This article was originally published March 30, 2012.
I was talking with a girlfriend not long ago who has been suffering with chronic pain for years. After many different treatments, therapies and alternative medicine techniques, she had finally found the only thing that worked for her – a daily pain patch.
Pain is invisible. You can’t see what is going on because there is no visible sign. There is no cut, no red infectious sore, no band-aid. For that reason, it is very difficult for others to understand and for doctors to diagnosis, and/or offer the best treatment.
With some types of pain, a person can take an aspirin or two, or maybe a prescription pill, and it will go away, allowing them to go on with their normal routine. However, those who suffer with chronic pain are not as lucky. There is scarcely any relief, and most of their days are excruciating.
Pain that doesn’t quit changes a person both physically and mentally. And usually that is the case of the sufferer’s family members. Once the sufferer realizes they are having more and more pain that isn’t going away, they start worrying about what is wrong with them, and what they are doing wrong. Eventually, this worry grows to fear. Once they see none of the treatments have worked, that fear leads to anxiety, depression, anger and irritability. This affects everyone involved.
Chronic pain can be caused by many things. Some people experience pain immediately after a vehicle accident and it never stops. Some, however, don’t experience the vehicle-related pain until much later in life.
Many people who have had a case of the Shingles will have constant pain for years due to nerve damage, even after the rash is long gone. Sometimes, people have surgery to correct one problem, but it causes another, resulting in continuous pain. People who suffer with fibromyalgia are in some type of pain most every day.
Dr. Schneider, the author of ‘’Living With Chronic Pain’’ (Healthy Living Books, Hatherleigh Press, 2004), is a specialist in pain management. In her book, she points out that the nervous system is responsible for the two major types of chronic pain.
One, called nociceptive pain, “arises from injury to muscles, tendons and ligaments or in the internal organs”. Undamaged nerve cells respond to an injury and transmit pain signals to the spinal cord and then to the brain. The resulting pain is usually described as deep and throbbing. Examples include chronic low back pain, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, headaches, interstitial cystitis and chronic pelvic pain.
The second type, neuropathic pain, “results from abnormal nerve function or direct damage to a nerve.’’ Among the causes are shingles, diabetic neuropathy, reflex sympathetic dystrophy, phantom limb pain, radiculopathy, spinal stenosis, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, stroke and spinal cord injury.
The damaged nerve fibers “can fire spontaneously, both at the site of the injury and at other places along the nerve pathway’’ and “can continue indefinitely even after the source of the injury has stopped sending pain messages.’’ writes Dr. Schneider.
Another difference between nociceptive and neuropathic pain is how long each lasts. Generally, nociceptive pain stops when the injury heals, whereas neuropathic pain is chronic because the underlying cause is usually irreversible.
The biggest problem with chronic pain is that it never really ends, rarely responds to treatment, and the prevalence increases with age. Complete relief from chronic pain is rare even with the best treatment.
Understand that this is just a light generalized touch on how chronic pain affects someone. To explain it better would take much more time.
What can you do to help?
One of the most important things is to not be put-off if the sufferer seems touchy or irritable. If they are acting that way, it is probably because they are hurting. They would much rather be functioning normally. All you can do is try to understand.
It is very difficult when a spouse is in pain. In addition to the emotional toll on the spouse, they usually have to take on more of the duties around the house. Sometimes, this can lead to resentment, frustration or anger. The sufferer sees this, and they in turn start feeling guilty and depressed.
If you are living with a chronic pain sufferer and having problems, seek out therapy for both of you – through either your clergy or a general therapist. They are experienced in dealing with it, and can guide you both to a better understanding of what is happening with each of you.
Chronic pain wreaks havoc on the body and mind. Our body and mind are one, and because of this, emotional stress directly affects our physical well-being, and conversely, physical stress directly affects our emotional well-being.