Pain is a personal sensory and emotional experience that may be linked to injury, disease, inflammation or changes in how the nervous system processes signals. Use the links below to read about common painful conditions and symptoms.
Back, Nerve and Muscle Pain
- Lower Back Pain — common pain that can arise from muscles, joints, discs or other structures in the lower back.
- Sciatica — pain, tingling or numbness caused by irritation or compression affecting the sciatic nerve.
- Herniated Disc — displacement of disc material that may irritate nearby nerves.
- Muscle Strain — overstretching or tearing of muscle fibers.
- Acute Torticollis — sudden painful neck stiffness with restricted movement.
- Plantar Fasciitis and Heel Pain — pain around the heel and sole of the foot, often worse with the first steps after rest.
Headache and Migraine
- Headache — an overview of common headache types and warning signs.
- Migraine — recurrent attacks that may include headache, nausea and sensitivity to light or sound.
- Tension Headache — a common headache that often causes pressure or tightness around the head.
- Cluster Headache — severe attacks of pain, usually around one eye, occurring in characteristic clusters.
Other Painful Conditions
- Gout — inflammatory arthritis caused by urate crystals, often producing sudden severe joint pain.
- Growing Pains in Children — recurring limb pain in otherwise healthy children, typically occurring in the evening or at night.
- Abdominal Pain — pain in the abdomen with many possible causes, some requiring urgent care.
Acute and Chronic Pain
Acute pain usually begins suddenly and often improves as an injury or illness heals. Chronic pain continues for more than three months or beyond the expected healing time. Pain management should be individualized and may combine treatment of the underlying condition, appropriate movement or rehabilitation, psychological approaches and carefully selected medicines.
When Pain Needs Emergency Help
Contact your local emergency services immediately for severe chest pain or pressure, pain with severe breathing difficulty or collapse, new weakness or numbness on one side, difficulty speaking, a sudden extremely severe headache, or pain following a serious injury. Seek urgent assessment for severe back pain with new loss of bladder or bowel control, numbness around the genitals or buttocks, or weakness in both legs.
Sources and Further Reading
Last reviewed: 4 September 2026. This page provides general health information and does not replace individual medical assessment or treatment.