Types of Pain | Chronic Pain and Pain Management

Pain Management

Types of Pain

Whether you’re dealing with a migraine headache or neuropathy in your feet, our skilled pain management team offers comprehensive care for pain conditions from head to toe.

Medically reviewed by David Copenhaver, M.D. and Ravi Prasad, M.D. on Nov. 02, 2024.

Older man holding his knee in pain.

Expert Care for All Pain Conditions

Everyone feels pain at some point – whether from a stubbed toe, broken arm or something more serious. Acute pain comes on suddenly, often from an injury, and then goes away. Chronic pain persists for months or sometimes years after the original injury has healed. Some chronic pain has no clear cause.

At UC Davis Health, experts at our Division of Pain Management treat all types of pain. You benefit from comprehensive treatments at our Pain Management Center. We help restore your ability to live, work and play with as little discomfort as possible. 

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Pain Symptoms

Pain is an unpleasant sensation your nervous system picks up on and responds to. Pain symptoms vary depending on the cause and affected area.

Common Symptoms

Everyone experiences pain differently. You may experience: 

  • Aches
  • Burning or stinging
  • Pulsing or throbbing
  • Radiating pain that moves from one area of your body to another
  • Stiffness
  • Tension or tightness

Other Symptoms

Chronic pain can lead to physical and emotional issues, such as: 

  • Anxiety 
  • Depression 
  • Fatigue 
  • Irritability 
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Causes of Pain

Arthritis

Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are common causes of joint pain, neck pain and inflammation. 

Back and spine problems

Muscle strains, herniated (slipped) discs and degenerative spine conditions are primary causes of back pain.

Cancer

Certain cancers and cancer treatments can cause pain in your bones, nerves, soft tissues or near cancer tumors.

Headaches and migraines

Chronic headaches and migraines can cause severe head pain.

Nerve Damage

Nerve damage from diabetes, neurological diseases, injuries and other conditions can cause nerve pain (neuropathy).

Neuromuscular Diseases

Nerve and muscle (neuromuscular) diseases, muscle strains and conditions like fibromyalgia cause pain.

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Diagnosis and Testing for Conditions That Cause Pain

Many conditions can cause pain. Our team may recommend one or more of these tests to pinpoint what’s causing your pain:

  • Blood tests: A blood test can rule out infections and certain conditions that cause pain.
  • Imaging tests: Imaging tests, including X-rays, CT scans and MRIs, can show spine problems, arthritis and tumors that cause pain.
  • Neuromuscular tests: A nerve conduction study checks for nerve damage. It often takes place with electromyography (EMG) to assess electrical activity in your muscles.

Comprehensive Pain Management

Pain treatments vary depending on the cause and symptoms. At the UC Davis Health Center for Advancing Pain Relief, we're always exploring new ways to manage and prevent pain symptoms. We offer comprehensive treatments that address the full impact of pain on your life.

Ablation

Ablation uses heat from radio waves to stop nerves from sending pain signals to your brain.

Learn about our ablation treatments
Cancer Pain Services

We offer specialized pain services for patients who have pain from cancer or cancer treatments.

Discover cancer pain management and supportive care
Injections

Our doctors inject steroids, nerve-blocking medications, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications and botulinum toxins to ease joint pain.

See how joint injections work
Nerve Stimulation (Neurostimulation)

Nerve stimulators (neurostimulators) are surgically implanted devices that send electrical impulses to disrupt pain signals. Some devices help strengthen specific muscle groups. We offer dorsal root ganglion stimulation, peripheral nerve stimulation, spinal cord stimulation and multifidus muscle stimulation.

Explore our pain medicine specialties
Pain Medications and Pain Pumps

Our team manages prescription pain medications that provide you relief. We also place pain pumps underneath your skin to deliver pain medicine directly into your body.

Learn about intrathecal therapy and pain pumps
Spine Spacers

Our doctors surgically place spacers between vertebrae in your spine to take pressure off your nerves and ease back pain.

Find out more about interspinous spacer treatments
Physical Therapy

Our physical therapists help you correct muscle weaknesses or imbalances that may contribute to pain.

Check out our physical therapy services
Behavioral Medicine

Psychotherapy (talk therapy), biofeedback and other behavioral health therapies can help change your response to chronic pain. These therapies also help with depression and anxiety brought on or worsened by pain.

Request a behavioral medicine consultation
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Pain Prevention

You can’t always prevent conditions that cause pain. However, these steps can minimize some risk factors.

Maintain a healthy weight

Excess weight puts pressure on joints, worsening pain.

Stay active

Activities like walking, swimming and yoga are easy on your joints and muscles.

Move with care

Use good form when lifting heavy objects or performing repetitive movements.

Practice good posture

Standing and sitting straight eases pressure on your spine and joints.

Who does it affect?

51MAmericans have chronic pain

Chronic pain impact

#1Cause of long-term disability in the U.S.

Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: “Chronic Pain Among Adults – United States, 2019-2021

National Pain Advocacy Center: “About Pain” 

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As Sacramento's No. 1 hospital, you'll benefit from unique advantages in primary care and specialty care. This includes prevention, diagnosis and treatment options from experts in 150 specialties.

Referring Physicians

To refer a patient, submit an electronic referral form or call.

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Patients

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Ranked among the nation’s best children’s hospitals

U.S. News & World Report ranked UC Davis Children’s Hospital among the best in neonatology, nephrology, orthopedics*, pediatric & adolescent behavioral health, and pulmonology & lung surgery. (*Together with Shriners Children’s Northern California)

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