Bipolar Depression & Pain

Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder where people experience extreme highs, known as mania, and extreme lows, known as depression. Pain can be a symptom of depression and can slow the sufferer's recovery from the depressive episode. Conversely, chronic pain can cause depression and the depression slows the recovery from pain.

Bipolar Disorder, Pain and Neurotransmitters

• Signals that regulate mood and pain travel the same brain pathways and use the same neurotransmitters. Also, chronic pain and depression both make their home in the nervous system.

A Well-Traveled Highway

• Neurotransmitter pathways can malfunction, and the repeated use of these pathways can wear them down, similar to how grass can be worn down when you use the same path over and over again. When this happens, it makes it easier for your symptoms to intensify.

Treatment: A Dual Approach

• Since pain and depression negatively affect each other, treatment usually consists of treating both the depression and the pain at the same time.

Bipolar Disorder Pain and Medication

• Antidepressants and other psychiatric drugs can be used to treat physical pain along with pain medications such as Acetaminophen, Ibuprofen, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), as well as opiates in severe cases.

Alternative Treatments for Pain

• Exercise, psychotherapy, physical therapy, meditation, hypnosis, cognitive and behavioral therapies are just a few of the alternative treatments that pain clinics and doctors have available to help patients manage the physical and psychological aspects of bipolar disorder pain. Online support groups and forums and in-person support groups can be a great way to connect with peers and learn new coping techniques.