PAIN. Most of us will have a story or an experience about it. Pain is one of the most common reasons people seek medical attention. It could be an acute or chronic pain. Acute pain is usually severe and short-lived, and is often a signal that your body has been injured. Chronic pain can range from mild to severe and is present for long periods of time. Every 1 in 5 person feels pain at a given time in Australia. Many people are surviving more serious diseases and injuries than ever before, and chronic pain states are frequently the result.