Chronic Back Pain and Depression

Chronic back pain can often lead to depression which can increase how much pain you feel. It can become a vicious cycle that can spiral out of control; especially if your back pain is not responding to treatment and therapies as there is no end in sight to the pain, therefore any hope of it ever ending.

If you are one of those people who have to cope with chronic back pain, pretty much the last thing you need is to slide into a depression. Unfortunately this is what happens to many people; it can be a vicious circle, depression can lead to back pain, it may also increase your response to pain, and this makes your pain worse and increases your depression.

Or it can be the reverse, having to deal with chronic back pain often depresses people as it can change how you live your daily life. When you have chronic back pain it often means endless doctors appointments and various treatments that never seem to offer any lasting relief from their pain.

Chronic back pain can also cause insomnia, and being chronically fatigued can negatively impact your mood, making you feel like nothing is going your way. It is all of these things combined that can begin to wear you down to the point where you can no longer look after yourself as you are drained physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.

All of these things can lead to frustration, anger, despair, and depression. One of your best hopes you have is, to find a pain treatment that will reduce your pain enough that you can investigate the best possible way for you to move on to a proper diagnosis of your condition and treatments that will help you in the long term.

Spine surgeon in Chennai who specialize in chronic pain are aware of this problem and will oftentimes prescribe anti-depressant medications not only for its pain relieving properties, but for its ability to lift depression brought on by chronic back pain. It is helpful to arm yourself with the knowledge that your chronic back pain may cause depression so that you can take steps to help yourself and realize just what is happening.

If you are dealing with chronic pain and you have any of these symptoms you should advise your doctor so that your depression does not get any worse:

• Anger
• Anxiety
• Low self-esteem
• Stressed out
• Fatigue
• Inability to sleep
• Weight gain or loss, if you are currently exercising to deal with your back pain a loss in weight may be normal
• Inability to perform your job
• You may feel isolated
• Sexual problems
• you may be concerned about your financial situation

These are all normal reactions to depression caused by chronic pain but if you don't have things in place in your life to deal with them, they can have a negative impact on your treatment. Do not be afraid to seek out the help you need, consult with your doctor and explain your problems and troubles so that they can help you help yourself.