Understanding Psychological Aspects of Chronic Pain in Interventional Pain Management

Abstract

There is no doubt that chronic pain is recognized as a biopsychosocial phenomenon in which biological, psychological, and social factors dynamically interact with each other. Thus, the role of psychological factors and understanding chronic, persistent disabling pain has been well recognized, but poorly understood. Approximately 1/2 to 2/3 of all patients diagnosed with chronic pain manifest to various levels of psychological distress. Chronic pain and psychological disorders are the two most common elements in the United States. Statistics show that, approximately 22% of Americans suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year. In addition, 28% of the American population suffers with chronic pain. Depression in chronic pain is the most common condition, followed by generalized anxiety disorder, somatization disorder, and drug dependence. However, psychogenic pain appears to be the least prevalent of all psychopathological issues. Chronic pain disability is a complex psychosocial economic phenomenon. There is no data in the literature with regards to treatment of personality disorders, anxiety disorders, and somatization disorders in managing chronic pain. In contrast, treatment of depression and the influence of treatment on outcomes have been studied to some extent. In conclusion, patients with chronic pain frequently have psychopathology - most often common depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, somatization disorders, drug dependence and occasionally personality disorders. This review discusses various issues involved with psychopathology in chronic pain including epidemiology; relationship of psychopathology to pain; influence of depression, generalized anxiety disorder, somatization, and personality disorders on chronic pain, along with diagnosis and management in interventional pain management.