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A pain persisting for more than 3 months is called a chronic pain. A chronic pain can be caused by an underlying non neurological disease condition or a neurological disease. Chronic pain due to a primary cause is a
neuropathic/Gliapathic pain caused by a dysregulated and maladaptive inflammatory response called metaflammation affecting the neurons/glia. In contrast to classical inflammation (which is typically a short-term response to infection or injury resulting in healing and return to homeostasis), metaflammation is low-grade, persistent and results in chronic rather than acute allostasis leading to systemic rather than local effects. Metaflammation has a mediating role in aggravating chronic non-communicable diseases (NCD) such as diabetes, heart disease, many forms of cancer, depression and dementia. Obesity is a prerequisite for metaflammation or that inducers of metaflammation are nutrient-based or due to nutrition-overload. Thus, chronic pain and obesity are linked biologically through metaflammation. This highlights the need for incorporating lifestyle changes into chronic pain management as a ”Holistic” paradigm.

Based on evidence from other countries, it is shown that mismanaged or under treated chronic pain results in extensive, costly, unhelpful work-ups and treatment; dysfunction in family, vocational and social life; mental and physical suffering; increased disability costs; and increase in suicide rates. The evidence concludes that the most effective treatment for chronic pain patients is found within an integrated interdisciplinary pain rehabilitation program. As an intervention, the success of comprehensive Chronic Pain Clinics (CPC) is well documented: only 16-17% of CPC patients requiring surgery or hospitalization compared to 50% of conventionally treated patients; annual medical costs showing a reduction by 68%; and 67% of CPC patients returning to work, compared to only 27% of  non-CPC patients.