Researchers have discovered a surprising link between chronic pain and mental health problems in a historical study based on decades of research.
Depression and loneliness are more common in people with chronic pain years before their pain really begins, they have found researchers at the University College London (UCL). They analyzed 21 years of a long -term health study of more than 7,300 adults in England 50 years or more.
Their findings, published in EclinicedicinIt shows a strong link between these mental health challenges and the subsequent development of chronic pain. Researchers add that the problem of chronic pain is a great public health concern, which affects up to 40 percent of people in the United Kingdom and Europe, and a main cause of disability.
While previous research has established a connection between chronic pain and mental health problems such as depression and loneliness, this study sheds light on the timeline of these conditions, which shows that these problems often precede physical pain.
The study participants were divided into two groups: those who developed chronic pain, including back pain, knee, hip or foot, and those who did not.
The researchers discovered that people who finally experienced chronic pain reported higher levels of depression and loneliness years before their pain began.
This suggests that addressing these mental health challenges from the beginning could be crucial to prevent or mitigate the impact of chronic pain. Research underlines the importance of a holistic approach to medical care, emphasizing the interconnection of physical and mental well -being.
The researchers also found that middle -aged and older adults who experience pain are more likely to have worsened the symptoms of depression up to eight years before the start of pain.
These symptoms worsened in the years before pain, seemed to reach their maximum point when the pain was first noticed and remained high in the years after pain.
The symptoms of depression were less common, less serious and relatively constant among people who did not suffer pain.
They also discovered that loneliness increased both in previous years and in the years after the start of pain, but remained low and relatively constant among the group that did not suffer pain.
As a result, researchers suggested that depression treatment could help prevent or reduce later pain and pain.
The main author, Dr. Mikaela Bloomberg, of the UCL Epidemiology and Public Health Research Department, said: “It is known that pain and depression are linked, and each exacerbated the other. But we do not know about the time of these related conditions.
“Our study shows that depressive symptoms and loneliness get worse long before pain begins.
“This is important, since it suggests the early mental health potential and social support to reduce or delay later pain.
“Factors such as depression and loneliness can contribute to pain through several mechanisms: by inducing stress, they can increase inflammation, which can cause pain; they can also increase sensitivity to pain by changing immune responses and by deregulating our autonomous nervous system, the network of nerves that control unconscious processes such as the 'flight response'.
“Our findings highlight the importance of addressing pain not only from a biological perspective, but mental health interventions can also be important.”
The team discovered that depressive symptoms were more pronounced in people with lower levels of education and among less rich patients.
“This study provides more evidence that supports the importance of aiming loneliness and mental health in older people,” the authors wrote.
“Proactive mental health and social support are needed in the decade prior to the beginning of pain and should be integrated into long -term pain management strategies, particularly for people with less socio -economic resources.”
