- With Mayo Clinic psychiatrist
Daniel K. Hall-Flavin, M.D.
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Daniel K. Hall-Flavin, M.D.
Daniel K. Hall-Flavin, M.D.
Dr. Daniel Hall-Flavin, board certified in general psychiatry and addiction psychiatry, is a St. Louis native looking to the Internet as a way to help people improve their health and be more active participants in their own health care by learning from Mayo Clinic's experts.
Dr. Hall-Flavin served on the faculties of Cornell University Medical College, New York Medical College and The George Washington University Medical School before joining the Mayo Clinic staff in 1996. He has special interests in adult psychiatry, addiction psychiatry, pharmacogenetics and personalized medicine. He served as medical director of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence from 1986 to 1999, and is currently involved in translational medicine research involving the introduction of pharmacogenetic technology into the daily practice of community psychiatry.
"With the advent of pharmacogenetics and related fields and the advances in translational medicine, informed collaborative relationships between knowledgeable, capable health professionals and informed, proactive individuals and their families are more vital than ever," he said.
"I'm optimistic that our Internet health education activities will contribute to ever-improving health outcomes for all who participate and apply what is learned."
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- 'Clinical depression': What does that mean?
Risk factors (1)
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Causes (4)
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- see all in Causes
Complications (2)
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Treatments and drugs (9)
- Mild depression: Are antidepressants effective?
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- see all in Treatments and drugs
Alternative medicine (3)
- Fish oil supplements: Can they treat depression?
- Natural remedies for depression: Are they effective?
- Do the benefits of vitamin C include improved mood?
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Question
Pain and depression: Is there a link?
Is there a link between pain and depression? Can depression cause physical pain?
Answer
from Daniel K. Hall-Flavin, M.D.
Pain and depression are closely related. Depression can cause pain — and pain can cause depression. Sometimes pain and depression create a vicious cycle in which pain worsens symptoms of depression, and then the resulting depression worsens feelings of pain.
In many people, depression causes unexplained physical symptoms such as back pain or headaches. Sometimes this kind of pain is the first or the only sign of depression.
Pain and the problems it causes can wear you down over time, and may begin to affect your mood. Chronic pain causes a number of problems that can lead to depression, such as trouble sleeping and stress. Disabling pain can cause low self-esteem due to work, legal or financial issues. Depression doesn't just occur with pain resulting from an injury. It's also common in people who have pain linked to a health condition such as diabetes or migraines.
To get symptoms of pain and depression under control, you may need separate treatment for each condition. However, some treatments may help with both.
- Because of shared chemical messengers in the brain, antidepressant medications can relieve both pain and depression.
- Psychological counseling (psychotherapy) can be effective in treating both conditions.
- Stress-reduction techniques, meditation, staying active, journaling and other strategies also may help.
Treatment for co-occurring pain and depression may be most effective when it involves a combination of treatments.
If you have pain and depression, get help before your symptoms worsen. You don't have to be miserable. Getting the right treatment can help you start enjoying life again.
Next questionCaffeine and depression: Is there a link?
- Berna C, et al. Induction of depressed mood disrupts emotion regulation neurocircuitry and enhances pain unpleasantness. Biological Psychiatry. 2010;67:1083.
- Pain and depression. National Pain Foundation. http://www.nationalpainfoundation.org/articles/98/pain-and-depression. Accessed Aug. 20, 2010.
- Schatzberg AF, et al. Diagnosis and classification. In: Schatzberg AF, et al. Manual of Clinical Psychopharmacology. 7th ed. Arlington, Va.: American Psychiatric Publishing; 2010. http://www.psychiatryonline.com/content.aspx?aID=600624. Accessed Aug. 20, 2010.
- Rohren CH (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Aug. 26, 2010.
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