Can Chronic Pain Increase Your Chance for Heart Disease?

People with chronic pain may be more likely to have a heart attack or stroke than those without chronic pain according to a study published in the journal Pain Medicine.

During 2001 to 2005 researchers identified 17,614 Taiwanese people who had used pain relievers for at least three months. The common syndromes of this group was spinal disorders, arthritis and headaches. The pain relievers included both over-the-counter medication in addition to opioid medication. The comparison group included 35,228 pepople without chronic pain, though matched the age and sex to those in the first group.

During the study, people with chronic pain were 20% more likely to experience a heart attack and 30% more likely to have a stroke than those without chronic pain. The researchers did adjust the study outcome for the population of people who had diabetes and this increases the risk for heart disease.

Researchers believe the connection between chronic pain and heart disease may include factors such as reduced ability to exercise, poor sleep, depression and stress.

If you or someone you know has chronic pain here are some tips:

• Speak with your provider about exercise options which might be right for you such as walking, swimming, yoga or hiking.
• Speak with your provider about your sleep. If you are unable to obtain a restful sleep let your provider know.
• Choose more fruits, vegetables and beans over processed foods and red meat.
• Seek activities which reduce stress such as walking, gardening, meditating, listening to music, yoga, spending time outdoors or spending time with pets.
• Speak with your provider about your family heart health history. Be sure to share if you have a family history of stroke, heart disease, high cholesterol, hypertension, diabetes or early death due to heart attack or stroke.
• If you smoke, seek a cessation program and speak with your provider about options such as Wellbutrin or nicotine patches to assist with quitting smoking.