Pain, especially chronic pain, can sometimes be so intense that many sufferers will go to great lengths to address it. Unfortunately, the mental and emotional aspects of pain are often overlooked and underestimated. Often dealing with these areas can get right to the source of physical pain with amazing results, if one can get past the stigma of having psychological issues in the first place. The reality is that our psychological health is just another very real area of our lives that needs to be addressed and maintained–no matter who you are.

Luckily, Yahoo Health posted some tips by John Hopkins Medicine’s Howard Levy, M.D. on psyching out the chronic pain you may be dealing with. Check out an exerpt below.

Here are some psychological approaches that may help you to better manage your pain:

Try to understand your pain experience.
We know that stress and anxiety worsen pain. If your underlying diagnosis is known, that may bring some relief. If you still don’t have a diagnosis, take comfort knowing that you’ve had a thorough evaluation.

If nothing else was found, chances are your problem is only as severe as the pain, fatigue, and other symptoms you already have. If you accept and trust the idea that there’s nothing else about to happen to you, that will reduce your suffering.

Set appropriate goals.
Unfortunately, it’s very hard to cure chronic pain. A goal of reasonable pain control is much easier to achieve than trying to be completely pain free. And if you achieve your pain-control goal, you’ll likely feel less stressed — thus reducing your pain even further.

Reduce stress.
There are many physical and mental treatments that can reduce both stress and pain. Consider biofeedback, aromatherapy, yoga, massage, acupuncture, Tai Chi, or hypnosis. This list is far from complete — anything that helps you to relax counts!

Consider counseling.
A psychologist or social worker, especially one with training and experience in treating people who have chronic pain, can be immensely valuable in helping you to understand your situation and reduce your stress.

Many people, even after they’ve accepted the idea that there is a psychological component to their pain, still have difficulty taking that mental step to psychotherapy. If you’re not ready for formal counseling, remember that clergy, support groups, telephone or Internet hotlines, or even just a good friend can all be helpful.

Ask about medication.
There are several antidepressant and anti-anxiety medications available, including some over-the-counter and “alternative” or “natural” products. Some even have direct pain-reducing qualities, independent of their psychiatric effects.

I’ve never had a patient walk into my office asking for more pills to take — often the only thing tougher than convincing someone to seek counseling is getting them to take one of these medications — but if something can reduce your pain without causing significant side effects, why wouldn’t you consider it?

These techniques probably aren’t going to get rid of your pain entirely, but you’re likely to achieve a much greater degree of comfort if you treat your mind in addition to your body!


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