While pain management often focuses primarily on easing physical pain, there are other aspects of pain management that need to be addressed as well. Chronic physical pain creates a vicious cycle of stress responses and increased inflammation- worsening physical pain and the perception of it. In addition, physical pain – and sometimes the pharmaceuticals used to treat it – can contribute to alterations in mood as well as disturbances in eating and sleeping patterns.

Loss of ability to maintain usual activities can impact job performance and relationships and impair self-esteem and such self-care practices as physical activity , hobbies, healthy food preparation and general self-sufficiency and well-being. Depression resulting from chronic pain can lead to a feeling of loss of one’s faith and absence of comfort from spiritual resources.

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