Pain Archive

Sometimes low back pain becomes a chronic problem, lasting more than three months. This can be difficult to treat. A 2026 study of 749 adults with chronic low back pain found that treatment with physical therapy provided modest benefits over cognitive behavioral therapy.

Bicycling offers joint-friendly aerobic exercise, builds leg muscles, and aids recovery after knee or ankle surgery. The most appropriate type of bicycle—road, mountain, hybrid, or adaptive (recumbent, tricycle, hand cycle)—depends on where people ride and their abilities.

Many older adults with scoliosis—a C- or S-shaped sideways spinal curve—aren’t aware of it. Others noticeably lean to one side, and some have pain and limited range of motion in the spine. Physical therapy, including core strengthening and improving the stability of the trunk, can help.

Tendonitis, bursitis, frozen shoulder, and Charcot joint can all strike people with diabetes. They mimic arthritis but have different causes.

Back and pelvic pain in people with Crohn’s can signal sacroiliitis or other joint inflammation. Learn how doctors sort this out from routine back strain.

Pain from gallstones (hardened, stonelike lumps of bile or other digestive fluids that block bile ducts) usually occurs in a distinct pattern. Gallstone attacks typically provoke steady, intense pain in the upper right abdomen that can radiate to the shoulder or back.

Chronic pain typically fluctuates during the day and some research suggests that it worsens at night, potentially interfering with sleep. If pain keeps you awake at night, trying these strategies may help you sleep better.

A 2026 study of people with carpal tunnel syndrome found that wearing a rigid wrist splint provided minimal improvement and did not improve symptoms better than wearing a soft bandage for 12 weeks. Rates of surgery within one year were also similar.

There are other conditions besides arthritis that can make walking difficult and even painful, such as peripheral artery disease, chronic venous insufficiency, lumbar spinal stenosis, and diabetic neuropathy.

The cause of most neck pain is strained or sprained muscles, ligaments, and tendons. First-line therapy is rest, ice, heat, pain relievers, and possibly limited use of a neck collar.