Pain is a part of life. For most people, they may have pain from time to time, so they treat it and move on. However, there is a growing number of individuals that must contend with chronic pain and the lasting effects it can have on their bodies and families. Chronic pain is pain that seems to always be around or has continual flare ups. According to medical definitions, chronic pain is described as pain that lasts for more than 3 months. This type of pain requires specific treatments, so if you have chronic pain, read on and learn about what the lasting effects are and how the pain can effectively be treated.
Lasting Effects of Chronic Pain and Treatment Options to Help
Back Pain
Back pain is common in many individuals. Common causes of back pain can be related to an injury, misalignment, or a range of other reasons. No matter where the back pain comes from, it can be debilitating to contend with. Some of the more common forms of back pain include, cervical pain (neck pain), Lumbar and Sacral Pain (pain in the lower back), Thoracic Pain (pain behind the thorax or chest wall) and Coccyx or Coccydinia pain (lower tip of the spine).
Back pain can not only affect your ability to enjoy life, it can also keep your family from enjoying fun activities such as hiking and travelling. Back pain sufferers tend to avoid long vehicle trips as sitting for long periods of time is uncomfortable and many pain medications restrict the ability of the patient to drive. Chronic back pain can make it impossible to live a long and enjoyable life.
Nerve Pain
Pain in the nerves is not your everyday average ache. It is an internal pain that the average pain medication may not be able to alleviate. Nerve pain can be problematic for a patient as finding the right medication for the issue can take a significant amount of time.
Some of the more common types of nerve pain include…
- Scar Pain
- Complex Regional Pain Syndrome CRPS – Through surgery or trauma to the body, CRPS is experienced through actual nerve damage, but can also happen due to zero nerve damage as well.
- Headaches
- Phantom Pain – The loss of a limb can trigger sensations for the patient where the limb once was.
- Trigeminal Neuralgia – Pain in the trigeminal nerve, most often felt in the face.
Lasting Effects of Chronic Pain
Pain might just be uncomfortable, but when the condition becomes chronic, the effects can be more than just internal. Lasting effects of chronic pain can include…
Depression
Depression is a very real and viable effect of chronic pain. When you are in continual pain, you do not want to interact with others or do anything out of the ordinary for fear of more pain. The patient can become reclusive, lonely, and ultimately, depressed.
Anger
When pain is always on your mind, it is easy to become angry at the circumstances. Seeing other people going on about their lives without pain can make a chronic pain patient angry.
Fatigue
Pain happens from time to time and it can have a debilitating effect on our bodies. Chronic pain, however, can make the person feel completely fatigued and wiped out from the simplest task.
Loss of Sexual Desires
Sexual desires are a natural human entity, yet when chronic pain is on your mind, it is difficult to enjoy sexual activities. Patients can become withdrawn from their partners leading to even more emotional problems within the relationship.
Altered Moods
Moodiness is often associated with chronic pain. The inability to contend with the pain will ultimately translate into altered moods. Anger, sadness, discontentment can all be adverse effects of chronic pain.
Job Concerns
It is not uncommon for the effects of chronic pain to spill over into other areas of our lives including our jobs. A diminished performance at work or additional missed days due to pain, can negatively impact your job.
Weight Gain
Movement is difficult when chronic pain is always evident. This type of pain makes everyday activities impossible. Lack of activity will cause weight gain and possibly lead to other difficult to manage conditions.
Pain Treatment Options
Treatment options for chronic pain vary depending on the type of pain the patient experiences. Some of the most common pain treatment options are…
Pain Medication
Doctors have the option of prescribing pain medications. They are highly effective pain relief, but often come with side effects and some are highly addictive.
Exercise
The last thing you may want to do to alleviate pain is exercise, but maintaining movement is often the best way to contend with pain. It might hurt a little more but staying active as much as possible will ultimately help many chronic pain issues.
Chiropractic Service
Pain medications and exercise have their place, but more people are turning to natural solutions as remedies for chronic pain. Among the best treatments for chronic pain is a chiropractic service. A qualified chiropractor can realign your body allowing chronic pain to alleviate without the use of pain medication. A regularly scheduled chiropractor visit can also allow you to get the exercise your body so desperately needs for pain alleviation.
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