An injury to the bones, muscles, ligaments, or other soft tissues of the body usually takes six to eight weeks to heal. Sometimes the healing process can be delayed as much as six months or more. This can happen if you use tobacco, consume more than one or two alcoholic beverages a day, develop infection at the site of injury, or have poor nutrition. The presence of other medical conditions such as diabetes can also slow the healing process. 

When pain and symptoms persist beyond the expected time for recovery, the condition is referred to as "chronic." Usually, the condition is labeled chronic after six months without change. Chronic pain is managed with a different approach. The goal in chronic pain treatment is to improve your ability to do things and improve function. Your pain may not go away, but you will be able to do more physically and socially.