5 Surprising Reasons for Chronic Pain

Experts estimate that between five and eight million people in Germany suffer from chronic pain. We have filtered out five surprising reasons for the pain syndrome.

Many people suffer from chronic pain, such as back pain, headaches, rheumatic diseases or abdominal pain, which dominate most of their everyday life. Some get used to it and learn to cope with it, others are constantly looking for suitable remedies against the evil. After all, the chronic pain syndrome restricts the quality of life in the long run and reduces the desire for activities. From the mass of causes, we have filtered out five reasons that initially show no direct connection to pain.

1. Painkillers

Most people do not know that the excessive consumption of painkillers can eventually turn into the opposite. Then the tablet that is supposed to help against the symptoms becomes the real evil. If, for example, ibuprofen or paracetamol no longer help against the headaches, but tend to make them worse, it is better to stop taking them. Because painkillers are only a short-term help and not the solution to the problem.

2. Emotional trauma

Emotional trauma, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety disorders, depression or other mental illnesses, are also significantly related to chronic pain. It usually precedes the chronic pain syndrome. Science has not yet found a direct link between trauma and physical pain. Nevertheless, experts assume that the body reacts to emotional stress with pain.

3. Quality of sleep

Sleep disturbances and pain sensation are mutually dependent. This means: Whoever has pain, sleeps badly and whoever sleeps badly, has pain. But how does this vicious circle develop? Deep sleep is the time of day when your muscles can regenerate. Those who sleep little prevent this process, reduce the pain threshold and increase sensitivity. Thus, even slight stimuli can trigger strong pain. For this reason, it is especially important for patients with chronic pain to pay attention to their sleep quality.

4. Magnesium deficiency

Almost nothing happens in the body without magnesium. A deficiency of this important mineral therefore has a number of negative consequences for various organs and bodily functions – especially if it is not discovered immediately. Magnesium controls the transmission of excitement in nerve and muscle cells and reduces the release of the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol. A deficiency of this mineral therefore causes us to be restless and exhausted. And this in turn results in tension headaches, tiredness and migraines.

5. Fibromyalgia

fibrotic …what? Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain disorder that’s been classified with rheumatic diseases. It begins with extensive pain throughout the body, mainly in the muscles. It is accompanied by fatigue, sleep disturbances and skin problems. The problem with this pain syndrome is that it is rarely recognized because it cannot be detected in the blood. Science also disagrees about the cause of fibromyalgia. This finding is surprising for chronic pain.