Pain may be acute or chronic. Acute pain is severe and lasts a fairly short time. It is most often a sign that the body is being injured in some way, and the pain generally goes away as the injury heals. Chronic or persistent pain lasts for long periods of time. It may range from mild to severe. You will notice that we talk here mostly about chronic pain, because it can disrupt your life if it is not well treated.
Some people with chronic pain that is mostly controlled by medicine can have breakthrough pain. This is when moderate to severe pain "breaks through" or is felt for a short time. It is common for people with chronic pain that is being treated to have episodes of breakthrough pain, which is discussed in more detail in the next section.
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