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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

  • I don't get brain fog from paracetamol and apart from you I've nver heard of anyone else having that reaction to it?

    I smoke, I have chronic pain, one of the reasons I smoke is because the act of smoking helps me such up the pain. I'm a bit wary that this dosen't become another stick to beat those of us who either smoke, suffer chrinic pain or both.

  • in reply to TheCatWoman

    It's a recognised possible issue. It's not just me making it up.

    As we like some AI, here's what Google thinks:

    AI Overview
    Yes, there's evidence suggesting paracetamol (acetaminophen) can cause brain fog in some individuals. Studies have shown that paracetamol can affect cognitive functions, including the brain's ability to detect errors and potentially impact attention and memory. 
    Here's a more detailed explanation:
    • Reduced Error Detection:
      A study published in The Pharmaceutical Journal found that paracetamol can inhibit the conscious awareness of mistakes and increase the tendency to make errors. 
    • Impact on Attention:
      Research in Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience suggests that paracetamol can lessen the ability to detect errors during tasks that require attention and response. 
    • Potential Cognitive Effects:
      Some studies indicate that paracetamol can affect various cognitive functions, including memory and attention, potentially leading to brain fog. 
    • Subjectivity:
      It's important to note that the experience of brain fog can be subjective, and not everyone will experience it as a side effect of paracetamol. 
    • Further Research Needed:
      While some studies suggest a link between paracetamol and brain fog, more research is needed to fully understand the extent and mechanisms of this effect. 
  • in reply to Stuart333

    I didn't think you were making it up, I was mearly saying I'd not heard of it before and that it must be a rare side effect. Being someone who's used to being in the 1 in 1000, 10,000 will experience this... I'd never doubt someone else's experience of side effects. It sounds horrible, what do you take when you need pain killers instead? 

  • in reply to Stuart333

    That reminds me of the account of an older relative who attended the hospital physiotherapy department in the 1960s. Then it was common for people to attend for ‘heat treatment’.

    The physiotherapist asked my relative if they could bear the amount of heat. My relative said yes, so they sat in the one position with the heat on their arm for 30 minutes. When the physiotherapist returned and removed the heat, the skin on their arm was blistered. The physiotherapist said, “Why didn’t you say this was too hot to bear”? My relative replied, “but it wasn’t too hot to bear”. 

    They had to attend the hospital for weeks after that episode, this time for burns treatment dressing changes 

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  • in reply to Stuart333

    That reminds me of the account of an older relative who attended the hospital physiotherapy department in the 1960s. Then it was common for people to attend for ‘heat treatment’.

    The physiotherapist asked my relative if they could bear the amount of heat. My relative said yes, so they sat in the one position with the heat on their arm for 30 minutes. When the physiotherapist returned and removed the heat, the skin on their arm was blistered. The physiotherapist said, “Why didn’t you say this was too hot to bear”? My relative replied, “but it wasn’t too hot to bear”. 

    They had to attend the hospital for weeks after that episode, this time for burns treatment dressing changes 

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