Mental Health Archive

When you live with physical pain, changing your reaction to it can help you better manage discomfort and obstacles.

 Image: © filipefrazao/Thinkstock

Dealing with chronic physical pain, no matter the source or severity, is a constant challenge, but sometimes the emotional pain that comes with it can be just as trying. In fact, more than half of people with pain feel they have lost control of their lives, according to the American Academy of Pain Medicine.

"In general, men tend to be less verbal about seeking help with their physical pain," says Dr. Ellen Slawsby, director of pain management at the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine at Harvard's Massachusetts General Hospital.

A Netflix original movie about a young woman’s struggle with anorexia nervosa is raising questions among parents about whether the movie might glamorize the disorder, and how best to talk to children about this topic.

Ask the doctors

Q. I'm currently taking a pill that combines 5 milligrams (mg) of oxycodone and 325 mg of acetaminophen. It keeps my pain under control and doesn't seem to interfere with other medicines I'm taking. However, I was reading about opioids and wonder if it falls in that category. If it does, should I be taking it?

A. Oxycodone is an opioid, but acetaminophen, the generic form of Tylenol, isn't. A combination of the two, sold as Endocet, Percocet, and Roxicet, as well as in a generic version, is a popular medication for pain control. Both oxycodone and acetaminophen should be used with caution. Oxycodone should be taken for the shortest time possible because long-term use of oxycodone has been associated with addiction and dependence. High doses of acetaminophen can cause liver damage.

In the journals

A study published online May 17, 2017, by JAMA Psychiatry found that while depression symptoms later in life were associated with dementia, having symptoms in midlife was not. The findings indicate that depression may not be a risk factor for dementia as previously thought, according to the researchers. In the study, about 10,000 people (two-thirds of them men), ages 35 to 55, were recruited and followed for 28 years. Those who reported chronic or recurring depression symptoms at the study's beginning did not show a significant increased risk of developing dementia by the study's end. However, those who reported depression symptoms within the final 11 years of the study were twice as likely to be diagnosed with dementia.

The researchers said that if depression symptoms were a true risk factor for dementia, there would be an association with people who had symptoms earlier in life and not just later. They concluded that depression later in life instead might be an early sign of dementia.

A small study supports the idea that exercising improves body image, whether or not the activity leads to any visible change in appearance. This suggests that additional research examining different types of exercise, and the long-term psychological effects of physical activity would be valuable.

Sometimes pain has a purpose — it can alert us that we've sprained an ankle, for example. But for many people, pain can linger for weeks or even months, causing needless suffering and interfering with quality of life.

If your pain has overstayed its welcome, you should know that you have more treatment options today than ever before. Here, we've listed eight techniques to control and reduce your pain that don't require an invasive procedure — or even taking a pill.

As currently structured, the American health care system makes it very difficult for those with chronic illnesses to manage their conditions, causing them to perform the equivalent of unpaid labor.