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Addictive behaviours and chronic pain are linked?

Stuart333

Bit of a random snippet of info.

I was watching a mandatory manual handling refresher.

They mentioned that:

Studies have found a link between smoking and back pain. One study in America concluded that smokers are 3 times more likely than non-smokers to develop chronic back pain.

This is thought to be because the brain pathways involved in addiction are also related to those implicated in the development of chronic pain, making smokers less resilient to the pain of back injury.

I thought it might be interesting in light of our repetitive and sometimes addictive  behaviours, and the fact some struggle with pain. (I don't have chronic pain, I have some reduced sensitivity or at least can block it out.)

I guess it is also not helped by things like paracetamol giving people brain fog. I avoid painkillers.

Parents

  • Smokers are also more likely than non-smokers to feel higher levels of chronic or acute pain to other parts of the body too.

    People build up tolerance to the effects of nicotine and it increases inflammation. That can make painkillers such as paracetamol or opioids less effective. 

    I don’t take paracetamol often but I haven’t noticed any side effects. 

    Paracetamol and other painkillers are useful and at times necessary medication, but I limit their use to times of need.

  • in reply to ArchaeC

    I was wondering if other addictive behaviours would cause the same effect.

    Smoking is bad for you anyway and affects the circulation, so I am not entirely convinced by their argument.

    But if you had a non-harmful addictive behaviour, like stimming, whether that would also make you more prone to long term pain.

    In my assessment I think they asked if in had random pains, but I don't remember chronic pain.

  • in reply to Stuart333

    I don’t know whether stimming in itself, rather than autism, has been linked to pain responses but perhaps stimming would create a necessary distraction from pain as it is a response to need.

    Smoking causes poorer circulation and can cause spinal disc herniation and osteoporosis.

    I think having addictive behaviours such as for alcohol could make you feel pain more, maybe because you would feel you need to take something for pain and the painkilling drugs would be less effective.

    Drinking alcohol increases inflammation which leads to further pain. I remember having a glass of wine when my leg was in a cast due to a fracture, and the cast began to feel uncomfortably tight soon after the first few sips. 

    Pain can be difficult to measure but clearly there is a psychological aspect to it. Placebos can be effective pain killers (according to Dr Michael Mosley on one TV episode), but that doesn’t make you a hypochondriac if you feel less pain. Distraction techniques and slow, steady breathing can reduce pain. 

  • in reply to Iain

    Interesting to see how the initial pain relieving effect of alcohol cannot be maintained long term. 

    Yes, there is always something new to learn here, especially when it has to do with autism. I knew so little about autism before diagnosis only last December. 

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