If you’ve ever slept wrong, you know how painful that neck pain can be. Now, try experiencing that every day, while you sleep, eat, work and more. For many Americans, this is a reality. More than 100 million people in the United States suffer from chronic pain at the cost of around $600 billion a year in medical treatments and lost productivity, according to a report from the Institute of Medicine (IOM). The question that has dogged pain specialists is whether there is a chronic pain and depression link.
Living with this pain isn’t just difficult physically but the influence of all these factors may be more disturbing to the mind than one would expect, often making the sufferer more susceptible to depression. Don’t let the pain take over your life. Here are some things to consider and symptoms to watch for to ensure your pain doesn’t impact your mental state and result in depression.
1. Consider the type of pain your experiencing. If you’re experiencing any level of chronic pain and seeking treatment, make sure to talk to your Summa pain specialist. While not all pain results in depression, your pain specialist can help to access your risk. An Phoenix pain specialist can also help you determine if your chronic pain and depression are linked.
2. It is not uncommon for individuals who might be recovering from back pain to experienced small bouts of depression. As you monitor day-to-day, track the length and severity of your chronic pain episodes to report back to your pain specialist. It is important also to be aware of the more serious symptoms associated with chronic pain, which if not caught early could result in major or clinical depression. Symptoms to watch for include:
- A feeling of sadness and hopelessness
- Irritability
- Weight loss or weight gain
- Changes in sleep patterns
- Poor concentration and memory
- Lack of enthusiasm for life
- Low libido
- Fatigue
- Thoughts of death or suicide
3. Finally, as you work with your pain specialist, make sure to share your family history. According to recent studies, there is a direct correlation between genetics, and a chronic pain and depression link. If you have a family history of depression, you may require a specific treatment program to help manage your chronic pain caused by depression.
Depression can overwhelm the chances of recovery of a patient suffering from back pain. So, it is important to treat depression simultaneously with back pain to using a multidisciplinary approach. Your pain specialist may recommend the following treatment options in conjunction with your pain management: Administration of antidepressant medications, training for relaxations and mindfulness, counseling sessions by psychotherapists.
It is always advisable to visit an Summa pain specialist if pain lingers and symptoms worsen. For more tips on pain management or to seek pain treatment, visit Summa Pain Care or call (623)776-8686 today.
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