Transition from acute to chronic pain

Pain is commonly classified into acute and chronic. Acute pain implies a painful condition with a rapid onset or of a short course whereas chronic pain is referred to as a painful condition persisting beyond the normal time of healing. Transition of acute pain to chronic pain is an observed entity associated with enormous burden on the healthcare system. Minimization of this transition has been a challenge for decades. Numerous studies have investigated different factors that increase susceptibility in transition of acute to chronic pain. This article focuses on the basic science and pathophysiological changes during pain processing and clinical modalities aiming to minimize the risk of transition from acute to chronic pain.