Millions of people live with chronic pain. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says it affects about 21% of adults in the U.S.
Doctors say people who have chronic pain are also at higher risk for depression or anxiety.
Chronic pain and depression are among the most disabling conditions worldwide. Many people struggle with both.
“About half the people with depression have some pain symptoms, and about half the people with pain have some depression symptoms,” said Dr. Kurt Kroenke, with Research Scientist at Regenstrief Institute.
This can cause a vicious cycle. For example, people dealing with pain often don’t sleep well, which affects their mood, which can make them vulnerable to depression or anxiety, which can then, increase a person’s susceptibility to pain.
“Anybody who’s suffered from chronic pain knows that it just takes over, and the same with depression,” Kroenke added.
Kroenke said when someone visits a doctor for chronic pain, it’s important for the patient to discuss any psychological symptoms they’re also experiencing, like trouble sleeping, no energy, or trouble concentrating.
Kroenke is the creator of several widely used questionnaires that help doctors easily measure severity of pain, depression or anxiety.
“So, this is a way of saying, you know, ‘Your blood pressure’s up, except your depression score is up,’” Kroenke explained.
He said it’s important to identify and treat both to end the negative cycle.
When someone is dealing with both pain and depression, treating one can sometimes help lower symptoms of the other. In other cases, a combination of treatments might be needed.