Links Between Chronic Back Pain And Clinical Depression

Summary:

Back pain that last for over three months is defined as chronic back pain. This is mainly due to traumatic conditions or due to degenerative disease conditions of the spine. Unlike acute back pain, chronic back pain has different causes which remain undetermined. This is due to the fact that anatomical causes are sometimes hard to identify even with the help of diagnostic tests.

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Dealing with chronic back pain is not easy. Individuals who suffer from chronic back pain lead a poor quality of life and that may even lead to clinical depression. These emotional disturbances are mainly due to the physical pain and the restrictions that come along with it. Clinical depression means a feeling of sadness and dejection that remains for a longer period of time.

Some symptoms that indicate clinical depression are:

• Some of the classic signs of clinical depression are mood swings, feeling low, depressed, dejected, irritable, and also a sense of hopelessness. The individual may also have bouts of crying spells intermittently.
• Poor appetite and significant weight loss.
• Sleep-related problems such as insomnia.
• Feeling of tiredness and restlessness.
• Unexplained fatigue.
• General loss of interest in daily activities.
• Guilt pangs followed by low self-esteem or worthlessness.
• Poor memory and concentration.
• Suicidal thoughts or suicidal tendencies.
• Loss of interest in activities that were previously found enjoyable.

In general, clinical depression is mostly seen in individuals who have been suffering with chronic back pain and rarely seen in those with acute back pain. There is a definite connection between chronic back pain and clinical depression and this can easily be traced to the conditions that are seen during the chronic pain attacks. They include:

• Fatigue and irritability – A person who suffers due to chronic back pain generally has disturbed sleep due to the nagging pain. This may cause daytime sleepiness and the person may feel tired and irritable most of the time.

• Drop in productivity – Due to the chronic back pain, the individual may have some restrictions with regard to engaging in productive activities. This causes a serious impediment in the individual’s daily activities. When the pain is severe, the person will have to move slowly and carefully in order to avoid worsening the pain.

• Loss in income – When a person suffers due to chronic pain, it causes disruption in the work schedule. The individual may even absent himself/herself from work. This will ultimately lead to loss in income that will further lead to financial difficulties. All these factors could make the person feel even more depressed.

• Side effects due to anti-inflammatory drugs – Pain relieving medication can cause serious gastrointestinal distress. It may also cause mental dullness in the person and the brain function may be impaired.

• Loss in concentration – Due to the pain, the person may feel distracted and may also have memory problems.

All of the above-mentioned symptoms can lead to a lot of frustration and despair. This is just the beginning of clinical depression in most cases.

2011? Dr. Brendal Norris, Chiropracticbackpainrelief.org, Read other articles about back pain and back pain relief at http://chiropracticbackpainrelief.org for more answers to your questions about back pain, its causes, and cures.This article is from http://chiropracticbackpainrelief.org/830