Pain Disorder

Pain disorder is chronic pain experienced by a patient in one or more parts of the body that is thought to be caused by psychological stress, often severe enough to prevent the patient from functioning normally. It can last from just a few days to many years, may begin at any age, and occurs more often in girls than in boys; it often follows an accident, develops during an illness that has already caused pain, or emerges after withdrawal from drug use, at which point it can take on a life of its own.