Bipolar Pain

For those living with bipolar disorder, meeting the challenges of everyday life can be demanding. In addition to the manic highs and devastating lows, bipolar patients may suffer from several different types of chronic or intermittent pain.

• Medications for bipolar disorder often have painful side effects.

Emotional Pain

• The most prevalent form of pain associated with bipolar disorder is emotional pain. Bipolar illness includes powerful emotional states of varying extremes, bringing with them behavioral and mood changes, restlessness and irritability.

Migraines

• According to a study conducted by Ole Bernt Fasmer, M.D., and Ketil Joachim Oedegaard, M.D., migraine headaches were found to be common among those with bipolar disorder. Half of the subjects studied suffered from migraines.

Abdominal Pain

• Although a direct link between stomach pain and bipolar disorder has not been determined, abdominal pain can be brought on by stress--and stress accompanies any form of bipolar disorder.

Body Aches

• Like abdominal pain, body aches also can be triggered by stressful situations. The stresses of dealing with bipolar disorder have been known to cause muscle and joint pain, backaches and pelvic discomfort.

Medication Side Effects

• Many of the medications prescribed for bipolar disorder come with painful side effects. Lithium, one of the most popular mood stabilizers, can cause muscle weakness, fatigue, hand tremors and many other uncomfortable results.