A recent study discovered that chronic pain, such as arthritis, cancer, or back pain, that lasts more than three months increases the chance of cognitive decline and dementia.
When a 60-year-old individual with one location of chronic pain was compared to persons with no pain, the hippocampus, a brain region related with learning and memory, aged by nearly a year.
The hippocampus shrank much more when pain was felt in two places in the body, according to estimates in the study published Monday in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, or PNAS.
“In other words, the hippocampus (grey matter volume) in a 60-year-old individual with (chronic pain) at two body locations was comparable to the volume of (pain-free) controls aged 62,” reported Tu Yiheng and colleagues. Tu is a psychology professor at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing.
According to the study, the risk increased as the number of pain locations in the body grew. When those experiencing pain in five or more bodily locations were compared to those with only two, their hippocampal volume was roughly four times lower – the equivalent of up to eight years of aging.
“Asking people about any chronic pain conditions and advocating for pain specialist care may be a modifiable risk factor against cognitive decline that we can proactively address,” said Alzheimer’s disease researcher Dr. Richard Isaacson, a preventive neurologist at the Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases of Florida. He was not a participant in the current study.
Pain reduced cognition.
The researchers examined data from over 19,000 persons who had received brain scans as part of the UK Biobank, a long-term government project involving over 500,000 UK participants aged 40 to 69.
The study discovered that those with many locations of physical pain performed worse than people with no pain on seven of eleven cognitive activities. Those with only one pain site, on the other hand, scored poorly on only one cognitive activity – the capacity to remember to complete a task in the future.
To mention a few, the study adjusted for age, alcohol usage, body mass, ethnicity, genetics, history of cancer, diabetes, vascular or cardiac issues, medicines, mental symptoms, and smoking status. According to Isaacson, the study did not account for levels of activity.
“The most potent instrument in the battle against cognitive decline and dementia is exercise,” he wrote in an email. “As one potential explanation for increased dementia risk, those suffering from multisite chronic pain may be less able to adhere to regular physical activity.”
A relationship between chronic pain and inflammation is also crucial, according to Isaacson. According to a 2019 review of research, pain causes immune cells called microglia to produce neuroinflammation, which may lead to alterations in brain connection and function.
Individuals who experienced greater pain were also more likely to have less gray matter in other brain regions that influence cognition, such as the prefrontal cortex and frontal lobe — the same areas affected by Alzheimer’s disease. According to a 2016 research included in the analysis, more than 45% of Alzheimer’s patients suffer from persistent discomfort.
The study was also unable to identify sleep deficiencies, as chronic pain frequently makes it difficult to get a decent night’s sleep. A 2021 research discovered that sleeping fewer than six hours per night in middle age increases the risk of dementia by 30%.
A worldwide disability
According to the 2016 Global Burden of Disease Survey, low back pain is the largest cause of years lived with disability globally, with neck pain ranking fourth. Other main reasons include arthritis, nerve damage, cancer discomfort, and traumas.
According to articles published in the journal The Lancet in 2021, over 30% of people globally suffer from chronic pain. “Pain is the most common reason individuals seek health care and the biggest cause of disability in the world,” researchers predict.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at least one in every five persons, or over 50 million Americans, suffer with chronic pain.
Nearly 11 million Americans suffer from high-impact chronic pain, defined as pain lasting over three months that’s “accompanied by at least one major activity restriction, such as being unable to work outside the home, go to school, or do household chores,” according to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.
Anxiety, sadness, limitations in mobility and everyday activities, opiate use, higher health-care expenses, and low quality of life have all been associated to chronic pain. According to a 2019 research, around 5 million to 8 million People use opioids to manage chronic pain.
Chronic pain relief
According to John Hopkins Medicine, pain management programs often involve a number of professionals to discover the optimum treatment for symptoms while also offering support for the emotional and mental load of pain.
Over-the-counter and prescription drugs can be used to break the cycle of pain and inflammation. Steroid injections may also be beneficial. Antidepressants boost the amount of serotonin in the brain, which regulates part of the pain pathway. Another therapy is to apply short bursts of electricity to the muscles and nerve terminals.
Occupational and physical therapists may recommend therapies such as massage and whirlpool immersion, as well as exercises. Acupuncture and hot and cold therapies may also be beneficial.
Rehabilitation psychologists may propose cognitive and relaxation practices like as meditation, tai chi, and yoga to keep the mind off the pain. Cognitive behavioral therapy is an important psychological pain treatment.
An anti-inflammatory diet, such as limiting trans fats, sweets, and other processed foods, may be recommended. According to Johns Hopkins, losing weight may also be beneficial, particularly for back and knee problems.
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