RA Pain | Arthritis Information

 

A couple of days ago I had an appt. with my gp that wasn't in any way RA related.  He's always good to ask if there's anything else I want to speak to him about. As a matter-of-fact I did have another question and it was this:  Have there been any studies as to how pain affects the brains of RA sufferers?

     The reason I asked this question is because everything affecting us in registered in specific areas of our brain, except for pain. Pain is registered throughout our whole brain. So is it possible that our brain's wiring is messed up and thus we feel the impact of pain, which magnifies the stress, depression, etc. levels that affect RA sufferers?

      His reply is that there are but a handful of researchers who are beginning to explore this issue. It's like the research is in its infancy and quite likely will be years before any answers are arrived at.

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watchingwolf2008-07-30 07:59:11That's exactlly the reason my MD put me on anti-depressints. He said it would help with my pain.How about background pain? I don't take pain relievers but I definitely have wrist, hand, ankle pain every single day.  Does that affect you?It affects me and I take pain meds....only about 2 or 3 days a week I don't take them that's after my enbrel shot kicks in. The pain is still there but like you said it seems like it's in the background. It's managable and I can still do things and take lots of breaks inbetween say doing dishes or laundry. I sit in recliner put up my feet and drink lots of water. Then after I cool off (cuz' I am usually sweating) I go again. Chronic Pain Can Impair Memory:

I take an antidepressant too because being in pain all the time really does get me down. I don't know if pain does any damage to the brain itself.I am very worried about my friend's mother.   She e-mailed me because she is in a great deal of pain and she was worried that my daughter might be, too.  Her pain has been nonstop pain for two years and the only treatment they are giving her is pain meds.  She said she feels okay for about an hour, then has to count the minutes until she can take another one.

I'm confused as to what they are treating her for - she gets the pain meds from a rheumatologist, but says she doesn't have RA (she knows what it is, had a close friend with it, etc.).  Her pain is mainly in her spine/neck.  I suggested seeing another doctor, but she said she had seen four.  She said they all say to get off the pain meds.  One doctor recommended surgery, but said it had a 30% success rate and she didn't think that was worth it at her age.  She tried PT, but said it didn't help. 

All I could tell her was to keep trying to find a treatment  plan that would help because I thought she deserved more than counting the minutes until  the next pain pill.   The next time I talk to my friend, I'll see if any dr. has mentioned anti-depressants (if she decides against the surgery, I guess).
Its very common for doctors to prescribe antidepressants for chronic pain because yes chronic pain changes your brain. When my doctor prescribed one I started to protest and she went into detail about the why. It has nothing to do with depression. The pain in my ankles and wrists will never go away no matter how well my treatment is working because of previous damage.

Here are a couple links
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/pain-medications/PN00044
http://www.webmd.com/pain-management/tricyclic-antidepressants-for-chronic-pain
http://www.painfoundation.org/page.asp?file=QandA/Anti-depressants.htm

I rea somewhere that Prozac tends to make it possible to endure pain, has anyone suggested that? My doc actually has me on prozac for that same reason. I'm not sure how well it's working as I haven't been on it for that long!CinDee
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