Chronic Pain Syndrome

About five per cent of people who experience pain end up being diagnosed as chronic pain sufferers.  Chronic pain lasts for at least six months—or longer.  It can last as long as a person’s lifetime.  Some of these chronic pain sufferers will be diagnosed with something further…Chronic Pain Syndrome (CPS).

Six Parts of Chronic Pain Syndrome

In order to be diagnosed as a sufferer of CPS, a person must be characterized as having all six of these:

• Chronic Pain: CPS sufferers are not acute pain sufferers; that is, they do not have short-term pain.
• Decreased Function: People with CPS have trouble with normal, everyday functioning.  They may have trouble sitting, walking, standing, bending, and carrying things, for example.  They may not be able to work for a living, participate in their favorite hobbies, or perform self-care (such as bathing or tooth-brushing).
• Decreased Physical Abilities: Those with CPS have lessening strength, balance, coordination, and flexibility.
• Emotional Stress: Depression and anxiety are common among CPS sufferers.  Some also experience fear and other types of emotional stress as a result of the CPS.
• Psychosocial Issues: These can include financial difficulties, marital problems, problems in making friends, and many other issues.
• Medicines: Many people with CPS must take a great deal of medication for their pain problems, including some medicines that are addictive.

Treatment for Chronic Pain Syndrome

People who have CPS will need a variety of different treatment providers working together in order to overcome the issues associated with this syndrome.  Psychological therapy is needed in order to teat the emotional stress and psychosocial issues of the condition.  A medical specialist will be needed in order to manage the medications the person is taking.  As for the other parts of CPS, a good chiropractic doctor can typically help out with most of those.

Chiropractic Care for CPS

Not only can a chiropractor assist with the chronic pain by doing various treatments, but he can also help with the decreased abilities and decreased functioning.

Chiropractors will perform a variety of spinal adjustments and manipulations in order to provide better mobility and to decrease pain.  This realignment of the spine can help in getting a person’s strength back.  The chiropractor will also help with several exercises for this purpose.  Additionally, most chiropractic doctors work closely with physical therapists.  Physical therapists (or occupational therapists) can work with CPS sufferers as far as their functioning goes.