Chronic Pain and Insomnia: A Catch-22?

There are many types of chronic pain and not all of them are understood. Chronic pain can arise from illness or after an injury or accident. For most people as they recover, the pain gets better. Unfortunately for some people it gets worse.

However a very common problem linked with chronic pain is that of insomnia and sleep disturbance.
An individual can however see it as a catch 22 situation. Is it the chronic pain causing the lack of sleep or does the inability to sleep reduce the tolerance for pain, so it feels worse?

A bad night’s sleep then affects your ability to cope with the pain the next day. This can reduce your quality of life and have a negative effect on family and friends. It enhances negative feelings that an individual can feel. As we all know, sleep is important. It allows the body to recharge and take stock and for someone suffering from chronic pain this is vital.

Pain itself is draining and tiring so ensuring you have enough sleep is crucial and assists with the way that you manage the pain on a daily basis.

If you are already part of a pain management programme sleep therapy may form part of your treatment. You may also be referred to participate in a sleep clinic. If not, you must see your GP to explain the problems that you are having so that an early referral can be made.

We understand the impact of chronic pain and the importance of getting the right treatment for you, at the right time. Improving your quality of life is key. If you are making a personal injury claim, and treatment is recommended in this area, we can include the cost of it within your claim.

If you have any questions about the above or require any further information, please contact the one of the team on 01483 543210.


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