Overview:
- According to Medscape Medical News, a pilot study suggests more than a third of chronic pain patients may have attention-deficit disorder (ADD).
- These findings may encourage doctors to consider behavioral medicine in addition to interventional pain care for the treatment of chronic pain.
- The pain management specialists at Tulsa Pain discuss results from a study indicating ADD and chronic pain may be linked.
The study, which was presented during PAINWeek 2015 in Las Vegas, found more than a third of patients diagnosed with chronic pain could also have attention-deficit disorder (ADD). These findings, according to the lead author of the study Dr. Forest Tennant, may change the way physicians manage patients with chronic pain.
During the study, 45 patients who visited a pain clinic for treatment were asked to complete a 16-item questionnaire. The questionnaire asked patients about their level of concentration, attention, impulsivity, coordination, short-term memory, and much, much more. Researchers of the study determined five or more questions answered positively indicated the possible presence of an attention deficit disorder.
Roughly 40% of patients who completed the questionnaire met the criteria for ADD. From these results, researchers speculate those with centralized pain experience changes in the sympathetic nervous system, which can cause ADD. This may explain why some patients with chronic pain or fibromyalgia also have difficulty with normal functioning and concentration.
If you’re experiencing poor function of normal, daily activities with limited focus or concentration, talk to your Tulsa Pain physician! During the study, patients who took medication for ADD, such as methylphenidate, experienced a reduction in pain and an improvement in their ability to concentrate.
Nevertheless, it’s important for patients to remember that these improvements may only apply to patients with centralized pain (inflammation in the nervous system), not arthritis or neuropathic pain. Talk to your Tulsa Pain specialist today to discuss your behavioral health symptoms and to discuss possible treatment options.
Tulsa Pain is a multi-location pain management practice in Oklahoma that specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of chronic pain. We are dedicated to helping those who are suffering find the relief they deserve. Our team uses a balanced approach by incorporating minimally invasive, outpatient procedures, complementary and alternative medicine, and medication to help patients take control of their pain. Call 855-918-PAIN or click on our “Request An Appointment” tab to meet with one of our talented pain management specialists today!
The advice and information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace or counter a physician’s advice or judgment. Please always consult your physician before taking any advice learned here or in any other educational medical material.
