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Depression & Physical Pain

For those who do not have depression or chronic physical pain, it can be difficult to understand how they are related. Depression is a mood disorder that can affect other body functions. Also, severe and prolonged physical pain will likely affect your mood, but can also affect your brain, causing depression. Both depression and physical pain must be treated at the same time, according to an article in the September 2004 issue of the "Harvard Mental Health Letter."

  1. Pain

    • Types of physical pain that are associated with depression include backaches, headaches, joint aches, muscle aches and stomachaches. According to the Harvard Medical School, at least 10 percent of Americans who have depression also suffer from frequent migraines.

    Relation

    • According to the Mayo Clinic, depression and physical pain often go hand in hand. Depression can cause physical pain, and chronic physical pain can cause depression. It is difficult to break this cycle if you suffer from both physical pain and depression. Thus, it is vital that both be treated at the same time. When your pain is treated, you become less depressed; when your depression is better, your brain does not focus as much on your pain, according to the "Harvard Mental Health Letter."

    Neurotransmitters

    • Depression and physical pain share the same neurotransmitters within the brain, called norepinephrine and serotonin. When these transmitters are abnormal, you are put at a higher risk of developing some form of physical pain and depression, according to a 2004 article in "The Primary Care Companion to the Journal of Clinical Psychology," Volume 6, Supplement 1. These shared neurotransmitters are in the limbic, or emotional, part of the brain.

    Medication

    • Antidepressants are the most common form of prescription medications used to treat both depression and physical pain, the Mayo Clinic reports. Two types of antidepressants: selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), such as Prozac and Zoloft, and tricyclics, such as Elavil, are commonly used to treat depression and pain. SSRIs increase the amount of serotonin in the brain and do not offer as much pain relief as tricyclics. Tricylics works like a sedative to relieve physical pain and depression. If your pain is severe, your doctor may prescribe you a tricyclic to take during the night, and an SSRI to take during the day, according to the Harvard newsletter.

    Other Treatments

    • Besides prescription medication, there are other treatments that can help relieve both physical pain and depression. A psychiatrist or a therapist will implement behavioral and cognitive therapeutic exercises to help treat your depression. If you have chronic pain, a physical therapist can teach you exercise to help overcome your symptoms. Treated pain will likely reduce your symptoms of depression. The Harvard newsletter mentions alternative treatments including hypnosis, meditation and muscle relaxation.

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