Chronic pain refers to pain that lasts at least three months, and it is common for individuals that suffer from it to also suffer from depression.
While some chronic pain is caused by a diagnosable medical problem, such as spinal stenosis or degenerative disc disease, in other cases it has no clear cause.
Some individuals experience depression that results from their chronic pain and in some cases this depression can ultimately worsen or make the pain last longer.
However, there are a few things that patients can do to try to cope with this cycle of depression and chronic pain.
Minimize the Development of Chronic Pain
By talking to your chiropractor in Atlanta about your symptoms of depression while experiencing pain, your doctor may consider developing a treatment plan for both conditions. An individual that has shown signs of depression may be more likely to develop a problem with chronic pain that lasts beyond the initial personal injury.
A good doctor can suggest treatment options that are based on both the physical pain and the individual’s mental state.
Identify Chronic Pain Triggers
Patients should keep a log or diary to monitor their own anxiety and stress and how it affects their pain issues. This can help to identity things that may be triggering the pain so that the patient can then learn to eliminate or avoid those triggers.
Talk About Depression With Your Local Atlanta Chiropractor
Depression is a normal way to react to chronic pain, but many patients don’t talk about it because they believe the feelings will go away once they recover from the initial injury. Secondary losses that can occur from chronic pain can contribute to these feelings of depression, such as financial stress, job loss, or relationship problems.
Talking to your doctor about these feelings will help him or her to develop the best treatment option for a full recovery.