Chronic Pain Conditions

This is a general term for several disorders that cause nervousness, fear, apprehension, and worrying. These disorders affect how we feel and behave and can cause physical symptoms. This category includes generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder and panic attacks, agoraphobia, social anxiety disorder, selective mutism, separation anxiety, and specific phobias. Anxiety disorders are real, serious medical conditions—just as real and serious as physical disorders such as heart disease or diabetes. Anxiety disorders are the most common and pervasive mental disorders in the United States.

https://medlineplus.gov/anxiety.html
https://adaa.org/understanding-anxiety

Chronic pain is defined as any pain lasting more than 12 weeks. While acute pain is a normal sensation that alerts us to possible injury, chronic pain persists for months or years. Chronic pain may arise from an initial injury, such as a back sprain, or it may have an ongoing cause, such as illness. However, sometimes chronic pain has no clear cause. Other health problems, such as fatigue, sleep disturbance, decreased appetite, and mood changes, often accompany chronic pain. You may have limited mobility, which can reduce flexibility, strength, and stamina. This difficulty in carrying out important and enjoyable activities can lead to disability and despair.

https://medlineplus.gov/magazine/issues/spring11/articles/spring11pg5-6.html

This is a chronic pain condition that most often affects one limb (arm, leg, hand, or foot), usually after an injury. CRPS is believed to be caused by damage to, or malfunction of, the peripheral and central nervous systems. The central nervous system is composed of the brain and spinal cord; the peripheral nervous system involves nerve signaling from the brain and spinal cord to the rest of the body. CRPS is characterized by prolonged or excessive pain and changes in skin color, temperature, and/or swelling in the affected area. CRPS symptoms vary in severity and duration, although some cases are mild and eventually go away. In more severe cases, individuals may not recover and may have long-term disability.

https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/Fact-Sheets/Complex-Regional-Pain-Syndrome-Fact-Sheet

Also called major depressive disorder or clinical depression, depression is a common and serious mood disorder. It causes severe symptoms that affect how you feel, think, and handle daily activities, such as sleeping, eating, or working. To be diagnosed with depression, the symptoms must be present for at least two weeks. Some forms of depression develop under unique circumstances, such as persistent depressive disorder, postpartum depression, psychotic depression, seasonal affective disorder (SAD), and bipolar disorder.

https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/depression/index.shtml

This is a disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain accompanied by fatigue, sleep, memory, and mood issues. Researchers believe that fibromyalgia amplifies painful sensations by affecting the way your brain processes pain signals. Symptoms sometimes begin after physical trauma, surgery, infection, or significant psychological stress. In other cases, symptoms gradually accumulate over time with no single triggering event. Symptoms include widespread pain, fatigue, sleep disturbances, and cognitive difficulties. Women are more likely to develop fibromyalgia than men. Many people who have fibromyalgia also have tension headaches, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders, irritable bowel syndrome, anxiety, and/or depression.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/fibromyalgia/symptoms

These are a recurring type of headache that causes moderate to severe pain that is throbbing or pulsing. The pain is often on one side of your head. You may also have other symptoms, such as nausea and weakness. You may be sensitive to light and sound. About 12% of Americans get migraines. They can affect anyone, but you are more likely to have them if you are a woman or if you have a family history of migraines. Many people with migraines have other medical conditions, such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, sleep disorders, and epilepsy. Migraines typically have four phases: prodrome, aura, headache, and postdrome. Some people have migraines that arise because of stress or at a predictable time in the menstrual cycle.

https://medlineplus.gov/migraine.html

This affects some people who have experienced a shocking, scary, or dangerous event. It is natural to feel afraid during and after a traumatic situation. Fear triggers many split-second changes in the body to help defend against danger or to avoid it. This “fight-or-flight” response is a typical reaction meant to protect a person from harm. Nearly everyone will experience a range of reactions after trauma, yet most people recover from initial symptoms naturally. Those who continue to experience problems may be diagnosed with PTSD. People who have PTSD may feel stressed or frightened even when they are not in danger. Symptoms include flashbacks, bad dreams, recurring thoughts, avoidance behaviors, hyperarousal, agitation, cognitive difficulties, and mood disorders.

PTSD is often accompanied by depression, substance abuse, or one or more of the other anxiety disorders. Not every traumatized person develops ongoing (chronic) or even short-term (acute) PTSD. Not everyone with PTSD has been through a dangerous event. Some experiences, like the sudden, unexpected death of a loved one, can also cause PTSD. Symptoms usually begin early, within three months of the traumatic incident, but sometimes they begin years afterward. The course of the illness varies. Some people recover within six months, while others have symptoms that last much longer. In some people, the condition becomes chronic.

https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd/index.shtml

This disorder is characterized by thoughts or plans of suicide. Suicidal thoughts are common, and many people experience them when they are undergoing stress or experiencing depression. In most cases, these are temporary and can be treated, but, in some cases, they place the individual at risk for attempting or completing suicide. Most people who experience suicidal ideation do not carry it through, although some may make suicide attempts. Causes of suicidal thoughts can include depression, anxiety, eating disorders such as anorexia, and substance abuse. People with a family history of mental illness are more likely to have suicidal thoughts.

A person who is experiencing or could experience suicidal thoughts may show the following signs or symptoms: feeling trapped or hopeless; feeling intolerable emotional pain; having mood swings, either happy or sad; being agitated, or in a heightened state of anxiety; experiencing changes in personality, routine, or sleeping patterns; consuming drugs or more alcohol than usual; or engaging in risky behavior, such as driving carelessly or taking drugs.

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/kc/suicidal-thoughts-ideation-19302