Definition Pain – OnCare Cancer Center Definition Pain

What is pain?

Pain is a sensation of discomfort, distress, or agony. It may be acute or chronic. Acute pain is moderate to severe and lasts a relatively short time (usually less than three months). It is usually a signal that body tissue is being injured in some way, and it generally disappears when the injury heals.

Chronic pain may range from mild to severe, and is present to some degree for longer periods of time (generally lasting longer than three to six months). Because pain is unique to each individual, a person's pain cannot be evaluated by someone else.