I have a digestive disorder that has a side effect that causes severe,
acute 7-9 pain when it flares . . . but I am not constantly in pain in between
flares. Where does this fit in regarding chronic pain? Does anyone else
have something like this? What can you tell me about pain control vs. pain
relief?

Hi there. I generally talk about pain management myself.

I do have constant chronic pain, but I'm not upset that you don't! LOL

Chronic pain can be intermittent or episodic in nature. If it has been happening for more than a few months, it is chronic. So , unfortunately for you, you are indeed a member of our little club

Most of us never have total pain relief. But.....pain that I can get from a 10 to a 6 with meds is still a relief of some pain. Similarly, none of us has total control over pain or we would never have it, but we have some control if we have some theraputic measures that work for us. Hence the term pain management.........we try to manage it with the tools that we have available

What are you doing for pain management ?

It's really nice to meet you. I would agree that you defininety fit the defination of chronic pain. I'm constantly in pain, but sometimes the levels are fairly low, while other times I face terrible flares of pain just like you. Through six years of experimentation, I have yet to find a medicinal way to effectively control my pain. If you want to feel the best you can, it takes a lot of work. If you can make sure that your surroundings are pleasing, listen to pleasing music, or do something which demands your attention, such as talking, then your pain will seem much less. Scientists say that the human spine is only capable of carrying a limited amount of sensory information, and if you use as much as you can on other things, there is just not as much room left for the pain. It may sound a bit unusual, but it works for me. Anyway, I'm glad you came here, and hope that you'll return. Good luck and God bless.

Idealist