Here are 5 things those suffering from chronic pain and their loved ones should know!

Many people in chronic pain feel hopeless and helpless. We're here to tell you it's not necessary to live in chronic pain. Here are 5 things those suffering from chronic pain and their loved ones should know:

1. We believe you! Your pain is definitely real.

If you have chronic pain you may sometimes be treated as if you are exaggerating your pain...seeking attention or making it all up. While it is true that some people may complain of pain for attention or other reasons, for the vast majority, the pain is real and present. Chronic pain is NOT made up.

The real problem is that chronic pain is often caused by anatomical problems that are difficult or impossible to diagnose using standard medical tests, and pain cannot be diagnosed with other medical problems (such as a broken bone that can be seen on an X-Ray]. When it comes to measuring and understanding pain generators and pain levels, science is still lacking.

Fortunately, most in the healthcare community are now trying to understand and appreciate that chronic pain is real and needs to be treated and managed. Our staff treats people in chronic pain daily. We understand your pain and how to get you back to a pain-free life.

2. Chronic pain can lead to something dangerous called "Disuse Syndrome."

Chronic pain often leads to long-term lack of physical activity and a condition recognized as disuse syndrome. What is that? Well, it is exactly what it sounds like a - lack of use. Non-movement. Sedentary lifestyle. Studies show a lack of exercise and mobility greatly impact both quality and length of life. Chronic pain, if left untreated can literally shorten your life.

This syndrome can negatively impact your musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, neurological, and psychological and emotional processes. At its worst, disuse syndrome leads to a pervasive lack of wellness that in and of itself can be debilitating.

3. Chronic pain almost always leads to difficulty sleeping and depression.

Thoughts and emotions related to the pain also can come into play and aggravate or alleviate the pain. For example, depression, which is a serious disease, can worsen the pain. Sleep problems, again caused by the pain, can also make the pain worse. And increased pain usually leads to increased sleep problems.

There are some techniques we can teach you to help you relax and cause healthy fatigue in your body to create the perfect sleeping situation. A tired body is welcoming of sleep which allows your body to heal and your mind to recharge. Studies prove that good sleep is a major combatant of depression. We can help!

4. Pain is deeply personal.

Everyone experiences and expresses pain differently. Any two people with the exact same health condition are likely to feel and express their pain in unique ways depending on a number of factors. Newer chronic pain theories now have physiological explanations for how and why people experience pain differently.

When it comes to back pain, this is especially true. Two people can have the same type of herniated disc, but one feels only slight discomfort and the other feels burning, debilitating sciatic pain that is unresponsive to conventional treatment. It is also not uncommon for no anatomical cause of the pain to be detected. We understand these differences and tailor our treatments to each patient. There are no "cookie-cutter" approaches at AHP. We treat every patient as a unique opportunity to aid healing, build strength and most importantly, alleviate pain!

5. Chronic pain is LONELY.

After awhile, many people with chronic pain—especially pain that is caused by a condition that cannot be seen—begin to feel isolated. Here the Internet has done a world of good helping people in pain connect with others in similar situations and find a supportive peer group through online communities. The Spine-health chronic pain forum is an active, vibrant, and supportive community.

Having a clearer understanding of how chronic pain works, as well as the central role that the mind plays in the experience of chronic pain, is becoming more mainstream in the medical community and among people who have chronic pain syndromes.

There are so many secondary and related issues that accompany chronic pain it would be a real challenge to address them all. This list is intended to at least get the conversation started—for anyone living with any type of chronic pain, pass this along to your loved ones to help them better understand and support you. And remember that AHP is your area pain-specialist. We offer free consultations anytime and any day - so call us, email us, reach out in any way you can so we can help!
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Our goal at AHP is to bring you the information you find interesting, relevant and thought-provoking. Our motto is the way we live...it’s “Feel Well. Live Well. Age Well.” And that’s what we want for you! This article focused on nutrition and our office in Norwalk offers nutritional counseling in addition to Chiropractic, Physical Therapy, Acupuncture, Managed Weight-Loss and Massage. If you have a question about this article or want to learn more about us please visit www.AHP-Health.com and reach out to us! And look for more from AHP in the near future as we post more on The Patch. If you liked this article, please give us a ”like” and share it with your friends!

About AHP
Since 1990, Advanced Health Professionals [AHP] has helped thousands of patients recover from pain and injury. AHP is Norwalk and Fairfield County’s leading provider of Physical Therapy, Chiropractic, Acupuncture and Massage services. We specialize in sports injuries, auto accident injuries, worker’s compensation, work injury, sport injury, auto accident injury, massage therapy, post-surgical, pre-surgical, back pain, hip pain, knee pain, joint pain, shoulder pain, elbow pain, wrist pain, rehab, neck pain, whiplash injury, rehabilitation - please call us for an immediate appointment. Our office is based in Norwalk and serves the surrounding areas of Fairfield County, Westchester County and other suburbs of New York City.