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Pain Complications"It's not the pain itself I mind. It's the way it screws up the rest of my life that bothers me." That anonymous quote tells a lot about the toll chronic pain complications take on a life; because in addition to coping with actual physical discomfort, there are a many additional issues that have to be addressed. Physical or Psychological Pain?Many of the complications of chronic pain stem from the words no chronic pain patient wants to hear: "It's all in your mind." Those words hurt, they make you angry, and sometimes they even make you doubt yourself.Even the best intentioned practitioners used to believe that there is such as thing as Psychological Pain, and that it is different in some way from Physical Pain. We realize now that chronic pain is much more complicated that those two categories suggest, and that it is a myth that we need to try to tell the difference between physical and
psychological pain. The reality is that every person's pain has both a physical and psychological component, and that both have to be addressed for the client to have the best possible outcome.
The Mind and The BodyThe mind and the body are not separate entities, they exist together and effect each other. Pain sensations are experienced and processed by the brain, and the way the brain processes that information is impacted by our past experiences, our expectations, and our emotions. If we're depressed, that will impact how we perceive our pain, causing us to suffer more with our pain and to experience it as more severe.DepressionIt is just as obvious that our bodies effect our minds in this interplay of the physical and the mental. I tell my chronic pain clients that we pretty much expect them to have depression. The mind just can't stand up to severe pain every day without it taking it's toll on our mood and emotions. Couple the actual pain experience with other complications of pain (loss of libido, disability, decreased income, decreased activity level, increased weight, feelings of powerlessness, etc.).Take them both together and you have the potential for a serious downward spiral of pain and depression feeding off each other. Throw in complications in our family relationships, and you can see why chronic pain wreaks so much havoc in everyday life. Lifestyle ComplicationsSome of these lifestyle complications are mentioned above since they are important factors contributing to depression. They also warrant attention and concern in their own right.There are usually multiple additional physical complications that occur with chronic pain. Because of the pain (and to some extent to depression), people frequently become much less active. This lack of activity results in a deterioration in muscle strength and aerobic conditioning referred to as de-conditioning. This deconditioning is often accompanied by weight gain, which then puts further stress and strain on the muscles and joints of the body.It is not surprise that with all these physical problems and emotional distress, that sexulity is impacted. Click this link to find out more about the sexual side effects of chronic pain. Employment Problems and DisabilityChronic pain can dramatically impact your work life as well as your personal life. If your pain is made worse by too much lifting, too much sitting, or too much standing, there is a chance you have already lost a job. Or you may just be struggling at work because of decreased concentration or problems with depression. You may be struggling with a workman's compensation or disability system that provides little understanding or support for people with chronic, disabling back pain. Read more here about chronic pain and disability.Return from the Pain Complications Page to the Home Page
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