Pain Awareness Month

Pain Awareness Month is in the month of September and began in 2001 when the American Chronic Pain Association (ACPA) organized with over 80 groups to create awareness on pain and pain management.

Chronic pain is serious and can affect everyone differently, so it’s important to be informed. It is known to be an invisible illness which comes with burden of hidden side effects.

Some of the side effects from chronic pain include:

Weight loss and gain

Having chronic pain can cause people to struggle with maintaining their weight due. Medication used for pain management can be a huge factor with those who are having a hard time with weight loss and gain. Lack of ability to exercise is also a reason that people are not able control their weight.

Mood

People tend to forget about how the pain can affect your mood and behavior. Mood swings are common due to the severe and debilitating pain and medication. Those who are dealing with chronic pain can’t predict the outcome and should be cared for with patience.

Mental Health

Dealing with chronic pain is life changing and is not something to easily adapt to. Trying to manage the pain on daily basis can cause someone to become depressed or constantly anxious. Not being able to complete simple tasks or engage in one’s favorite hobbies anymore can extremely hard for someone to deal with emotionally and mentally.

These side effects are just a few of the issues that arise from chronic pain. Other issues included lifestyle changes and financial instability from all the medical expenses.

No one is ever prepared for a life altering illness so it’s best to stay ahead, become informed and talk to your doctor regularly. For those who have a loved one who struggle with chronic pain, it’s important to also be informed and know how to properly care for them.

For more information on chronic pain from the ACPA, click here.