What is post-surgical pain?

As the name implies, post-surgical pain is pain that occurs as a result of a surgical procedure. Post-surgical pain is normal when immediately following a surgery. Such pain is usually treated with the use of medications. As patients heal from the surgery, pain typically diminishes. In a surprising number of patients, however, pain continues long after the normal healing process is completed. As such, the pain becomes chronic. Post-surgical pain is typically considered chronic when it continues for longer than six months.