Top Four Myths About Chronic Pain You Should know

Unless you are superhuman, you must have experienced some kind of physical pain at various points of your life. But experiencing pain is somewhat, a good thing. Just hear me out, pain tells you about any kind of injury, which leads you to protect it and do something to heal it. And if you are experiencing some kind of pain, visiting a primary healthcare clinic can help you understand the cause of the pain.

But, what is chronic pain? Basically, any pain that lasts for three months or longer and is resistant to treatment is chronic pain. It can be very exhausting and stressful for people suffering from chronic pain. It can make it hard for you to even focus on your daily work. The best way to deal with chronic pain is to consult a doctor. Still, many people avoid discussing their pain or consult a doctor. Why? Well, the biggest reason is the myths revolving around chronic pain. It’s very important for you to stay away from these damaging myths and understand more about chronic pain in a better way.

So, here are some of the most common myths about chronic pain that you should never believe.

Table of Contents

1. You Are Just Depressed and It’s “All in Your Head”

Probably, one of the worst myths about chronic pain is this one. Yes, chronic pain has some relation to mental health, especially depression, mood disorders, and headaches. But, the cause of the pain is not depression. Chances are that you may develop depression due to chronic pain, which can further make things worse by increasing your pain and making you suffer more. But, you are not experiencing chronic pain because of depression.

Not consulting a doctor for your chronic pain can lead to more damaging effects on your health in the long run. Also, it’s never “in your head”. It’s important to seek medical help from a professional doctor. Never ignore even the mild pain; get it checked by the doctor as soon as possible or it can turn into a serious condition.

2. Deal With Your Pain. “No Pain, No Gain”

I have seen many people giving this advice to someone suffering from chronic pain. Believing that you just have to push through your chronic pain can make matters worse for you. Yes, working daily while experiencing regular pain is a chronic pain patient’s life. But, you don’t have to push too hard, or it can cause more problems for you. Pushing can increase pain.

3. You Must Be Addicted to Opiates if You Are Suffering From Chronic Pain

Well, it’s understandable to think this way. Many patients may tend to ‘chemically’ depend upon the medication after using taking them for a long period of time. But, it’s not an addiction. The patient doesn’t crave it or misuse the medication to get “high”. And I’m pretty sure people suffering from chronic pain just look for ways to get relief from the pain and not to get high.

It’s true that in very few cases, patients might get addicted to the medication. But this happens only if the doctor and patient are not being careful dealing with such medications. It’s a doctor’s duty to observe the patient through the treatment.

4. A Pill Can Relieve You of Your Problems

Here’s the thing, chronic pain is not like a headache. You can tackle a simple headache with a pill, but chronic pain is different from it. You can not treat chronic pain just with painkillers. Wait, there’s more, sometimes, even prescribed opioids may not help patients suffering from chronic pain. So, what’s the solution?

Don’t worry, it can be treated. But for the proper treatment, you would need to consult chronic pain management doctors. The management plan would include various treatments, including some medicines too. Although, believing the myth that a painkiller can help you in dealing with chronic pain will do you no good.

Conclusion

These are the top 4 myths about chronic pain that you should never believe. Chronic pain can cause many problems for people experiencing it. It interferes with their daily tasks and makes it hard for them to focus or enjoy anything. But, with proper treatment, it can be controlled. So, avoid following these myths and choose the right option to treat your chronic pain.