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Chronic pain and posttraumatic stress disorder: mutual maintenance?
1timothysharp@bigpond.com
Clinical Psychology Review
|August 11, 2001
Summary
Chronic pain and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) often occur together after trauma. Research suggests these conditions can worsen each other, highlighting the need for integrated treatment approaches.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Trauma Studies
- Pain Management
Background:
- Traumatic events frequently lead to chronic pain and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
- While research on PTSD is advanced, chronic pain research is newer, with limited focus on their co-occurrence.
- High comorbidity between chronic pain and PTSD is recognized but under-researched.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the literature on chronic pain and PTSD individually.
- To examine the psychological theories and maintaining factors for both disorders.
- To explore the pathways through which chronic pain and PTSD mutually influence each other.
Main Methods:
- Literature review summarizing symptoms, prevalence, and comorbidity.
- Explication of major psychological theories for chronic pain and PTSD.
- Analysis of evidence for factors maintaining each disorder.
Main Results:
- Chronic pain and PTSD share significant overlap in symptoms and prevalence.
- Psychological factors play a crucial role in maintaining both chronic pain and PTSD.
- Several pathways identified where chronic pain and PTSD mutually exacerbate symptoms and distress.
Conclusions:
- Chronic pain and PTSD are mutually maintaining conditions following trauma.
- Interactions between chronic pain and PTSD can escalate distress and symptoms.
- Integrated treatment strategies addressing both conditions are warranted, along with further research.