It should come as no surprise that a chronic pain condition can have repercussions for other areas of your body, but it can also cause problems for a very vital part of your body – your heart. In today’s blog, we take a closer look at how an unmanaged pain condition can make life more difficult for your heart.

Chronic Pain And Your Heart

When you’re dealing with pain signals, the area of your brain called the amygdala is more active. When your amygdala is active, it triggers something known as the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis (HPA axis for short). Your HPA axis releases a number of hormones throughout your body, like adrenaline, cortisol and noradenraline. Your body knows how to respond to the presence of these hormones, but problems develop when your body is exposed to an unrelenting release of these hormones as a result of your chronic pain. Essentially, chronic pain causes your amygdala and HPA axis to go into overdrive, leading to excess hormone production which can be harmful to certain bodily systems, inducing your heart. Research has found that hyperamygdalar activity has been linked to an increased risk or arterial (heart) inflammation.

There is also an established connection between pain and your heart rate. Research has found that heart rate variability can occur as a response to painful stimuli, and over time an extended period of time, this can increase your risk of heart arrhythmia. Working to calm your pain condition can also help to normalize your heart rate and take stress off the vital organ.

Chronic pain has also been linked to issues with blood pressure, which too impacts your heart health. Acute pain has been linked to a short-term increase in blood pressure, but chronic pain sensations can affect your body’s ability to regulate its blood pressure. Chronic pain can impair your cardiovascular and analgesia systems, which can increase your risk of long-term elevated blood pressure, which only stresses your heart further.

Finally, chronic pain has been connected to an increased risk of a myocardial infarction, or heart attack. Not only are you at a greater risk of heart attack if you have an elevated heart rate and blood pressure, but certain medications used to mange your chronic pain may too increase your risk of a heart attack. One study followed 17,614 people who were using pain relievers for at least three months to treat their chronic pain condition. When compared to a control group, researchers found that the patients taking long-term pain relievers were 20 percent more likely to suffer a heart attack (and 30 percent more likely to suffer a stroke).

And while we’re still learning more about the connection between chronic pain and your heart health, it’s clear that unmanaged chronic pain can have a significant impact on your overall heart health. Fortunately, treating the underlying chronic pain condition can also help to improve your heart health, which is just another reason why you shouldn’t just succumb to a life with chronic pain.

If you want to take care of your heart health, strive to take more control over your chronic pain condition this year. For professional help achieving this, reach out to Dr. Cohn and his team today at (952) 738-4580.