Generalized pain disorder, also known as chronic pain syndrome, is a condition characterized by persistent, widespread pain that lasts for an extended period, typically exceeding three to six months. This pain may affect various parts of the body and can be accompanied by other symptoms such as fatigue, sleep disturbances, mood changes, and reduced physical function.

What is Generalized Pain Disorder?

Generalized pain disorder includes conditions in which you experience chronic pain. It can be because of some nerve pain, muscle aches, or disorders like fibromyalgia. Chronic pain is very disturbing and difficult to live with. It impacts every aspect of life including health, work, relationships, etc. Sometimes pain becomes so intense that performing your daily activities also becomes a challenge.

When pain lasts more than three months and keeps increasing, it becomes chronic. And, it is very difficult to deal with chronic pain as it interferes with every action of yours. Your body and mind are not designed to handle intense and chronic pain. Therefore, if the pain lasts long it takes a toll all over your body and mind.

People often think that pain affects your physical health only. But it is not true because chronic pain has very harmful effects on your brain as well. In this article, we will specifically discuss how chronic pain your mood and memory.

Generalized pain disorder affects your mood and memory

When you are in pain, it is already very exhausting emotionally. And, when this feeling pairs with the effects of pain on your life, the whole situation becomes terrible. When you are diagnosed with chronic pain, it becomes very difficult to handle. Because you know that the pain is going to go anywhere super soon.

Chronic pain when left untreated, wears away all the joy from your life. You won’t be able to work, to do things that you enjoy due to pain. All these things badly spoil your mood. Along with that, you won’t be able to get along with people or be part of social gatherings. This will lead to social isolation resulting in stress and depression. Furthermore, not being able to work means financial problems may come across.

Chronic pain not only affects you; it affects your loved ones as well. Your relations with family, friends, and loved ones may become tense. Moreover, you may feel guilty, embarrassed, or a burden on your family whenever you ask for help. All these things collectively lower your mood leading to mood disorders.

Apart from the mood, chronic pain affects your memory and cognitive functions as well. Studies have shown that long-term pain changes the structure and functioning of the brain. In our brain, two types of tissues and nerve fibers are present – white matter and grey matter. Grey matter is necessary for memory, attention, focus, learning, problem-solving, motor control and coordination, etc.

People with chronic pain have less grey matter. It means they have problems with memory processing, learning new things, solving problems, finding solutions, etc. Chronic pain also impairs the motor control and coordination. Due to this, you struggle a lot in performing your day-to-day activities and things that need more precise coordination.

How to treat generalized pain disorder?

You know chronic pain is very overwhelming and hard to deal with. However, pain affects your mood and memory, so treatment of chronic pain has become a major necessity. A variety of methods are there to treat chronic pain including:

·         lifestyle methods

·         relaxation techniques

·         herbal methods

·         medications

Every method has its unique features and benefits. Not every method needs to work for everyone. It depends on the type and severity of pain, your response to the method, your medical condition, etc. If you want instant relief from pain then, medications are good to go. But you should consult the doctor before taking any medicine as they may have side effects. Some of the most effective medications for chronic pain are:

Pregabalin: It is an anticonvulsant that works great for nerve pain and fibromyalgia as well. Sometimes, it is also used to treat seizures and epilepsy. It mimics the working pattern of GABA neurotransmitters and reduces nerve activity.

Tramadol: Tramadol is a very potent medication that works great for moderate to severe pain. Doctors prescribe tramadol only when other painkillers don’t work effectively. Tramadol has a dual-working mechanism for pain relief and works similarly to opioids. It relieves pain by blocking the nerves that send pain signals from the affected body part to the brain. Moreover, it affects the levels of serotonin and norepinephrine in the brain. Both these hormones play a major role in pain relief.

Tapentadol: It is also a very strong painkiller like tramadol and belongs to the class of opioids. It is also used when over-the-counter painkillers don’t relieve pain. Tapentadol is different from Tramadol as it treats pain caused because of diabetes. It changes your perception of pain handling. So, buy these medications online to live a pain-free life.