Pain is rarely “out of the blue”
As a clinician, one of the most common things I hear is “my pain just flared up out of nowhere”. Sometimes that’s true. But more often, when we slow things down and look at the bigger picture, that flare up is part of a longer story your body has been telling for years.
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Most people think about pain as a single episode. A sore back after a long drive. A stiff neck that comes and goes. Knee pain after increasing exercise. These moments matter, but on their own they only show part of what’s really happening. Pain tends to follow patterns over time, and those patterns can tell us a lot about where things might head next if nothing changes.
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Pain over a lifetime follows patterns
Long term research following people for many years shows that pain doesn’t affect everyone in the same way. Some people rarely experience pain. Others have pain that comes and goes across life. Some notice pain becoming more frequent or lasting longer as they get older. A smaller group experience ongoing, persistent pain that affects work, sleep, mood and daily activities.
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These patterns are often called pain trajectories. They help explain why someone can feel “okay” for months, then suddenly struggle again. Importantly, these trajectories can exist even when scans look normal or when pain settles temporarily. Focusing only on the latest episode can miss the bigger picture. This idea is explored in more detail in my recent long term study here.
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Why frequency, intensity and duration matter
In the clinic, three things tell us more about pain than most people realise. How often pain occurs. How strong it feels. How long it lasts.
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Pain that is mild but constant can be just as disruptive over time as pain that is intense but brief. Pain that returns every few weeks often needs a different approach to pain that appears once a year and resolves quickly. When we look at these factors together over months and years, we get a much clearer idea of someone’s pain outlook, not just their pain today.
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This is why a simple “out of ten” pain score is rarely enough on its own. Understanding patterns over time helps guide smarter decisions about care.
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How we use this at DMC Health and Wellness
At DMC Health and Wellness, we take a long view of pain. Instead of only asking “where does it hurt today?”, we also ask “how long has this been happening?”, “how often does it come back?”, and “what changes over time?”.
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This helps us tailor care to you. For some people, that might mean hands on treatment and exercise guidance. For others, it may involve pacing strategies, building confidence in movement, or addressing stress and sleep that are influencing pain patterns. The goal is not just short term relief, but changing the direction of pain over time.
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You don’t need a health background to understand your pain story
You don’t need medical knowledge to understand your pain. You just need space to talk it through with someone who listens and helps connect the dots. Whether your pain is new, comes and goes, or has been part of your life for years, it usually makes more sense when viewed over time.
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If you’d like to learn more about the conditions we help with, visit our dedicated condition list. If you’re ready to talk through your own pain story and what it might mean for the future, you can book an appointment here
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