Does Depression Cause Neck Pain in Vacaville?

Everyone experiences neck pain in Vacaville at some point in their lives and it could be annoying. According to the American Pain Foundation, neck pain is considered as the second most common form of physical pain next to back pain. Studies have shown that two-thirds of all adults will experience neck pain. But the worry thing about it is that they could be at risk for depression.

The reason is that chronic neck pain can disrupt your sleep, range of motion, and even your sanity. If this worries you, read more about the connection between depression and neck pain as well as how you can get help for both.

The connection

In a 2009 study consisting of 448 German patients, researchers have found out that study participants with neck pain are also at a higher risk of experiencing anxiety or depression symptoms.

The connection between depression and neck pain is understandable. Chronic neck pain can interfere with your sleep and even daytime functioning. It can also affect the neurotransmitters in the brain that is responsible for sensory input processing and memory storage, thus changing your perception of pain and how it should be dealt with. Therefore, that person will often become depressed and/or anxious.

Apart from being sleep deprived, the chronic symptoms of neck pain can also make a person avoid social gatherings, favorite activities, and even sex. The ironic thing about pain medications is that they play a role in contributing to depression. Pain will make you not want to eat while the medication can make you nauseous so you will start losing your appetite, which is a symptom of depression.

Neck pain relief to ease depression in Vacaville

Despite all this, there is some good news regarding neck pain and depression. Studies have shown that these two are so closely tied that depression is actually one of the causes of neck pain and vice versa. If you get some relief for your neck pain, you will also get relief for depression as well. Here are some steps that can help:

• Treat both conditions: You may have to see a doctor about both depression and neck to get relief from the interrelated conditions. If the pain is intense, you may not want to do anything, so it is best to get that depressed mood treated. Once the mood has been treated, the perception of pain will be less.
• Get some exercise: In the past, doctors would recommend bed rest and even surgery for most types of chronic pain. However, they have come to an understanding that being active, even if it hurts a bit at first, can be the best thing you can do for your chronic pain. A daily aerobic exercise routine can help reduce chronic pain after a week or so, which will also decrease depression symptoms. You can start by doing non-impact activities like walking or swimming and go from there.
• Seek medication when needed: Antidepressants may provide relief for depression, but it benefits neck pain the same way as well. Most antidepressants can help increase serotonin levels in the brain, which makes endorphin levels to also go up. Endorphins are helpful in dealing with discomfort and pain.

Hopefully, this advice can help you out with your neck pain and depression. If you find it hard to deal with, you can also seek help from us here at Absolute Integrative Physical Medicine in Vacaville, CA. Just dial (707) 474-5688 to setup an appointment today!