•Dorothy Sims, Esq •Sims & Stakenborg, PA •Ocala, Gainesville, Florida, USAIn the US alone, there are over 50 million people who suffer from chronic pain* , which is related to a high (70%) divorce rate.
Chronic pain may even affect the immune system.
Chronic pain may be under treated due to:
economics of the patient
Embarrassment
Cultural issues
Lack of awareness
The patient’s inability to explain or communicate
Chronic pain is a burden:
It decreases function
Pain interrupts family dynamics
Pain increases depression
Pain increases anxiety
Lost work productivity
Doctors must not presume to know the level of pain without asking the patient. Research using fMRI’s reveal people experience the same painful stimuli differently.
Chronic pain decreases energy level which results in:
Weight gain
Increased risk of stroke
Increased risk of diabetes
Chronic pain
Decreases the enjoyment of life of the patient and his or her family
Suggestions:
Always ask the patient his or her pain level.
Don’t presume all conditions have same expression of pain.
Treat pain with exercise whenever possible
Medication
Injections
Motor cortex stimulation for central pain following brain injury* Pain. 2006 Jul;123(1-2):210-6. Epub 2006 Apr 17.Motor cortex stimulation for central pain following a traumatic brain injury.
Chronic pain can cause more than simple discomfort. Unfortunately, untreated or improperly treated chronic pain can also result in increased depression[i], anxiety and even reduction of brain volume by as much as 11%.[ii] Chronic pain can also cause chronic headaches[iii] irritable bowel syndrome and even fibromyalgia.[iv]
Unfortunately, while narcotic medication may be necessary to keep the pain under control, the medications themselves can cause problems including even hypogonadism which results in loss of erectile function and/or diminished libido.[v]
When considering the costs and implications for treatments, doctors must consider long term problems secondary to pain.
[i] Tennant, F, Brain Atrophy with Chronic Pain: A call for enhanced Treatment, Practical Pain Management, March 2009, at page l2,[ii] Id.[iii] Id.
As previous research shows, individual experience of pain differs widely and thus, it is inappropriate for a judge or doctor to claim a patient is not in as much pain as the patient claims.
Chronic pain can cause more than simple discomfort. Unfortunately, untreated or improperly treated chronic pain can also result in increased depression[i][i], anxiety and even reduction of brain volume by as much as 11%.[ii][ii] Chronic pain can also cause chronic headaches[iii][iii] irritable bowel syndrome and even fibromyalgia.[iv][iv]
Unfortunately, while narcotic medication may be necessary to keep the pain under control, the medications themselves can cause problems including even hypogonadism which results in loss of erectile function and/or diminished libido.[v][v]
When considering the costs and implications for treatments, doctors must consider long term problems secondary to pain.
[i][i] Tennant, F, Brain Atrophy with Chronic Pain: A call for enhanced Treatment, Practical Pain Management, March 2009, at page l2,[ii][ii] Id.
The American Pain Society has now published how to use opiods and the recommendations include how to monitor the patient and determine dosage as well as work safety.
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