Links Between Pain and Depression

People who suffer from chronic back pain often experience depression as a result of their suffering. The vice versa is also true. A study led by Dr. Linda Carroll found that patients with depression are four times more likely to develop severe back and neck pain.

Significance

Because the two conditions can cause each other, they also exacerbate each other. Sometimes it is hard to tell which condition came first. Sometimes to heal a patient, both conditions need to be treated simultaneously.

Effects

A patient with depression may be unable to sleep due to stress. Tossing and turning and unable to relax, his or her back hurts the next day. The pain itself will keep the patient awake the next night, continuing the vicious cycle. The pain may also prevent him or her from going out to social events, which causes feelings of isolation, which leads to more depression.

Diagnosis

While it is clear and accepted in the medical community that depression can cause severe back pain, patients are well-advised to seek a doctor's opinion before diagnosing their own pain as stress-related. Even a depressed patient may also have a separate physical condition causing the pain. A thorough physical examination is in order before starting a course of treatment.

Treatment Options

There are some medications that doctors prescribe that treat both physical pain and mental depression at the same time. This can be useful for some patients because they need to take only one medication. Massage therapy, physical therapy and exercise are usually important parts of a patient's recovery. All of these options should be supervised by health care professionals.

Source:

Science Daily

Chronic Back Pain

Diagnosis