Chronic Pain and Depression

Stress, disappointments, feelings of inadequacy are all common at this time of year and can lead to or add to depressions which are not uncommon this time of the year.   Feelings of depression can be more intense and disabling if accompanied by chronic pain.

Our friends at the American Chiropractic Association put together some information for recognizing and dealing with chronic pain.

Depression is thought to be 3 to 4 times more common in people with chronic pain than in the general population. In addition, 30 to 80% of people with chronic pain will have some type of depression. The combination of chronic pain and depression is often associated with greater disability than either depression or chronic pain alone.

Signs and Symptoms

Some of the common signs and symptoms of chronic pain include:

• Pain beyond 6 months after an injury
• Allodynia—pain from stimuli which are not normally painful and/or pain that occurs other than in the stimulated area
• Hyperpathia—increased pain from stimuli that are normally painful
• Hypersensation—being overly sensitive to pain

Signs of major clinical depression will occur daily for 2 weeks or more, and often include many of the following:

• A predominant feeling of sadness; feeling blue, hopeless, or irritable, often with crying spells
• Changes in appetite or weight (loss or gain) and/or sleep (too much or too little
• Poor concentration or memory
• Feeling restless or fatigued
• Loss of interest or pleasure in usual activities, including sex
• Feeling of worthlessness and/or guilt

What is the treatment for chronic pain and depression?

The first step in coping with chronic pain is to determine its cause, if possible and addressing the problem.  Consult with your doctor of chirpractic, they are very knowledgeable and effective in helping control many types of chronic pains.  Aside from that:

• Stay active and do not avoid activities that cause pain simply because they cause pain. The amount and type of activity should be directed by your doctor, so that activities that might actually cause more harm are avoided.
• Relaxation training, hypnosis, biofeedback, and guided imagery, can help you cope with chronic pain. Cognitive therapy can also help patients recognize destructive patterns of emotion and behavior and help them modify or replace such behaviors and thoughts with more reasonable or supportive ones.
• Distraction (redirecting your attention away from chronic pain), imagery (going to your “happy place”), and dissociation (detaching yourself from the chronic pain) can be useful.
• Involving your family with your recovery may be quite helpful, according to recent scientific evidence.
   
   Stay well, be safe and enjoy the Holiday season with friends and family.
   
  For your better health,
  Dr. Heller