Do you have a healed injury from your youth that still causes you pain to this day? Have you previously suffered a serious infection from an injury or wound that still hurts? I had surgery nearly two decades ago, but the incision still bothers me sometimes. Others deal with similar incisions and suffer greatly, despite healing properly. Or perhaps you have some kind of chronic pain, but there is no prior injury or tissue damage you can link it to. It simply hurts without explanation. These are all examples of some causes of chronic pain. But there are other conditions that can be at the root.

Ideally, you’ll need to treat whatever is the underlying condition. However, as you can see here, sometimes there is no apparent cause or way to treat it. Thus, your healthcare practitioner may consider treating chronic pain as a condition itself. And since chronic pain effects you emotionally as well, treating it effectively often requires both medical and psychological attention. Let’s take a look at some of the more common chronic pain medications and therapies.

Chronic pain medications and therapies

Treating Chronic Pain with Medications

The American Academy of Pain Medicine indicates that using medications to treat chronic pain yields mixed results. Of those who try prescription drugs, 58% said it was an effective treatment for their pain. And of those who tried over-the-counter (OTC) medications, 41% reported improvement. Essentially, you have about a 50/50 shot of medications working for you. If you decide to try this route, here are some options for you to discuss with your healthcare practitioner.

Some OTC chronic pain medications and therapies include the mainstream medications you may have already tried. They are safe, but not without risks. Some, for example, can cause severe liver damage and, in some cases, even death. These medications include acetaminophen, aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, and ketoprofen. You may be surprised to learn that prescription options include antidepressants. That’s because many psychological drugs have been approved to use as pain relievers. In fact, if you’re dealing with fibromyalgia, then you no doubt also have to live with chronic pain. Some antidepressants have proven effective at helping fibromyalgia patients and even diabetic nerve pain. You are likely familiar with a couple of name brands such as Effexor and Cymbalta.

Another surprise may be the use of certain anticonvulsant medications. These were originally developed for the treatment of epilepsy, but are also approved for treating chronic pain. You may already be familiar with some of these, such as Gabapentin and Lyrica, which are also often used to treat chronic pain in fibromyalgia patients. Lastly, consider opioids such as codeine, morphine, and oxycodone. Those should jump out at you as “red flags” because some people are prone to dependency on those kinds of drugs. However, every drug listed here should be considered with caution because they all have risks.

Treating Chronic Pain Psychologically

There are two factors to consider when it comes to treating chronic pain in this way. First, is that conditions like depression or unresolved stressors in our lives can deeply influence the way our body perceives pain. One does not have to be aware of those issues for them to profoundly effect their body. That’s because the mind and body are intimately connected through the functions and oversight of the brain, as well as the ways it’s tied to our organ systems. The second factor to consider is the way chronic pain influences our daily lives. It is not uncommon for those suffering from chronic pain to fall into depression because the pain takes over their world. Consider when you have a back injury, a pulled muscle, or a tooth ache. It is very difficult to focus on the mundane parts of life, much less the parts that need our attention the most, when intense pain is constantly haunting you in the background.

Thus, some of the more effective ways of treating chronic pain are those that are comprehensive. That is to say, psychological treatments that address the mind and body simultaneously tend to yield the best results in treating pain. Examples of these include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy which is focused on changing the way you perceive your pain. Hypnosis is another way to help change your perception of pain. Another highly effective treatment is Biofeedback which is focused on helping you identify how your body responds to stressors. Because stress increases pain. Thus, if you know how your body is responding to it – increased heart rate, rapid breathing, heightened blood pressure, etc. – you can learn to control those functions in your body. This minimizes what triggers and increases pain levels.

In many cases, a comprehensive treatment plan will include a combination of various chronic pain medications and therapies. Have any of these medications and psychological treatments been helpful for you?

Have you found the right chronic pain medications and therapies? Share your story with us.