How Chronic Pain Can Impact Your Quality of Life

Introduction
Chronic pain is one of the most common chronic illnesses. It causes people to experience pain for months or even years. Chronic pain can significantly impact your quality of life and everyday activities because it affects more than just your physical health. Chronic pain can cause changes in mood, sleep, and appetite, which can affect relationships with friends and family.
How Chronic Pain Impact Your Quality of Life

1. Chronic pain can impact your mood and mental health

Your quality of life may suffer if you experience chronic pain. Depression and anxiety are common side effects of chronic pain, causing it to become harder to carry out daily tasks, enjoy certain activities and participate in relationships with others. Depression hurts your everyday life and can make you feel very lonely if left untreated.

2. Relationships will also be impacted by chronic pain

It is not uncommon for people who experience chronic pain to withdraw socially. The stress caused by the condition can cause tension in your relationships with family members and friends. Chronic pain can also change your personality and make you irritable. Your loved ones may be feeling neglected due to your decreased participation in family or social activities.

3. Sleep problems

Chronic pain causes sleep problems when you cannot relax or fall asleep due to discomfort and constant worrying over the pain. You may wake up frequently during the night and have difficulty sleeping through the night, contributing to chronic fatigue and exhaustion.

4. Chronic pain can affect your appetite

Chronic pain can cause you to lose your appetite and have trouble enjoying certain foods. You may be stressed out over your pain and lack of sleep which can cause you to develop depression or anxiety and experience a loss of interest in things that used to make you happy, such as food.

5. Chronic pain limits normal activities

The pain and discomfort of chronic pain can make it impossible to spend time doing the things you enjoy, such as hobbies and other fun activities. The physical limitations of chronic pain can also make everyday activities, such as running or playing sports, difficult or impossible to do.

6. Chronic pain costs a lot of money

Chronic pain can be expensive when the pills and treatments needed to manage your symptoms cause you to lose your insurance or experience financial hardship because of the cost of treatment. In some instances, the pain caused by chronic pain can even lead to financial problems for those who must take time away from work or school to seek treatment. It can contribute to the loss of employment and increased unemployment.

Chronic pain can cause changes in mood, mental health, relationships, and your ability to enjoy daily activities. It is essential to talk with your healthcare professional about chronic pain's impact on your life. A visit to your chiropractor and physical therapy team could help impact your quality of life in a positive manner also. Swetlic Chiropractic & Physical Therapy of Mount Vernon, Ohio has dedicated our life’s work to improving the lives of our patients. We invite you to contact us today to see if there may be a way we can help.