All Posts Tagged: chronic pain

Effects of Chronic Pain

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Effects of Chronic Pain

Anyone that has experienced pain, whether acute or chronic, knows that it can affect multiple aspects of daily living.

The feeling that “I hurt everywhere” or “I have no energy” are common complaints associated with pain scenarios that are treated regularly here at Legacy.

Persistent pain is truly its own disease regardless of its underlying cause.1-3 This type of pain, which is also often characterized as chronic or intractable, has all the ramifications of a disease in that it may have pre-clinical and overt phases.4-6 Many recent and emerging studies clearly document that persistent pain exerts profound impacts on the body’s endocrine, cardiovascular, immune, neurologic and musculo-skeletal systems.7

According to an article on the complications of uncontrolled pain, there are three major classifications of complications associated with chronic pain.8

Deconditioning

“Overuse” of ancillary musculoskeletal tissue with degeneration

Decreased mobility

Obesity

Muscle atrophy

Contractures

Neuropathies

 

 Hormonal

1.       Excess catecholamine production with hypertension and tachycardia

2.       Glucocorticoid excess or deficiency

3.       Hypotestosteronemia

4.       Insulin – Lipid abnormalities

5.       Immune suppression

 

 Neuropsychiatric

1.       Nerve – Spinal cord degeneration

2.       Cerebral atrophy

3.       Depression/suicide

4.       Insomnia

5.       Attention deficit

6.       Memory loss

7.       Cognitive decline

 

 

Knowledge and understanding of pain complications only aides in better treatment of the entire patient instead of treating just the active pain site. Here at Legacy we always strive to provide comprehensive care by offering services from skilled and experienced healthcare professionals. There are many treatment options offered at our facility that have the ability to encompass multiple body systems that could be affected by chronic pain. Whether the patient’s needs are medication therapies, minimally invasive surgical intervention, spinal injections, diagnostic studies, or physical therapy ▬▬ the Legacy Team is well-equipped to assist their patients back to a better, more functional way of living

 

  1. Brookoff D. Chronic pain: A new disease? Hosp Prac. 2000. 7:1-13.
  2. Murphy K. Chronic pain syndrome: What is it: And how can we help? Am Pain J Management. 1994. 4:129-31.
  3. Carver A and Foley K. Facts and an open mind should guide clinical practice. Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep. 2001. 1:97-8.
  4. Curlje O, Von Kostt M, Simon CE, et al. Persistent pain and well-being: a WHO study in primary care. JAMA. 1998. 280:147-151.
  5. Liebeskind JC. Pain can kill. Pain. 1991. 44:3-4.
  6. Mantyselka BT, Turennen J, Ahonen RS, and Rumpusalo EA. Chronic pain and poor self-rated health. JAMA. 2003. 290:2435-2447.
  7. Chapman RC and Gavin J. Suffering: The contributions of persistent pain. Lancet. 1999. 353:2233-7.
  8. https://www.practicalpainmanagement.com/pain/other/co-morbidities/complications-uncontrolled-persistent-pain?page=0,1
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