article on depression and pain

[Guest guest]

Depression and Pain

Why is depression so common in those with Chiari (and related disorders)...

and how best to deal with this issue?

Depression and mood disorders occur frequently in patients with chronic illness

and pain. There are many valid reasons for this, including prescription drug

side-effects; loss of lifestyle; weight gain and loss of healthy self image;

genetics; hormonal changes; and/or lack of understanding from family and

friends, to name a few.

However, depression and pain also work in a vicious cycle where pain impacts

mood and mood enhances pain, each feeding off the other. In fact, it is known

that pain and depression follow the same nerve pathways (neurotransmitters)

within the pre-frontal cortex of the brain. Pain seems to enervate areas in the

brain where emotions are processed, which translates into sadness, anxiety and

irritability.

Depression is the fourth leading health problem in the world and the 11th

leading cause of death in the US. Because depression manifests itself, in part,

with many physical symptoms (such as neck pain, tingling, headaches, numbness,

heart palpitations etc), it is often difficult for doctors to differentiate

between a chronic biological condition and a mood disorder. In other words,

which came first, the depression or the pain?

It is of utmost importance for those suffering depression due to a chronic

illness such as Arnold Chiari Malformation (or related disorders) to seek

professional treatment. It is absolutely necessary to find a specialist who

understands the severity of both the medical condition and the depression.

Talk-therapy with a compassionate practitioner is invaluable and if you visit a

therapist and feel there is no understanding or connection, you should interview

another until you find the right one for the job.

Prescription drug therapy can also be an important tool in the arsenal against

depression. Such medications have been in use for decades and for most patients,

there are few side effects and the benefits are substantial. These medications

also often alleviate pain and some of the newer ones also assist in lessening

the neuropathy experienced by ACM sufferers.

An excellent program online from which to receive sound medical knowledge is

found at The Discovery Health Channel website. There, you can watch a 60-minute

program recently aired on television where medical professionals discuss the

link between depression and pain. This video can be found at

http://discoveryhealthcme.discovery.com/depressionpain/depressionpain.html

or use this tinyurl: http://tinyurl.com/cgpjq7

Bottom line: do not ignore the symptoms of depression (sadness that lasts for

days, hopelessness, the feeling that " no one loves you and why would they? " ),

whether they be in yourself or in a loved one. Since pain follows the same

pathways as depression, it can be expected that pain and depression are like the

old-time song: " you can't have one without the other. "

by Virginia , not to be reprinted without permission

---

Virginia

4 plc fracture of the C1, Tethered Cord, (acquired chiari and elongated

brainstem resolved by Tethered Cord surgery); atlanto occipital dislocation and

severe cranial settling all due to equestrian accident,

2004. CC Fusion April 28..