There are dozens of causes of chronic pain, which include:

• Headaches
• Migraines
• Arthritis
• Back injuries
• Tendonitis/joint pain
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
• Old injuries or scars
• Fibromyalgia and other neurological disorders

Major/Clinical Depression

Medical researchers estimate that about one-fifth of all adults in the United States have experienced major depression in their lives. Clinical depression is a serious illness, and anyone who suspects that they are suffering from major depression should seek medical advice right away.

While major depression is seemingly easy to self-diagnose, it is important that a professional examination be conducted to rule out other issues, and to chart a course towards treatment and health.

Left untreated, clinical depression can lead to:

• Irritability/anger/constant “short fuse”
• Alcohol abuse
• Abuse of other substances, including illegal narcotics and pharmaceutical medicines
• Loss of job or placement in school
• Breaking off ties with family, friends, and loved ones
• Violence, including homicide
• Suicide

Treatment Options

Although there is no magic bullet “cure” for chronic pain or major depression, health sciences have made a number of recent breakthroughs that can help sufferers get relief.

As with all serious illnesses and conditions, only a medical professional can diagnose and design a course of treatment for someone suffering from chronic pain and depression. Here are a few options that people are using to reduce or eliminate the pain and suffering that accompanies chronic pain and depression:

• Psychological counseling and therapy
• Exercise
• Light therapy
• Pharmaceutical medications
• Dietary supplements
• Anger management counseling
• Building a support network of friends, fellow sufferers, and healthcare professionals
• Guided sessions with a member of the clergy
• Learning to eat healthier
• Physical and occupational therapy
• Sleeping enough – and learning how to obtain a refreshing night’s sleep
• Meditation
• Educating yourself on your condition
• Going on vacation
• Volunteering
• Keeping a positive attitude
• Losing unnecessary weight
• Helping other people and the community at large
• Adopting and/or spending time with an animal
• Removing sources of stress from your life
• Getting treatment for alcohol/drug abuse and becoming abstinent from other addictive substances and/or behaviors

The good news is that no one has to suffer alone from chronic pain and depression, as help is out there.

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One of the most common afflictions of the modern era is carpal tunnel syndrome, a sometimes extremely painful condition when nerve damage causes chronic pain in a person’s hands and fingers.

What Is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

A special bundle of nerve fibers, known collectively as the median nerve, passes between the wrist and connects to the hands and fingers via the carpal bones. Although sometimes occasionally damaged by a sudden, swift injury, most cases are caused by long-term repetitive motions, particularly typing on computer keyboards, that inflame and irritate the median nerve, leading to numbness, pain, and swelling of the affected hand and/or fingers.

Symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome:

Most people notice the first signs of carpal tunnel syndrome when they experience a tingling or numbness in one or more of their fingers, particularly the thumb. While this can sometimes be relieved by taking a quick break and “shaking out” your hand, if this feeling of numbness, “pins and needles,” or pain continues, it may be a warning sign that you are developing this condition.

Another warning sign is when you feel weakness in your hand, or may even begin to accidentally drop things. Carpal tunnel strongly affects the thumb’s ability to flex properly, which is an essential part of how we use our marvelous fingers to hold and grasp objects.

Carpal Tunnel Treatments:

While some cases of are severe enough to warrant surgical invention, or the use of powerful medications, the good news is that many people can begin to heal the damage to their medial nerve with a series of structured exercises.

Here is one stretching routine that can help reduce the chronic pain and inflammation:

• Prayer – Clasp both palms together, with the fingers pointed up towards the sky. Start by touching the tips of your fingers to your chin, and then slowly lower your hands towards your stomach. Keep your palms pressed together until you feel a bit of stretching burn in your forearms. Hold the position for 15 seconds, and repeat the exercise three times.

Carpal Tunnel Surgery and Medication:

In some severe cases, surgery may be necessary. Thankfully, modern techniques are often successful, and CTS sufferers are able to quickly return back to work. In consultation with your doctor, a series of anti-inflammatory or painkilling medications may be prescribed to help reduce swelling and the suffering caused by damage to the medial nerve.

Preventing Carpal Tunnel Syndrome:

If you are an office worker and spend a lot of time flexing and extending your wrist, there are some simple but effective ways to protect yourself against developing this condition.

• Follow ergonomic guidelines while typing or doing office work, such as using a chair that provides proper support, a keyboard with a cushioned wrist rest, and sitting with your spine straight
• Be sure to take plenty of breaks and stretch, relax, and flex your hands and wrist
• Go slowly – rushing and hyper-extending the delicate tendons in your hands and wrists can quickly lead to carpal tunnel.

If you, or someone you know, suspects they may be suffering from this, it is important to consult a doctor right away. The earlier the treatment begins, the easier it will be to reduce, or even completely eliminate, the problem.

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Although millions of people around the world suffer from chronic pain, it continues to frustrate both scientists and outsiders alike as there is yet no reliable way to objectively identify and measure pain.

What is chronic pain?

All of us experience pain at one time or another, usually as the result of an injury or illness. Pain is our body’s natural way of quickly informing us that something is causing us damage. Most of the time, thankfully, the pain disappears as soon as the injury heals or the source of damage is removed.

Chronic pain refers to a condition in which pain levels fluctuate up and down, but never permanently disappear. Every day becomes a struggle to manage a normal life while dealing with the invisible, hidden foe of chronic pain.

While some people suffer chronic pain as part of an as-of-yet unidentified syndrome or ailment, below are a few of the most common causes of chronic pain:

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome:

Most commonly seen today in office workers and people who spend extended hours typing on a keyboard, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome refers to a condition in which a the median nerve fibers in your wrist have become injured.

Suffers of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome usually first realize that there is a problem when they experience tingling, a “pins and needles” feeling, or numbness in the affected hand and/or wrist. Damage to this cluster of nerve fibers, especially over time, causes swelling in the affected area, and can cause years of chronic pain. Thankfully, there are a number of therapeutic treatments, as well as medications and surgery, that can reduce the swelling in the nerves and bring relief to the chronic pain.

If you, or someone you know, has been experiencing an unusual feeling in their hands and/or wrists, and suspect that they may be suffering from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, it is important to contact your doctor at once. As with most illnesses, early detection and treatment is always best.

Headaches and Migraines:

Although most of us have experienced strong headaches, or the occasional migraine, as part of the natural course of our hectic lives, chronic cranial pain can cause severe suffering for some people.

The causes, and treatments for, persistent headaches and/or migraines are varied and far too many to list here. The good news is that neurologists have recently made some important breakthroughs in eliminating and sometimes even permanently reducing chronic cranial pain. Stress reduction techniques, yoga, tai chi, light therapy, and a number of other natural solutions are now available for people who suffer from chronic cranial pain.

Tendinitis:

Sometimes spelled “tendonitis,” this term refers to the inflammation or damage to a tendon, one of the thick elastic cords that connect our muscles to our bones.

A wide variety of things can cause tendinitis, but usually this happens after a physical injury or from repetitive motion activities. Even seemingly simple activities like gardening or golfing can, over time, lead to inflammation and injury of a tendon, and cause sometimes quite severe chronic pain.

Note: if you are normally sedentary during the week, but engage in vigorous sports or other physical activities on the weekend, it is important to guard against damaging your tendons. Consult with your doctor or a fitness expert to develop a series of stretching and warm-up exercises to help you avoid causing unnecessary damage to your tendons.

If you are experiencing chronic pain of any kind, it’s important to see a doctor at once for a proper diagnosis and treatment plan to help you back onto the path of a pain free lifestyle.

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