Link between mood, pain in rheumatoid arthritis patients

[Deleted User]

Link between mood, pain in rheumatoid arthritis patients

Depressive symptoms and mood in the moment may predict momentary pain among rheumatoid arthritis patients, according to researchers. Individuals in the study who reported greater depressive symptoms in general also reported more common pain and restrictions in daily life. This effect of depressive symptoms was not due to differences in day-to-day mood.

- Penn State researchers, USA

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/07/150728110543.htm

Mod B

dreamdaisy

Does this only apply to those with RA? There seems to be a great deal of research into the flaming obvious, my favourites include researchers in Sydney, Australia conceding that maybe their climate was not the correct one to conclude that weather doesn't affect OA, and a recent project stating that people take part in lotteries not for altruism but because they want to win large sums of money. Yer don't say.

I think that most of us can relate to the fact that when our mood is lowered everything appears to be worse, and when our mood lifts we cope better. I guess common sense is one thing that cannot be researched. DD

Boomer13

It seems a chicken and egg question: what came first, the depressed mood or the pain? Chronic pain is a sly, sneaky, hungry-for-all-your-happiness devil.

An increase in pain can really lower your mood but I'm not sure you can say the reverse in the short-term without reducing the cause of person's pain first. In fact, when I've told medical practitioner's my pain is worse and they can't see an obvious cause, they always suggest depression as a cause. This makes me more depressed because I feel no one is believing me. I don't buy it anymore. I'm sure raising mood can have a slight effect but for really severe pain, I don't think so. When my pain improves, so does my depression. Surprise, ding, ding! Imagine that! Just my experience after 10+ years of PsA, etc.