OK, we’ll get this out of the way. If you’ve been married for a certain period of time, chances are you’ve said about your spouse or your spouse has said about you that the other party to your marriage “is a pain in the…” We’ll avoid listing all the parts of the anatomy that married couples are potentially inflicting pain on. And let’s face it, some of these statements are more than a tad over the top. But is there ever some truth to this?
Total Chiropractic Care and Wellness Helps Patients Manage Pain
At Total Chiropractic Care and Wellness, we’re committed to helping patients manage chronic pain. Many of our patients come to us with back pain or neck pain. It’s caused by a variety of issues. Some of our patients are accident victims. Others suffered injuries while participating in sports. Whatever the reason, we’re interested in the causes of chronic pain and we were fascinated with a recent study about how the interplay between spouses affects lower back pain. We want to pass information from that study on to you and remind you that if you have chronic pain, we can help.
Spousal Criticism and Lower Back Pain
The study appeared in the August, 2017 edition of the Journal Pain. A group of researchers observed 71 couples engaging in a 10-minute discussion about how patients with conditions like spinal stenosis, herniated or degenerative disks can approve their ability to cope with the pain, according to Reuters.
The discussion was designed to stimulate disagreements but not to cause a particular level of criticism or hostility. The research team measured overt criticism on the part of the spouse and perceived criticism on the part of the patient.
The researchers were able to achieve their goal of creating conflict as all of the members of the patient group said they felt their levels of anxiety, anger and sadness rise during the discussion.
After the discussion was over, the patients with back pain were asked to take part in a 10-minute exercise program and were asked if they felt more pain. The study found that patients with higher depression scores were more likely to perceive criticism and feel more pain. Spouses who exhibited the greatest amount of anger and hostility toward the patient were more likely to cause pain and depression.
The researchers adjusted for other factors that influence pain and the link between spousal hostility and patient pain levels only remained statistically meaningful for women patients, according to Reuters.
“These findings point toward the harmful effects of specific negative spouse communication directed toward pain patients,” said John Burns of Rush University in Chicago, who led the study. The researchers hope that this might spur marital intervention for patients dealing with pain.
Total Chiro Will Help You Put Together a Pain Management Plan
At Total Chiropractic Care and Wellness, we want to help our patients and their families maintain a positive approach to treatment. We’ll help design a pain management plan that’s right for you. To get started, contact us today.
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