scholarly journals The meaning of chronic pain: a phenomenological analysis

2003 ◽  
Vol 59 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
B. L. Wade
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Pain ◽  
Phenomenological Analysis ◽  
The Body ◽  
Low Back ◽  
Phenomenological Method ◽  
Life World ◽  
Ways Of Coping ◽  
Chronic Pain Patients ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Pain Patients

Chronic pain sufferers are frequently misunderstood and stigmatised. The aim of this investigation was to provide a description of the life-world of people with chronic low back pain, using the phenomenological method. Themes which emerged werethat the persistent nature of chronic pain makes it particularlydifficult to endure, arousing a profound fear of the future. Chronic pain causes a disruption in the relationship between the person and the body. The person is forced to function within the constraints of pain and to find ways of coping. Sufferers are unable to fulfil social roles as expected and are forced to revise their goals and activities to accommodate the pain. The distress of their  experience is mediated by the ability to make sense of their condition, finding meaning in the pain itself. This study highlights the value of the phenomenological method in health psychology. Recommendations are made which may be of benefit to people with chronic pain and their families. The multidimensional nature of chronic pain is highlighted and implications for various professionals who work with chronic pain patients are discussed.

scholarly journals Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor and Immune Cells in Osteoarthritis, Chronic Low Back Pain, and Chronic Widespread Pain Patients: Association with Anxiety and Depression

Medicina ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 57 (4) ◽  
pp. 327
Author(s):  
Dominique Josephine Dimmek ◽  
Christoph Korallus ◽  
Sabine Buyny ◽  
Gutenbrunner Christoph ◽  
Ralf Lichtinghagen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Pain ◽  
Low Back Pain ◽  
Back Pain ◽  
Immune Cells ◽  
Chronic Widespread Pain ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
Low Back ◽  
Widespread Pain ◽  
Chronic Pain Patients ◽  
Pain Patients

Background and Objectives: Musculoskeletal dysfunction can induce several types of chronic pain syndromes. It is of particular interest to elucidate the pathomechanism of different forms of chronic pain. It is possible that patients who have developed chronic widespread pain (CWP) may endure different pathomechanisms as compared to those who suffer from local pain (osteoarthritis, OA) and regional pain (chronic low back pain, cLBP), especially with regard to pain regulation and its related biomediators. The aim of this study was to determine the differences in pathomechanisms among these patients by measuring pain-related biomediators, particularly brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Additionally, subpopulations of immune cells were determined in parallel. Materials and Methods: Patients and healthy subjects (HSs) were recruited (age and gender-matched). BDNF was measured from serum samples of patients and HSs and the data of body composition parameters were recorded. Additionally, both patients and HSs were asked to fill in questionnaires related to pain intensity, anxiety, and depression. Results: Our results highlight that the levels of both free and total BDNF are significantly lower in pain patients compared to HSs, with p values of 0.041 and 0.024, respectively. The number of CD3− CD56bright natural killer (NK) cells shows significant differences between the groups. Comparing all chronic pain patients with HSs reveals a significantly lower number of CD4+ CD8+ T cells (p = 0.031), CD3− CD56bright NK cells (p = 0.049) and CD20+ CD3− cells (p = 0.007). Conclusions: To conclude, it seems that a general conformity between the pathomechanisms of different chronic pain diseases exists, although there are unique findings only in specific chronic pain patients.

scholarly journals Action identification and meaning in life in chronic pain

2015 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helen Richardson ◽  
Stephen Morley
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Pain ◽  
Meaning In Life ◽  
Pain Interference ◽  
Action Identification ◽  
Life Meaning ◽  
Behavioural Activity ◽  
Chronic Pain Patients ◽  
High Level ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Pain Patients

AbstractBackground and aimsWe explore the relationship between behaviour and cognition in chronic pain by applying Action Identification Theory (AIT). AIT holds that every action may be construed in several ways. High level construals confer greater meaning than lower level construals. When an action is interrupted a lower level, more concrete identity with reduced meaning is elicited. We hypothesized that interference of activity by chronic pain affects the meaning ascribed to activity and thus a person’s overall sense of meaning in life.MethodsIn Study 1, a measure of Action Identification in Pain (AIP) is developed. In Study 2, the AIP was administered to 47 chronic pain patients who also completed the Meaningful Life Measure and measures of pain interference, depression, acceptance and optimism.ResultsHigh levels of action identification were positively correlated with meaning in life and high levels of interference were negatively correlated with meaning in life. Contrary to expectation interference and action identification were not associated. Further analyses showed that inclusion of depression, acceptance and optimism eliminated the effect of pain interference but only optimism abolished the effect of action identification.ConclusionChronic pain patients holding higher levels of action identification report a greater sense of meaning in life. Meaning in life is also associated with the amount of interference of behavioural activity. The anticipated relationship between action identification and interference was not observed. The present evidence suggests that interference and action identification contribute independently to a person’s sense of meaning in life.

Exploring the Relationship of Three Medical Entitlement Beliefs and Psychiatric/Psychological Variables for Acute and Chronic Pain Patients

Pain Practice ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 15 (6) ◽  
pp. 518-529
Author(s):  
David A. Fishbain ◽  
Daniel Bruns ◽  
Laura J. Meyer ◽  
John E. Lewis ◽  
Jinrun Gao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Pain ◽  
Psychological Variables ◽  
Chronic Pain Patients ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Pain Patients

Self efficacy as a mediator of the relationship between pain intensity, disability and depression in chronic pain patients

Pain ◽  
1999 ◽  
Vol 80 (3) ◽  
pp. 483-491 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Arnstein ◽  
Margaret Caudill ◽  
Carol Lynn Mandle ◽  
Anne Norris ◽  
Ralph Beasley
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Pain ◽  
Pain Intensity ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Chronic Pain Patients ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Pain Patients
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