Depression and chronic back pain often go hand in hand with each other. Because chronic back pain can affect our daily lives so negatively, many sufferers of chronic back pain will experience depression. The depression comes as a result of the person not being able to do their daily job and normal activities because of all the pain.
Not only do depression and chronic back pain often work together, but also chronic back pain can cause depression as well as depression aggravating chronic back pain. When a person is suffering from depression, their overall health becomes affected, often is the way of physical symptoms developing. Many of these symptoms are referred to as psychological symptoms. When a patient develops psychological symptoms, if they are not treated, they get worse and manifest into physical symptoms such as back pains, neck pains, headaches or several other pains.
Doctors will often treat a patient for depression and chronic back pain at the same time because some of the medications for back pain are antidepressants or muscle relaxants. Muscle relaxants are very successful in treating depression and chronic back pain. Depression can be alleviated when the muscles are more relaxed, making the patient less anxious, stressed or depressed. They can also help with the chronic back pain because if the muscles are the culprit causing the back pain, the muscle relaxants will help the muscles to not feed the stress and strain. When the doctors are able to treat the depression and chronic back pain at the same time with the same medications, the patient usually begins to feel better much quicker.
If a patient is suffering from depression and chronic back pain, the symptoms will often get worse if the patient does not seek medical attention as soon as possible. Many underestimate the seriousness of depression, especially when it is linked with a physical ailment. Patients suffering from depression and chronic back pain or other physical problems will be recommended for psychotherapy or counseling to help with the depression. In many cases, when the depression is dealt with and decreases, the chronic back pain begins to lessen.
When the chronic back pain is successfully treated, the patient begins to feel better and is able to resume their normal activities, in which case depression usually decreases. Depression and chronic back pain can both become more serious if they are not treated either together or individually. If you feel you are in the beginning stages of depression, see your doctor or talk to a professional so the cause can be determined and taken care of.