303-596-0454
7995 E. Prentice Avenue, Suite 207 Greenwood Village CO 80111
State of Colorado Licensed Psychologist: #3106
Melanie S. Weitzenfeld, Ph.D.
Licensed Psychologist
Pain that continues for 3 months or longer is considered chronic. Pain is your body's way of telling you that something is wrong. While it is normal for your body to send pain signals when you are injured or ill, pain that lingers after an illness or injury is not normal. With chronic pain, the pain continues for weeks, months, or years after you recover. Some people develop chronic pain out of the blue, with no injury or illness to trigger pain signals.
Chronic pain can occur anywhere in your body and can range from mild and annoying to pain so severe that it interferes with your mood and ability to function.
Anyone can develop chronic pain. Although it is more common in older adults, it is not a normal part of aging. Older adults are more likely to have long-term medical conditions linked to ongoing pain, such as diabetes or arthritis.
What causes chronic pain?
The cause of chronic pain is not clear. It is possible that certain brain chemicals that usually suppress pain may not work properly. Chronic pain occurs when pain signals continue after you recover from an illness or injury. It can also develop without a known trigger.
What are the symptoms?
Common symptoms of chronic pain include:
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Mild to severe pain that does not go away in an expected amount of time.
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Pain that may be described as shooting, burning, aching, or electrical.
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Discomfort, soreness, tightness, or stiffness. What other problems can chronic pain cause?
Over time, pain can lead to fatigue, depression, and withdrawal from social and physical activities. The emotional distress may make your pain worse. Your immune system may weaken, leading to frequent infections and illness. You may have so much pain that you become unable to go to work or school or to function in your daily life.
Description and benefits of psychological treatment
A psychologist can help with your emotional well-being while you are dealing with chronic pain. It is common to respond to chronic pain with feelings of frustration, depression, anxiety, fear, and even anger. These feelings can make it tough to conquer chronic pain, especially if you use alcohol or drugs to manage your symptoms. Pain affects both your physical and emotional well-being. Untreated depression or anxiety can make your pain worse. A counselor may use treatments, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy to help you cope with your pain.
A psychologist can help you cope with chronic pain. Chronic pain may affect all aspects of your life, straining your relationships and making it difficult for you to keep up with work and home responsibilities. You may feel angry, fearful, depressed, anxious, or frustrated because of chronic pain. These feelings can make it tough to conquer chronic pain, especially if you use alcohol or illegal drugs to manage your symptoms.
The best approach is usually a combination of treatments. If one treatment has stopped working, another treatment or combination of treatments may improve your pain. Try to stay ahead of the pain; don't wait until your pain is severe to begin treatment. Lifestyle changes such as getting daily exercise, eating a healthy diet, getting enough sleep, trying complementary therapies and cognitive-behavioral therapy may help you reduce the pain or prevent it from getting worse.
Copyright Handbook of Health Psychology
Chronic Pain
