Which of the following is true about chronic pain relative to injury?

• A. The pain persists even after the injury has healed
• B. The pain always reflects ongoing tissue damage
• C. The pain cannot be managed
• D. The pain is exclusively psychological

Answer: (A)

Chronic pain after an injury is driven by changes in the nervous system that keep generating pain even when the tissue has healed. In many cases, the initial tissue damage triggers sensitization—peripheral nerves become more responsive, and the central nervous system becomes more prone to amplifying pain signals. As a result, pain can persist long after the injury has healed, sometimes with little or no ongoing tissue damage detectable.

That’s why the statement about pain persisting after healing is the best answer. It captures the hallmark of chronic pain: the experience is maintained by altered pain processing, not necessarily by active injury. The idea that pain always reflects ongoing tissue damage isn’t accurate, because pain can continue even when tissues are repaired and checks for damage are negative. It’s also not true that chronic pain cannot be managed; many approaches—physical therapy, medications, and psychological strategies—can help reduce pain and improve function. And it isn’t solely psychological; while mood and cognition influence pain, there are real physiological changes in the nervous system contributing to chronic pain.