How does chronic pain affect the brain

One study found that chronic pain creates smaller amounts of glutamate in the brain. These lowered glutamate levels caused a disruption in the communication of brain cells causing negative personality changes including more negative, fearful, and pessimistic thoughts.

In short, chronic pain can actually change our personality. Sleep is crucial to our overall health and well-being. As you might predict, dealing with relentless chronic pain makes it difficult to sleep uninterrupted. Poor sleep can cause immune system issues and further negatively affects our mood.

We have less self-control when we lack sleep and therefore can exacerbate chronic pain even further. Poor sleep is then not only a symptom of chronic pain but can also become a cause. Not only does chronic pain affect our emotional state, but it can also interfere with our memory pathways. So, when dealing with chronic pain, we might also notice our ability to remember information is slipping.

Plus, these pathways also manage our ability to concentrate in the moment, making it difficult to work or study. These issues only further cause feelings of frustration and helplessness, all working together in a feedback loop of struggle. So, how can those who suffer from chronic pain cope? Is there anything to be done? The good news is, for those who want to learn how to deal with chronic back pain and other kinds of chronic pain, there are options that seem to help including:.

Physiotherapy is one of the best ways to help manage your chronic pain without medication. Our friendly Physio Inq professionals can work with you on a regular basis to manage your chronic pain symptoms on both a physical and psychological level.

At Physio Inq, we offer well-rounded services to help those who suffer from chronic pain to get back to their lives with a more positive outlook and less discomfort. Book an appointment at a Physio Inq clinic near you or take advantage of our mobile physio services that can come to your home or office. Contact us today and let us help you manage your chronic pain.

This deeply affects the mental health of chronic pain patients. Pain is inextricably linked to emotions. In fact, physical pain and emotional pain exist on almost the same circuitry of the nervous system, with common brain systems involved. As a stressor, the natural response is to escape or flee the pain. However, with chronic pain, this is often not possible. Even in times where the pain is not present, chronic pain sufferers may experience anxiety surrounding the return of the pain.

This anxiety can be crippling and detrimental to the quality of life. Some researchers believe this depression as a result of pain may be programmed into our wiring evolutionally. Contextually, it makes sense. Withdrawing from society provides the body with a peaceful environment that is needed to heal. However, chronic pain makes this difficult because the threat is internal, not external. The result can be chronic, nagging depression that seemingly has no end.

Depression-like symptoms may also evolve as a perception of loss of control. This is called adjustment disorder and results when an individual fails to adapt or cope with a perceived stressor like chronic pain. However, depression is not necessarily a guaranteed progression in chronic pain. It is impacted by a number of factors, including genetics. Activation of complex brain systems as a result of chronic pain may increase awareness of pain and decrease pain tolerance.

Cognition is a complex function of the brain that involves acquiring understanding through sensory input, thought, and experience.

It also helps to regulate emotion. Cognition is one of the extremely important functions that can be impacted by pain. Scientific evidence supports the notion that pain negatively affects cognitive ability. Thankfully, there are remedies available for chronic pain and its psychological effects. By taking a combined approach, chronic pain sufferers can find true relief both physically and mentally. The brain is neuroplastic, meaning it can be changed. This is a hopeful prospect for chronic pain patients who have suffered physical and chemical changes in the brain.

There are certain treatments that are therapeutic to specific structures of the brain. Because chronic pain can impact many structures of the brain, a combination of therapies might be needed. This continuous dysfunction in the equilibrium of the brain can change the wiring forever and could hurt the brain.

Chialvo hypothesized the subsequent changes in wiring "may make it harder for you to make a decision or be in a good mood to get up in the morning. It could be that pain produces depression and the other reported abnormalities because it disturbs the balance of the brain as a whole. He said his findings show it is essential to study new approaches to treat patients not just to control their pain but also to evaluate and prevent the dysfunction that may be generated in the brain by the chronic pain.

The study will be published Feb. Chialvo's collaborators in this project are Marwan Baliki, a graduate student; Paul Geha, a post-doctoral fellow, and Vania Apkarian, professor of physiology and of anesthesiology, all at the Feinberg School. Materials provided by Northwestern University. Note: Content may be edited for style and length. Science News. Story Source: Materials provided by Northwestern University.

ScienceDaily, 6 February Northwestern University.