Chronic pain and depression

Pain serves an important function in our lives. When you suffer an acute injury, pain warns you to stop the activity that is causing harm and tells you to take care of it.

Chronic pain is pain that persists for months or even years. Some people suffer from chronic pain without any specific injury. Some of the more common types of chronic pain are headaches, low back pain, and arthritis. Unfortunately, there is usually little to no objective evidence or physical finding to explain the pain.

In the past when a physical cause was not identified, some doctors would suggest that the pain was “all in your head.” Emerging scientific evidence is demonstrating that the nerves in the spinal cord of patients with chronic pain undergo structural changes.

Psychological and social issues often intensify the effects of chronic pain. Depression is the most common emotion associated with chronic pain. It is thought to be 3 to 4 times more common in people with chronic pain than in the general population. The combination of chronic pain and depression is often associated with greater disability than either depression or chronic pain alone.

This combination of chronic pain and depression can lead to dramatic changes in a person’s physical, mental, and social well-being and quality of life. They often have difficulty sleeping, feel easily agitated, difficulty performing normal activities, trouble concentrating, and difficulty performing duties at work and home. This leads to a vicious cycle of pain leading to more depression which leads to more chronic pain.

Depression associated with pain is powerful enough to have a substantial negative impact on the outcome of treatment, including surgery. It is important for your doctor to take into consideration the psychological issues that pain brings.

The first step in coping with chronic pain is to determine its cause, if possible. Chiropractic and acupuncture have a long, successful history helping patients deal with “unexplained pain.” Addressing the problem can help the pain subside and break the vicious cycle of chronic pain and depression.

For questions, email Wendy at [email protected].