How To Tackle The Physical, Mental And Emotional Sides Of Chronic Pain

November 17, 2023 / Thomas Cohn, MD

The physical pain of a chronic pain condition gets most of the attention, but a pain issue affects you in more than just a physical manner. There is also a significant mental and emotional side of chronic pain, and if you aren’t careful in how you treat the problem, you may find that the issue never fully resolves. In today’s blog, we take a look at some ways to tackle these three sides of a chronic pain problem.

Managing The Physical Side Of Chronic Pain

Let’s start by looking at the physical ways you can fight back against your chronic pain condition. These are some of the most common treatments that will be recommended from your pain management specialist. Odds are they suggest a combination of some of the following techniques:

Daily exercise
Controlled stretching
Physical therapy
Posture improvements
Weight loss

All of these techniques serve to make you physically stronger or make it easier for your body to handle the stress that you are putting on it. Because chronic pain is oftentimes tied to a stability issue or problematic inflammation, working to improving your body’s functional performance through physical activity and exertion and be extremely beneficial.

Managing The Mental Side Of Chronic Pain

A chronic pain condition can also put a significant burden on your mental health, so it’s important that you don’t ignore your mental health while you’re pursuing some of the physical treatments listed above. Chronic pain can leave you feeling worried and anxious, so you’ll want to make sure that you are stimulating your brain and working to appropriately frame your chronic pain condition in your mind. For example, don’t just lay in bed all day and hope that pain goes away. Find ways to stimulate your brain and take your mind off chronic pain. Pursuing mentally stimulating activities can lead to the production of hormones that can help drown out pain signals.

It’s also important that you have the right mindset when it comes to your chronic pain condition. It can be easy to catastrophize your pain condition or always view things with a “glass half empty” perspective. You can’t always control your pain, but there are certain aspects you can control, and if you put your time and effort into the aspects of your condition that you can control (like diet, exercise, mental stimulation), you can take solace in knowing you are doing what you need to do to fight back against chronic pain. Try not to focus on the uncontrollable and reframe how you approach your care, and you’ll find that you have more peace over your condition, which can actually help you overcome your pain!

Managing The Emotional Side Of Chronic Pain

Finally, chronic pain can also be very emotionally draining. If you’ve had your pain condition for a while, odds are you’ve had to cancel plans to stop pursuing certain activities you love because of your pain, and that can really wear on a person’s emotions. Similar to the above point on how you need to pursue activities that are mentally stimulating and rewarding, you need to also throw yourself into activities that are emotionally rewarding. Have a friend over for dinner, go for a walk with your sister, call your friend who moved across the country, etc.

You can also find emotionally rewarding activities that don’t depend on other people. Force yourself to go see that new movie, volunteer to walk a dog at the adoption shelter every Friday, or simply curl up with a new book. Chronic pain can be isolating and emotionally draining, so you also want to make sure that you are finding ways to add a little joy to your life. When you’re happier and emotionally balanced, it will be much easier to manage the ups and downs of a pain condition.

If you need help with any of these aspects, or your want to create an individualized care plan for your pain issue, reach out to Dr. Cohn and his team today at (952) 738-4580.

Millions Battling Chronic Pain And Concurrent Mental Health Condition

October 5, 2023 / Thomas Cohn, MD

New research from the University of Arizona Health Sciences and published in the journal PAIN found that nearly five million Americans experienced the co-occurrence of chronic pain and a mental health condition like anxiety or depression, leading to functional limitations in their daily life.

As we’ve mentioned on the blog in the past, it’s not uncommon for chronic pain and a mental health condition to develop alongside one another because chronic pain can have a significant effect on your physical, mental and emotional health. If you are forced to miss social events, your career aspirations are limited or you simply find it hard to pull yourself out of bed in the morning because of physical pain, your mental health will also take a hit. For some, that manifests in the form of anxiety or depression.

In a review of data from 31,997 people who participated in the National Health Interview Survey, researchers found that that roughly 38.1 million Americans are dealing with a chronic pain condition, 9.6 million are dealing with a diagnosed mental health condition, and 4.9 million are dealing with co-occurring chronic pain and a mental health condition. Additionally, adults with chronic pain were roughly five times more likely to report anxiety or depression compared to adults without chronic pain.

“The study’s findings highlight an underappreciated population and health care need – the interdependency between mental health and chronic pain,” said the paper’s lead author Jennifer S. De La Rosa, PhD, director of strategy for the University of Arizona Health Sciences Comprehensive Pain and Addiction Center, which funded the study. ”This work is so exciting because it offers the opportunity to use team-based interdisciplinary approaches to medicine, leveraging what is known across disciplines to meet the needs of these individuals.”

Chronic Pain And Mental Health Conditions

Other important findings from the study include:

Nearly 70 percent of people with co-occurring symptoms reported limitations at work.
More than 55 percent of people with co-occurring symptoms reported difficulty taking part in social events
Nearly 44 percent of people with co-occurring symptoms said they had difficulty running errands alone
Among all U.S. adults living with unremitted anxiety or depression, the majority (55.6%) are people who also have chronic pain.

This study only further emphasizes the idea that you can’t simply focus on treating the physical aspects of a chronic pain condition. Pain weighs heavy on your mind, and if you’re only focused on the physical pain, you may find that your mental health is suffering.

Even if you don’t believe your mental health has been affected by a chronic pain, you need to be aware that you’re at a higher risk of certain mental health disorders. You need to trust your care to a provider who will give you the comprehensive care you need to tackle all aspects of your chronic pain condition. Dr. Cohn and his team have done that for years for other patients, and we’d be more than happy to put our experience to work for you. For more information, or for help with a different chronic issue, reach out to Dr. Cohn and his team today at (952) 738-4580.

What Is Scrambler Therapy For Chronic Pain?

August 3, 2023 / Thomas Cohn, MD

We always have our ear to the ground when it comes to learning about new potential forms of treatment for chronic pain, and one such treatment that is making waves in the pain care community is called scrambler therapy. But what is scrambler therapy, and could it really help you get control over your chronic pain condition? We take a closer look at the treatment in today’s blog.

Scrambler Therapy

Non-opioid treatments to combat chronic pain is a multi-billion dollar industry for any company that can come up with an effective solution to the problem of chronic pain. And while transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) has seen some progress by using electrodes to deliver electrical stimulation and painful nerves, it’s still not a perfect system. Scrambler therapy looks to improve on the TENS unit by using electricity in a slightly different manner.

With scrambler therapy, a doctor delivers electrical stimulation via electrodes to areas surrounding the source of chronic pain. In a review of 381 randomized trials, the technique was found to offer significant relief in over 80 percent of patients.

“Scrambler therapy is the most exciting development I have seen in years – it’s effective, it’s noninvasive, it reduces opioid use substantially and it can be permanent,” said study lead author Dr. Thomas Smith, professor of oncology and medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Scrambler therapy works by targeting the nerve endings of damaged nerves and replacing them with nerve signals from nearby nerves, effectively “scrambling” the nerve relay information that reaches the brain. By scrambling this established signal transmission, researchers can reduce or even eliminate pain relays along this neural route.

“If you can block the ascending pain impulses and enhance the inhibitory system, you can potentially reset the brain so it doesn’t feel chronic pain nearly as badly,” said Dr. Smith. “It’s like pressing Control-Alt-Delete about a billion times.”

In the review, patients were subjected to between three and 12 half-hour scrambling sessions, with over 80 percent of patients reporting substantial pain relief. Additional research is needed to really understand the best ways to harness the therapy technique and isolate which patients it may be most beneficial for, but it’s certainly encouraging information. It’s not a technique that Dr. Cohn and his team currently offer, but if it continues to show promise within the pain care community, we’re always looking to expand our ability to effectively treat our patients, so it could certainly be an option down the road.

In the meantime, if you’re looking for a physician who will give you the individual attention you need to overcome a chronic pain condition, pick up the phone and give Dr. Cohn and his team a call today at (952) 738-4580.

Where In The Body Is Chronic Pain Most Likely To Develop?

July 13, 2023 / Thomas Cohn, MD

Chronic pain affects tens of millions of Americans every day, and while everyone is going through their own individual battle, many of them are dealing with discomfort in similar locations. But what are some of the most common locations for chronic pain to develop, and why are these the most popular spots? In today’s blog, we take a closer look at five of the most common locations in your body for a chronic pain issue to develop.

Common Chronic Pain Sites

Here’s a look at some of the more common areas of the body that can be affected by a chronic pain condition.

1. Lower Back – The back is likely the most common area of the body for chronic pain to develop, and with good reason. We put a lot of stress on our spines each day, and the system is incredibly complex, with vertebrae, discs and nerves working in close proximity to one another. If acute trauma or natural degeneration causes a vertebra or disc to damage one of the many spinal nerves in the area, chronic pain can develop. Within the spine, the lower back is the most common area for chronic pain because your lumbar spine handles the most stress when you’re bending or sitting.

2. Neck – On the other side of your spine is your neck, and it’s another incredibly common location for chronic pain to develop, especially given the rather recent rise in smartphone adoption. If you’re craning your neck forward to look at your work computer or you’re slouched on the couch scrolling on your phone, your neck is being overstressed from the weight of your head while you’re out of a healthy alignment. Similar to your lower back, there are a number of nerves and soft tissues in the neck region that can become damaged by acute injury or chronic stress, making this area a common spot for pain to develop.

3. Knees – Knee pain is all too common in today’s society, and chronic knee pain can make every step uncomfortable. Because our knees bear a lot of stress when we walk, the protective cartilage that aids in fluid joint movement can break down, leading to bone on bone contact and discomfort. Cartilage degeneration is more common if you are overweight or obese, as this greatly increases the amount of strain on your knees. Obesity numbers in America are growing, so it should come as no surprise that cases or chronic knee pain are also rising.

4. Head – Chronic headaches and migraines are another subject that we cover pretty regularly on our blog, as we’re always trying to help patients put an end to debilitating headaches. Sometimes these headaches are caused by muscle tension from overstress or acute injury to neck and shoulder muscles, while other times a nerve problem is triggering migraine headaches. We can help to relax muscles and stimulate your vagus nerve to help you find a treatment that works for you specific type of headaches.

5. Muscle Pain – Finally, it’s also common for patients to deal with widespread pain in their muscles. This condition is oftentimes referred to as fibromyalgia, and it can lead to chronic pain and tenderness in different muscle groups throughout the body. There is no one-size-fits-all solution for combating fibromyalgia related pain, but many patients find that they can better control symptoms by connecting with a pain management specialist and improving certain lifestyle factors, like exercise, diet and sleep habits.

If you’re dealing chronic pain in one of these locations, or you just want to talk to a pain specialist about discomfort you’re experiencing, reach out to Dr. Cohn and his team today at (952) 738-4580.

Five Hidden Causes Of Chronic Back Pain

June 22, 2023 / Thomas Cohn, MD

Back pain is incredibly common, but as we’ve said on the blog numerous times in the past, this doesn’t mean that back pain is normal. If you’re dealing with back pain, it’s imperative that you work to figure out the underlying cause so that treatment can begin. If you recently fell and injured your back, it will be easier to pinpoint your source of pain, but if back pain seems to develop out of nowhere, it may be harder to figure out what’s causing your discomfort.

In these situations, we need to look closer at some of the hidden causes of chronic back pain. In today’s blog, we explore five hidden causes of chronic back pain.

Common Hidden Causes Of Chronic Spine Pain

If you’re dealing with back pain that ebbs and flows or seems to spring up out of nowhere, you’ll want to take a closer look at your life to see if any of these hidden factors could be contributing to your discomfort.

1. Posture – One of the leading causes of mild to moderate back pain is poor posture. We oftentimes don’t pay much attention to our spine’s alignment when we’re seated or standing, but if we’re slouched or hunched forward, certain parts of our spine have to handle a lot more stress. Over the years, the effects of this stress can catch up to you and lead to intermittent back pain. Conduct regular posture checks to improve your spine positioning so that your lumbar and cervical spinal areas aren’t at risk for chronic pain that can accompany certain degenerative conditions.

2. Food Choices – Food choices can also contribute to or help alleviate back pain. Unhealthy sugary options or carbohydrate dense foods are pro-inflammatory and can contribute to back pain flare ups if inflammation ends up compressing key spinal structures. Examine your food choices in the wake of a flareup and see if you being to notice a pattern between what you eat and how your body responds to these foods.

3. Stress – Mental and emotional stress can also lead to physical symptoms, and oftentimes it can manifest in the form of chronic back pain. Mental stress can cause muscles to tense and force them to work harder for normal movements, which can eventually contribute to regional pain. Find healthy ways to manage stress so that it doesn’t take a physical toll on you. Exercise and breathing techniques are great ways to manage stress when it enters your life.

4. Lack Of Nutrients – Another way that food choices can lead to chronic back pain is if we don’t get enough of certain foods in our diet. It’s not enough to simply choose healthy options, you also need to eat a variety of foods so that you get the right mix of vitamins and minerals in your diet. For example, Vitamin D and calcium deficiency are two common disorders that can lead to bone problems that can turn into a chronic pain issue. Make sure you are getting a healthy amount of nutrients from different food sources.

5. Lack Of Exercise – Finally, exercise helps to keep our body healthy in a number of ways, but it also helps to prevent chronic pain by making key muscles and joints stronger. The stronger these structures are, the more stress they will be able to handle without breaking down. Weaker tissues cannot adequately support the spinal complex, which can lead to posture problems and chronic pain. If you want to fight back against chronic back pain, work to gradually increase your exercise levels with low-impact exercises like walking, cycling or swimming!

For more tips on how you can work to control chronic back pain, or to connect with a specialist who can help you overcome your spine discomfort, reach out to Dr. Cohn and his team today at (952) 738-4580.