CHRONIC PAIN

WHAT IS CHRONIC PAIN

• Chronic pain typically begins with an acute episode, but unlike
acute pain, it does not decrease with treatment and the passage
of time.
 TYPES OF CHRONIC PAIN
• Chronic benign pain typically persists for 6 months or longer
and is relatively unresponsive to treatment. The pain varies in
severity and may involve any of several muscle groups.
Chronic low back pain is an example

• Chronic progressive pain persists longer than 6 months and

increases in severity over time. Typically, it is associated with
malignancies or degenerative disorders, such as cancer or
rheumatoid arthritis.
 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN ACUTE AND
CHRONIC PAIN
• acute and chronic pain present different psychological
profiles.
• most pain control techniques work well to control acute
pain but are less successful with chronic pain, which
requires individualized techniques for its management.
• chronic pain involves the complex interaction of
physiological, psychological, social, and behavioral
components, more than is the case with acute pain.
CHRONIC PAIN IN DIFFERENT PARTS
OF BODY
Chronic pain can occur in many different forms and appear across your body
• Arthritis, or joint pain.
• Back pain.
• Neck pain.
• Cancer pain near a tumor.
• Headaches, including migraines.
• Testicular pain (orchialgia).
• Lasting pain in scar tissue.
• Muscle pain all over (such as with fibromyalgia).
• Neurogenic pain, from damage to the nerves or other parts of the nervous
system.
SYMPTOMS OF CHRONIC PAIN
• Chronic pain can range from mild to severe. It can continue
day after day or come and go. The pain can feel like:
• A dull ache
• Throbbing
• Burning
• Shooting
• Squeezing
• Stinging
• Soreness
• Stiffness
 Impact of Chronic Pain on Mental Health

• Chronic pain can interfere with a person's daily life in a number of

different ways. It can make it difficult to get to and from work. It
can also affect a person's ability to concentrate and be productive.
At home, it can create challenges with preparing meals, caring for
children, or engaging in self-care. It can also cause disruptions in
sleep, changes in appetite, feelings of fatigue, and changes in mood.
Anxiety
• Anxiety has a complex relationship with chronic pain. Experiencing
chronic pain can contribute to the onset and worsening of anxiety,
but anxiety can also play a part in the development and aggravation
of pain. Research suggests that people who have a greater fear of
pain are more likely to develop chronic pain.
 Impact of Chronic Pain on Mental Health

Cognition
• Chronic pain can also take a toll on a variety of cognitive functions, including
a person's ability to concentrate and recall information. In one study, people
who had chronic pain performed significantly worse in terms of executive
functioning, long-term memory, processing speed, and selective attention.
Depression
• Depression is strongly associated with chronic pain. Estimates vary, but
research suggests that the co-occurrence of chronic pain and depression may
be as high as 85%.
Stress
• It is perhaps not surprising that experiencing constant, relentless physical pain
is a significant source of stress. Being in pain also makes it more difficult to
cope with stressful experiences.
 TREATMENTS
• Treatments for the psychological aspects of chronic pain may take an
integrated approach, drawing on different techniques in order to
address specific symptoms. Treatment approaches that may be helpful
include:
• Cognitive-behavioral therapy: (CBT) To address negative thought
patterns and maladaptive behaviors that may be contributing to
depression, anxiety, worsened pain, and reduced coping abilities
• Interpersonal therapy: (IPT) To improve social relationships and
increase social support to help improve mood and accompanying pain.
• Medication: Certain medications such as the serotonin and
norepinephrine antidepressants help with psychiatric symptoms and
may improve pain directly.