FEAR AND CHRONIC PAIN

There are some very basic features of chronic pain, FEAR, and DOUBT. Fear plays an essential part in the pain pathway. It gets stronger and more robust as the pain turns chronic. The idea of “safe space” is lost. It is constant and omnipresent. After some time it is this fear that becomes the triggering point. With this chronic fear comes a constant wave of inflammatory(swelling-producing) neurochemicals that make sure that the pain pathway that the brain has secured is always inflamed.

Thus, begins the story of chronic pain. The fear keeps the cycle of chronic inflammation, that in turn keeps the patient in chronic pain. Slowly the fear gets better at keeping the person in an everlasting state of inflammation. To understand this whole process one needs to know the relationship between fear and inflammation at a biochemical level. To make things simpler if there is an infection certain chemicals are produced by the body that causes swelling. When we are scared or fearful the chemicals produced by the brain are similar to those brought about by an infection in the same area. When this is repeated, the pathways that are made, are all owing to the reactions produced by swelling, in terms of pain. In this case, the constant trigger of fear prepares the ground for chronic inflammation leading to chronic pain.

The fear factor also slowly makes the idea of a pain-free life very doubtful. This doubt triggers fear and vice versa. This vicious cycle is very tough to break. For this to happen, one needs to get fearless. It is not as easy or straightforward as it sounds. There are exercises and methods to slowly overcome the pathway formation and control triggers. Once this is learned we need to reinforce this with physical fitness. Physical fitness has to be enjoyable or the whole idea is lost. The biggest issue with chronic pain is that it is invisible. It is felt and not shown. Self-doubt, fear, and rejection of the idea of being in pain only reinforce it. There is a way out, it is long but with help one can walk through it.