Depression and its link to Pain

Chronic pain and depression are both serious health issues. A recent study set out to determine whether chronic pain and depression are linked in any way. The study was founded based on the estimation from doctors that nearly 30 to 50 percent of all people that suffer from chronic pain, also suffer from depression. The study was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

The study found that taking anti-depressants for depression can also have an effect on the level of pain patients experience. Researchers decided that when a patient is depressed the level of pain they feel is amplified. When taking anti-depressants, patients were able to get better results from their therapy sessions, reduce their levels of pain, and do more things that lift their mood and reduce pain in general.

Researchers found that when patients experience pain they are more likely to feel depressed because of the pain, and can even experience anxiety due to their inability to function normally, engage successfully in work, and keep their relationships and lives up to their normal level of functioning. Experiencing depression and anxiety along with the pain can make all facets of pain worse and increase the overall feeling of depression. Taking anti-depressants can help patients actively engage in pain management techniques and physical therapy.





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