A patient with chronic pain experiences a new injury; this is called?

• A. Acute on chronic pain
• B. Purely acute pain
• C. Chronic pain only
• D. Referred pain

Answer: (A)

When someone who has chronic pain experiences a new injury, the situation is described as acute on chronic pain. The baseline chronic pain remains, but the new injury triggers an abrupt, short-term increase in pain—an acute component riding on top of the existing condition. This distinction matters for management: treat the new injury with strategies aimed at the acute episode (such as short-term analgesia or inflammation control) while also considering any necessary adjustments to the chronic pain regimen. This is different from purely acute pain (which would occur in someone without a prior chronic pain condition), chronic pain only (no new injury or flare), or referred pain (pain felt at a location other than where the tissue injury occurred).