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This narrative review of the trauma literature looking at chronic pain after trauma found:
- Chronic pain occurs in 30–70% of trauma survivors, with prevalence varying by injury type.
- Key risk factors include female sex, younger age, pre-existing pain, psychological distress, and social disadvantage.
- Validated prediction models are available for musculoskeletal trauma
- Thoracic trauma is under represented in the pain literature, is often underrecognized, and less protocols are available for treatment
- Thoracic pain typically occurs through intercostal nerve damage and persistent pain following thoracic injury
- The authors suggest “A trauma-specific, biopsychosocial approach is key to reducing chronic pain and improving recovery.”
References
Kussé M, Hans G, Saldien V, Wildemeersch D. Chronic pain following major trauma: Prevalence, predictive models, and risk factors across common injury types. Trauma. 2026;0(0). doi:10.1177/14604086251404750