Chronic Pain

What is chronic pain?

Acute pain or intense pain that has a sudden onset and is time-limited is the nervous system’s response to possible injury. Chronic pain is pain that is persistent but can also be extremely intense. The origins of chronic pain may be traced to a back injury, surgery, or a health condition. There are several different types of chronic pain.

Researchers now know that the initial pain message sent by the nervous system to the brain can become a permanent message regardless of whether the condition still exists or not. When this happens, the nervous system continues to relay sensations to the brain, creating a “ghost pain.” To deal with such a condition, the messages from the nervous system need to be interrupted and the brain and the nervous system need to begin to work together again.

Sometimes, the original condition persists. This may be due to the continuation of a condition, such as osteoarthritis. In such circumstances, diet, massage, therapy, exercise, and supplements can help reduce the pain considerably. But sometimes the presence of pain cannot be explained. Again, in such conditions, a multitude of approaches works best for treatment.

Chronic pain can be episodic, incapacitating, or always present and inconvenient.

“The emotional toll of chronic pain can also make pain worse. Anxiety, stress, depression, anger, and fatigue interact in complex ways with chronic pain and may decrease the body’s production of natural painkillers…Negative feelings …increase the level of substances that amplify sensations of pain, causing a vicious cycle of pain for the person.”
(source:WebMD, http://www.webmd.com/pain-management/guide/understanding-pain-management-chronic-pain)

Depression, lack of sleep, social isolation, and reduced work productivity can be the consequences of pain that goes untreated.

Opioid Induced Pain Syndrome

The sad reality of opioid pain medications lies in the addictive power of the drug. As the body grows accustomed to the medication it requires a greater dosage. This syndrome is accompanied by an increased sensitivity to pain stimuli known as Opioid-induced hyperalgesia. The original intent for opioids was to help people suffering from pain who were in the last stages of cancer. The use of opioids was initially intended for short term use only.

Now, however, patients are using opioids for long- term use, the results are the great potential for dependence and opioid induced pain syndrome. Patients experiencing this syndrome will experience pain in a more diffused manner beyond the original area of concern. A patient will also experience a sensitivity to touch as well. Withdrawal symptoms will accompany the decrease in dosage or disruption of use. However, once the opioid is out of the body, many patients feel greatly improved. “Clinical studies and observations suggest that some individuals with pain who use opioids on a long-term basis experience improvement in pain following simple withdrawal of opioids, without the institution of other major pain interventions.” (source: Principles of Addiction Medicine, third edition, Ch 5, p 1457)

Treating Chronic Pain and Addiction

Millions of Americans suffer from chronic pain. The cost, according to the government’s figures, is over $100 billion a year. A major problem facing those suffering with chronic pain is pain management. Appropriate diagnosis and treatment for chronic pain is necessary. The best treatment is not just taking a painkiller.

Ongoing assessment from a team of providers that includes psychologists, orthopedic specialists, internists, and physical therapists is the best approach to treating chronic pain. Lifestyle changes, stress reduction techniques, exercise, and alternative treatments, such as biofeedback and yoga, can help reduce or eliminate pain and avoid the dangers of painkiller addiction.

If you believe you have a prescription drug addiction coupled with chronic pain, seek professional help from a licensed, medically based detox and treatment facility.