The physicians at Michigan Pain Consultants understand that psychogenic pain is not only real, but they have treatment programs for it. Let’s first find out where this pain comes from and why it’s lingering.
What is Psychogenic Pain?
People with depression and anxiety may report psychogenic pain all over their bodies, even when there is no apparent physical cause. Your mind can cause pain without a physical source and even make a preexisting pain increase or linger.
Nerve receptors transmit pain information to the brain. Yet, these messages can get lost along the way making it possible for the brain to interpret mental distress as physical pain. Many different psychological factors such as beliefs, emotions, fears, or mental illness such as depression or anxiety can trigger, exacerbate, or maintain the pain. Therefore, psychogenic pain, with often no physical cause, can be difficult to find and treat.
Behavioral Medicine
From the physicians at Michigan Pain Consultants: “Behavioral medicine focuses on how thoughts and behavior impact health and disease. It is designed to help a patient talk through their pain experience, identifying negative thoughts behaviors that might be contributing to their condition, and develop skills or coping mechanisms to help provide pain relief.”
Behavioral medicine includes:
- Psychological testing to assess strengths and problem areas than can impact pain inducers.
- Additional testing to assess brain function and dysfunctions.
- Individual therapy can be suggested to address issues such as depression or anxiety and for coping with specific pains and emotions.
- Biofeedback as well as Group therapy and family therapy are also available to help to understand the entire scope of underlying pain conditions.
If you want to know more about Behavioral Medicine ask your Pain Specialist at Michigan Pain Consultants if Behavioral Medicine can help with your pain treatment program.
Contact Michigan Pain Consultants Today
Talk with the professionals at Michigan Pain Consultants today about Behavioral Medicine. We can help you with several options to help you understand “it’s not just in your head”.
Make an appointment for a new patient consultation with one of our board-certified pain physicians. All of Michigan Pain Consultant’s physicians are Board Certified in Anesthesiology or Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation and have advanced training and experience in Pain Medicine. You can begin first by visiting online at MyLifeBeyondPain.com, MichiganPain.com, or by calling them at (800)281-3237. Michigan Pain Consultants – Better Treatments. Better Life.
With six locations throughout West Michigan, Michigan Pain Consultants comprehensive interdisciplinary approach to pain care offers patients and providers renewed hope for relief from chronic pain. Chronic pain should be treated like other chronic medical conditions such as diabetes, asthma, or congestive heart failure. Chronic pain requires chronic treatment. The goal of the treatment is to optimize the management of the pain, as opposed to curing the pain.