Emotions And Arthritis - Is There A Connection?

Mr. Kumar stepped out of the doctor’s clinic dazed and dismayed.

He had been suffering from a niggling knee pain for the past 8 months. He wasn’t worried: he was a more-or-less healthy 67-year-old man. He had no complaints other than hypertension. He thought the pain was from a bump he got while getting down from the bus. Now the reports say it’s arthritis.

He had heard about the horror stories about arthritis. Now he was beset with fear about the present and was anxious about the future. This only made the pain worse!

Emotional burden on people with arthritis

This is something that health professionals and researchers often forget: the negative emotions and their impact on people with arthritis. Arthritis is seen as a purely biological phenomenon, and the psychological impact is often sidelined or outright ignored.

Now, researchers have discovered an important link between the emotions felt by arthritis patients and the sensation of pain.

The study    

Researchers at the Manchester University wanted to see how brain processes the pain caused by arthritis. Using a type of brain imaging, six men and women with Osteoarthritis were closely observed. The researchers focused on two pain processing areas in the brain: the lateral system and the medial system.

The findings

After studying the brain images, it was discovered that while both systems share many functions, the medial system is especially sensitive to stress and anxiety. This suggests that the sensation of pain caused by arthritis is so closely connected to stress and anxiety that one can reinforce the other.

So what?

Since there is a deep connection between stress and pain, patients can exercise some degree of control over how much pain they feel by focusing on positive thoughts and memories.  

Positive thinking – a potent pain reliever

Fear and anxiety about pain can actually worsen the feeling of pain. Patients who practised positive thinking and had mature expectations usually experienced less pain. Positive thinking can influence how the brain processes the sensation of pain.

How to think positive and control pain

1. Think about favourite food: When the pain irritates you, try to focus your mind on your favourite food. Recall the images, the fragrance and the texture of the food. Also recall the pleasant conversation you had while eating, the ambience of the place and even the weather at that time. Filling your brain with positive images and memories can help bring down the feeling of pain.

2. Meditate: It is a powerful way of controlling the sensation of pain. When you are in pain, focus on your breathing or heart beat. Instead of forcing the brain to ignore the feeling of pain, focus on images of things you like, like your pet or your favourite car. This will temporarily distract your mind from the feeling of pain.

3. Distract yourself: Do you have a favourite book? Try to read it in your free time. Or you can watch movies on TV. Talk to your spouse about the events of the day. Do anything to remove your focus away from the pain.

4. Visualize: If, for example, you always wanted to visit Bangkok, then visualize the things and people you would like to meet or see when you go there. Fill your mind with the images and sounds of the streets, the shops and the people. This can shift your focus away from the pain.

5. Focus on constructive work: To control the sensation of pain, you can think about any upcoming projects. Try to come up with new ideas to show to your boss. Think about how the project can be streamlined or improved upon.

6. Listen to soothing music: This will help reduce the feeling of anxiety and stress and temporarily reduce the sensation of pain. 

Trust the experts 

While some of these techniques have been proven to be useful, you should not ignore the fact that you have arthritis. So remember to follow the advice givem by your doctor and take care of your joints. If the feeling of pain becomes intolerable, then you should visit a specialized joint pain clinic without delay and seek expert advice.

We at Zilaxo Advanced Pain Solution are confident of our unique treatment plan. We have received thousands of enthusiastic reviews and testimonials from our patients that Classical Homoeopathy, Ayurvedic-Unani Formulations and Internationally Acclaimed Advanced Physiotherapy work together to rid one of pain in an effective and affordable manner. To avail of our services or to give your valuable feedback, call us at 1800 419 6607 (Toll free) or message us on WhatsApp at +91 98304 26607.

Courtesy - Zilaxo Advanced Pain Solution

www.zilaxo.org