Chronic pain, like Halloween, can be scary, and one driving factor behind our fear of our chronic pain condition is that certain aspects of our care are not easy to talk about. However, we’re here to shine a light on these issues and bring them to the forefront so that they are easier to talk about and less stigmatized. In today’s blog, we take a closer look at five scary side effects of chronic pain that we don’t always talk about.
Scary Side Effects Of Chronic Pain
Chronic pain can be scary for a number of reasons outside of the physical pain. Here’s a look at some of the scary side effects of chronic pain that we don’t always talk about.
1. Isolating – Chronic pain can be extremely isolating. It can make you not want to get out of bed and negatively affect your social life. You may not want to go out with friends or family because you’re scared of a flare up. You may also feel like the only person who knows what you’re going through, and if other people can’t relate to your pain, you can feel all alone. However, you don’t have to feel alone. Really open up with your friends about why your chronic pain is limiting, and strive to reach out on good days. Also, know that there are support groups and pain management specialists who want to help treat your pain any way we can so you have fewer bad days.
2. Self-Defeating – Chronic pain can make it so you don’t want to get out of bed, and this inactivity can worsen a chronic pain condition. A chronic pain condition can be self-defeating, but only if you allow it to be. It won’t always be easy, but fight through your discomfort and find ways to win some small battles on even the worst of days. Get up, get moving and do your therapy exercises. It will make it easier to get out of bed the next day.
3. Pain Is So Individualized – Pain is so unique to the individual, and so it can be tough to really find someone who knows exactly what you’re going through. That’s why it can be so difficult to find relief through online forums and your inner circle. Nobody can really relate to your specific pain. That said, a pain management specialist has likely seen very similar cases and has experience helping those patients overcome their pain. Pain is very individualized, but a professional can help find individualized solutions to your pain.
4. It Will Never Go Away – Many patients feel like their chronic pain condition will never go away, but the good news is that’s not typically true. While we may not be able to fully resolve your pain, the vast majority of patients can see a significant reduction in symptoms by working with a specialist and really committing to an active treatment plan. Pain is only defeating if you allow it to be, so focus on your progress and know that it’s possible to feel better in the near future.
5. The Psychological Effects – Finally, chronic pain can have a significant effect on a person’s mental health. A restricting condition can leave a person feeling as if they are less of a parent or a spouse because of the way their condition affects them. This is entirely untrue, but that doesn’t mean that it always feels untrue. It’s imperative to treat the physical and the psychological effects of chronic pain, because physical pain can take a huge toll on our mental well-being.
To talk with someone about any of these five aspects, or to get in contact with a specialist who will put your health first, reach out to Dr. Cohn’s office today.
Everybody’s battle against chronic pain is different, so there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to treating chronic pain. However, one thing many patients have in common is a desire to avoid painkillers and opioids at all costs. That’s not to say that opioids can’t be a crucial part of a chronic pain treatment program, but for one reason or another, many patients want to avoid them if at all possible.