The pain of any kind can lead to a variety of health problems, and this can especially be the case if the pain is chronic. In terms of how it can affect one physically, this includes changes in appetite, a lack of energy, a limited ability to move freely and tense muscles. In addition, there are deeper concerns because with pain that persists over a prolonged period of time comes a stress reaction. This stress reaction can cause elevated blood pressure and heart rate. Not only can this impair the body's ability to pump blood effectively throughout the body and increase the risk of heart disease, but it can result in a compromised ability to fight off disease.