What You Need to Know About Your Chronic Pain Syndrome

If you’re suffering from chronic pain syndrome, you are not alone. A recent study estimates that roughly 50 million American adults deal with chronic pain. As a result, they may miss up to 3.5 times more days at work compared to the average American. In this post, we will cover some essential things you need to know about chronic pain syndrome.

You may be entitled to financial benefits if you cannot work due to severe chronic pain from another long term medical condition. The long term disability attorneys of Capitan Law focus on cases involving long term disability (LTD) insurance, both the policies offered by some employers and those an individual may purchase on their own. We can help you understand how long term disability benefits work and fight for you if an insurer denies your claim for the benefits you’ve paid for. Contact us today at (267) 419-7888.

What Is Chronic Pain?

The location and level of pain that someone with chronic pain syndrome feels will vary. Some people experience intense pain right away. Others may feel a small amount of pain that grows or spreads before subsiding. According to epidemiological reports, people most commonly experience chronic pain in the back, hips, knees, or feet.

Secondary effects of chronic pain can further worsen how a person feels, even if nothing hurts at the moment. For example, the pain could be too intense for you to sleep soundly at night. As a result, you may feel fatigued during the day. Alternatively, you may feel “referred pain,” an unexplained phenomenon where pain spreads to other seemingly unaffected regions of the body.

What Is Chronic Pain Syndrome?

People have chronic pain syndrome (CPS)when they have symptoms other than pain. The mental health effects of chronic pain have perhaps the most significant impact on your quality of life. You may worry about when the next bout of pain will come or become depressed, wondering when the pain will stop. You may have chronic pain syndrome if you have depression and anxiety to such a degree that they interfere with your daily life.

In some severe cases, people with chronic pain may think about or attempt suicide or self-harm. Professional resources are available to support you if you are struggling with these thoughts.

What Causes Chronic Pain?

There is no single known cause of chronic pain syndrome. In many patients, it develops in the wake of another condition, such as:

• Neuropathy
• Chronic migraine
• Fibromyalgia
• Certain infections, including shingles
• Certain autoimmune diseases, including arthritis
• Non-autoimmune diseases, such as fibromyalgia
• Severe injuries, including those resulting from accidents

Researchers think that once someone recovers from these conditions, their nervous system could become more sensitive to pain sensations.

What Are the Treatment Options for Chronic Pain?

Your doctor will consider your circumstances and design a unique pain management solution for you. The plan could involve any of the following:

• Physical therapy – A physical therapist can teach you exercises to relieve pain. They can also help with some secondary effects. For example, if it hurts to raise a limb, they can help you restore a comfortable range of motion.
• Medications – Certain medications can reduce your sensitivity to pain, relax muscles near the affected area, or curb inflammation contributing to the pain. You should follow your doctor’s dosing instructions carefully to prevent potentially serious side effects.
• Mental health services – Talking with a therapist could help people with anxiety, depression, or other mental health problems that arise as a result of their pain.

Pursuing a Disability Insurance Claim

When you apply for long term disability benefits through your insurance carrier, you’ll gather all medical documentation related to your chronic pain from the time it began through the current date. You’ll need medical records from every provider you saw for treatment, records of every diagnostic or lab test you had, and records from any hospital, therapy center, or rehabilitation center you attended. You’ll also need a list of the prescriptions you’ve taken.

Your doctor will need to provide a report that indicates you are unable to return to work in any capacity, together with objective reasons why. Once you’ve gathered all that information, you’ll need to contact a long term disability attorney to help you with the application. Most LTD applications are denied the first time they’re submitted. Engaging a skilled, experienced LTD attorney can help you prevent that result.

Contact Capitan Law Today

If you have chronic pain syndrome and are unable to work, contact the long term disability attorneys of Capitan Law at (267) 419-7888 today. In a free consultation, you can discuss your circumstances with our lawyers, and we can advise you of your options. Let us help you seek the benefits you deserve.