Chronic Pain, part 2

Continuing our blog series on “Pain”. Submitted by guest author, Kevin Samuels, Outreach Coordinator, Flowers Health: https://jflowershealth.com/

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Chronic pain is a type of pain that persists for at least three months. Depending on the cause, it may last up to six months or even longer. Chronic pain will effect physical and mental health.

Some examples of chronic pain are:
— Lower back pain
— Cancer pain
— Arthritis pain
— Neurogenic pain (pain due to nerve damage in the brain or other body parts)
— Psychogenic pain (pain due to faulty processing of pain signals by the brain)

Chronic pain is a common complaint in older adults. A person may have more than one chronic pain condition at a time.

Examples of the conditions that cause chronic pain include:
— Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Causes extreme fatigue and unexplained pain.
— Endometriosis: This is a painful condition in females, in which the cells that line the inside of the uterus grow outside of the uterus.
— Fibromyalgia: Causes diffuse pain throughout the body.
— Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD): A long-term disorder that can cause inflammation in any part of the digestive tract.
— Interstitial Cystitis: Causes mild to severe persistent pain in the urinary bladder.
— Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction: A condition causing severe pain and stiffness in the jaw.
— Vulvodynia: A painful condition of females in the areas surrounding the vaginal opening.

Long-term pain can seriously affect day-to-day activities, social life, and work performance. It’s common for people with chronic pain to have problems with sleep, appetite, concentration, and mobility. Moreover, they are more likely to be depressed, anxious, and irritable.

Chronic pain causes a threefold increase in the risk of anxiety, and also in the risk of mood disorders such as depression. About 10% of people who die by suicide have chronic pain. This may be partly because people with long-term pain have easy access to opioids.

JD Miller

About JD Miller

John D. Miller is the founder/owner of Home Care Partners, LLC, a Massachusetts business providing private duty, personalized in-home assistance and companion care services to those needing help in daily activities and household functions. Phone: (781) 378-2164 Email: jdmiller@homecarepartners.biz Website: https://homecarepartnersma.com
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