PAIN-CLASSIFICATION, CHRONIC PAIN

SUMMARY

Chronic pain (persistent or recurrent pain lasting longer than 3 months)

1. Chronic primary pain
1.1. Widespread chronic primary pain (including fibromyalgia syndrome)
1.2. Localized chronic primary pain (including nonspecific back pain, chronic pelvic pain)
1.x. Other chronic primary pain
1.z. Chronic primary pain not otherwise specified

2. Chronic cancer pain
2.1. Chronic pain due to cancer and metastases
2.2. Chronic chemotherapy-induced pain (primary parent: chronic neuropathic pain)
2.3. Chronic pain due to cancer surgery (primary parent: chronic postsurgical and posttraumatic pain)
2.4. Chronic pain due to radiotherapy
2.x. Other chronic pain related to cancer
2.z. Chronic cancer pain not otherwise specified

3. Chronic post-surgical and post-traumatic pain
3.1. Chronic postsurgical pain
3.2. Chronic posttraumatic pain
3.x. Other chronic postsurgical and posttraumatic pain
3.z. Chronic postsurgical and posttraumatic pain not otherwise specified

4. Chronic neuropathic pain
4.1. Peripheral neuropathic pain
4.2. Central neuropathic pain
4.x. Other neuropathic pain
4.z. Neuropathic pain not otherwise specified

5. Chronic headache and orofacial pain
5.1. Chronic primary headaches*
5.2. Chronic secondary headaches*
5.3. Chronic orofacial pains†
5.z. Headache and orofacial pain not otherwise specified*

6. Chronic visceral pain
6.1. Chronic visceral pain from persistent inflammation
6.2. Chronic visceral pain from vascular mechanisms
6.3. Chronic visceral pain from obstruction/distension
6.4. Chronic visceral pain from traction/compression
6.5. Chronic visceral pain from combined mechanisms
6.6. Chronic visceral pain referred from other locations
6.7. Chronic visceral pain from cancer (primary parent: chronic cancer pain)
6.8. Functional or unexplained chronic visceral pain (primary parent: chronic primary pain)
6.x. Other chronic visceral pain
6.z. Chronic visceral pain not otherwise specified

7. Chronic musculoskeletal pain
7.1. Chronic musculoskeletal pain from persistent inflammation
7.2. Chronic musculoskeletal pain from structural osteoarticular changes
7.3. Chronic musculoskeletal pain due to disease of the nervous system (All neuropathic pain will be classified under 4. Chronic neuropathic pain. Here, other chronic musculoskeletal pain originating from diseases of the nervous system, eg, spastic pain will be listed.)
7.4. Chronic nonspecific musculoskeletal pain (primary parent: chronic primary pain)
7.x. Other chronic musculoskeletal pain syndromes
7.z. Chronic musculoskeletal pain not otherwise specified

*These disorders have in part been renumbered as compared with the ICHD-3.
†#5.3 is not part of the ICHD-3.

Reference(s)

Cifu, D.X. (2020). Braddom’s physical medicine and rehabilitation. Elsevier. Get it on Amazon.
Cuccurullo, S. (2019). Physical medicine and rehabilitation board review. New York: Demosmedical. Get it on Amazon.
O’Young, B., Young, M.A. and Stiens, S.A. (2008). Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Secrets. Mosby. Get it on Amazon.