Chronic Pain
Who It's For
Functional medicine support tailored to uncover the root cause of complex symptoms.
Consult with our care team to understand next steps and build a personalized plan.
Serving Denver Metro, Fort Collins, and Colorado Springs.
About This Condition
Chronic pain is persistent or recurrent pain lasting beyond the expected period of tissue healing (commonly defined as >3 months) and is associated with meaningful distress or functional impairment. It may arise from ongoing nociceptive input, neuropathic injury, or altered pain processing within the nervous system, and often persists even after the initial injury or disease has resolved.
Patients may describe constant or intermittent pain that can be dull, aching, burning, shooting, or electric in quality. Chronic pain frequently coexists with fatigue, sleep disturbance, mood and anxiety symptoms, cognitive complaints, and reduced physical activity. It affects work, relationships, and overall quality of life, and can contribute to deconditioning and social withdrawal.
Chronic pain is conceptualized as a condition in its own right rather than simply a symptom of an underlying disorder. Evaluation focuses on identifying potentially modifiable nociceptive or neuropathic drivers, detecting red flag features for serious pathology, and recognizing central sensitization and psychosocial contributors. Management is typically multimodal and longitudinal, combining education, physical and functional rehabilitation, psychological interventions, and judicious use of pharmacologic and interventional therapies.
Common Symptoms
- •Persistent or recurrent pain lasting longer than 3 months, often described as aching, throbbing, burning, stabbing, or electric
- •Pain that may be localized to a specific region (such as low back, neck, or joints) or more widespread
- •Exacerbation of pain with physical activity, prolonged positions, stress, or sleep disruption
- •Fatigue, low energy, or non-restorative sleep associated with ongoing pain
- •Mood changes, irritability, anxiety, or depressive symptoms related to or exacerbated by pain
- •Reduced participation in work, exercise, social activities, or hobbies due to pain and fear of flare-ups
- •Heightened sensitivity to touch, pressure, or other stimuli in some individuals, consistent with central sensitization or allodynia
Conventional Treatment Options
Movement plan
Anti-inflammatory strategies
Mind-body approaches
Our Functional Medicine Approach
Who It's For
Adults with chronic musculoskeletal or centralized pain.
Expected Outcomes
- Less pain interference
- Better mobility and sleep