Chronic disorders are long-lasting conditions that often require ongoing medical attention and management. They can significantly impact a person’s quality of life, causing persistent symptoms and sometimes limiting daily activities. Effective management typically involves a combination of medication, therapy, and lifestyle adjustments.
There is a long list of chronic clinical pain conditions. These are generally labelled by their site of injury (e.g., back, head, neck, viscera) and type of injury (e.g., neuropathic, arthritic, cancer, myofascial, diabetic). Among these the most common one is chronic back pain.
Most chronic pain conditions lead to changes in the brain, often referred to as the "centralization of pain." This means that ongoing pain causes gradual changes in brain connections, chemistry, and structure, with behavioral impacts. The dorsolateral prefrontal lobe, involved in functions like thinking, planning, and memory, is consistently affected. These changes affect sensory, emotional, and pain-modulating circuits, potentially increasing feelings of fear, anxiety, or depression.
Recent studies show that psychosocial and psychological factors play a crucial role in predicting how chronic pain affects daily life and social interactions. Factors like catastrophizing, fear of pain or injury, depression, disability levels, and pain severity are closely studied together with demographics in different chronic pain conditions. Depression is found to be one of the most significant predictors of low back pain.