, pain often rises and falls during normal recovery, and these ups and downs do not automatically mean you’re injuring yourself. Pain is more complex than a simple measure of tissue damage.Healing tissues …