---
title: "What Is Chronic pain? TENS and Pain Glossary | Analgesic Healthcare"
description: "Chronic pain is pain that lasts a long time. MedlinePlus says it can affect daily life, and Medicare's TENS policy requires pain present for at least three..."
url: https://analgesic.multisites.ai/glossary/chronic-pain
publisher: Analgesic Healthcare
phone: +1-800-749-1188
contact: https://analgesic.multisites.ai/contact
---

Condition

# Chronic pain

Chronic pain is pain that lasts a long time. MedlinePlus says it can affect daily life, and Medicare's TENS policy requires pain present for at least three months.

MedlinePlus describes pain as acute or chronic, based on how long and how often you have pain. It says chronic pain can affect all aspects of daily life, including your mood and relationships, and that treatment may not get rid of chronic pain but can help with symptoms. Medicare's TENS policy, as of the revision effective January 1, 2024, covers TENS for chronic, intractable pain other than chronic low back pain only when criteria are met. One criterion is that the pain must have been present for at least three months. The LCD denies TENS for [chronic low back pain](https://analgesic.multisites.ai/glossary/chronic-low-back-pain). See also [acute pain](https://analgesic.multisites.ai/glossary/acute-pain). Read [Does Medicare cover a TENS unit?](https://analgesic.multisites.ai/guides/does-medicare-cover-tens-unit).

## Related terms

-   [Acute pain](https://analgesic.multisites.ai/glossary/acute-pain)
-   [Chronic low back pain](https://analgesic.multisites.ai/glossary/chronic-low-back-pain)
-   [Post-operative pain](https://analgesic.multisites.ai/glossary/post-operative-pain)
-   [Non-opioid pain management](https://analgesic.multisites.ai/glossary/non-opioid-pain-management)

## Sources

1.  [MedlinePlus: Chronic Pain](https://medlineplus.gov/chronicpain.html)
2.  [CMS: Local Coverage Determination L33802, Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulators (TENS)](https://www.cms.gov/medicare-coverage-database/view/lcd.aspx?lcdid=33802)

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