Chronic pain: where does it come from and why? at He's Fit

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Chronic pain: where does it come from and why?

Posted November 9, 2007 at 02:00 PM by Denise Musumeci

Section: In The News, His Fitness, Injuries & Rehab, His Health, Mental Health, Physical Health

Often, injuries carry an aggravating side effect: pain. More and more frequently, pain is not just a temporary result that will go away, but becomes a permanent factor that affects people’s lives. Jane E. Brody of the New York Times reports that chronic pain often changes a person for the worst and can lead to anxiety, fear, anger, and depression.

It is usually hard to tell if someone suffers from chronic pain in their backs, hands, or legs just by looking at them, especially if they are fairly young. They look as if they are in peak physical condition. On the inside, however, they are silently suffering. To top it off, pain is subjective: there is no objective way to measure the intensity of pain. Doctors must take a patient’s word for it.

Today, Brody reports, nearly ten percent of Americans suffer from chronic pain and it becomes more prevalent with age. Rarely, a doctor can completely relieve a patient from chronic pain, even with the best treatments and are often too reluctant to treat them with opiates, a narcotic used as a painkiller for both chronic and acute pain. Because of this, many continue to suffer from chronic pain symptoms.

Chronic pain usually begins with an injury and does not subside after the injury heals because permanent changes have occurred in the nerves of the body. Mark Grant, a psychologist in Australia who specializes in managing chronic pain, says that pain is due to a combination of neurological, psychological, and physical factors. “Chronic pain can be caused by muscle tension, changes in circulation, postural imbalances, psychological distress and neurological changes,” Mr. Grant says on his site. “It is also known that unrelieved pain is associated with increased metabolic rate, spontaneous excitation of the central nervous system, changes in blood circulation to the brain and changes in the limbic-hypothalamic system,” the region of the brain that regulates emotions.

The nervous system is responsible for two types of chronic pain. Nociceptive pain, according to Dr. Schneider, arises from injury to muscles, tendons and ligaments or in the internal organs.” Undamaged nerve cells can respond to an outside injury by transmitting pain signals to the brain. Usually the result is a deep, throbbing pain. Examples include chronic low back pain, arthritis, headaches, and chronic pelvic pain. The second type of chronic pain is neuropathic pain, which is due to direct damage to a nerve. Multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, stroke and spinal cord injury are often causes of neuropathic pain. Usually, this type of pain continues long after the source of the injury stopped sending pain signals to the brain.

Chronic pain stems beyond physical problems. Psychological side effects can be massive. Unrelenting pain may cause a person to lose enjoyment of life, have trouble sustaining personal and parental relationships, and could affect their ability to work or hold a job. Dr. Schneider reports that about half of the people suffering chronic pain are able to return to work, which has devastating economic effects on families.

While many think that those who suffer intense chronic pain are crying out for attention and avoiding responsibility, it is ridiculous to think that someone would willingly give up a fulfilling life for the miseries of chronic pain. The best way to avoid chronic pain is to see a doctor right away after an injury, especially if it is severe. If pain still persists after an injury has healed, physical therapy may be the way to lessen the pain. Regardless, ignoring the pain will not make it go away.

Research sources and for more information: [Chronic Pain]; [picture]