Knee pain and mental health: How stress, anxiety, and chronic pain interact

Knee pain can be chronic for some people. There are a variety of reasons and causes of knee pain. However, one of the most overlooked reasons is mental health. Addressing this, in an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Aashish Chaudhry, managing director and director and head of Orthopaedics and Joint Replacement, Aakash Healthcare Pvt Ltd, said, “Psychological stress not only affects physical and mental health but also is a risk factor for chronic knee pain (CKP), which can deteriorate the quality of life and produce dysfunction that leads to the loss of independence. While people can handle temporary stress, which is a natural part of daily living, prolonged stress can alter a person’s neuroendocrine system, leading to chronic pain.”

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Anxiety and chronic knee pain: How are they linked?

“Anxiety can exacerbate chronic pain in several ways. First of all, stress can actually exacerbate the experience of pain because it alters brain chemistry in a way that might reduce the body’s pain threshold. Second, a reduction in movement and activity may result from excessive anxiety regarding pain thresholds. This results in various physical deconditioning and muscle weakening, which frequently makes pain worse. Third, the nervous system of the body becomes tense due to anxiety. This causes bodily alterations including blood vessel constriction. This can exacerbate a variety of chronic pain conditions over time by causing muscular tension and spasms,” said Dr Aashish Chaudhry.

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Tips to address joint health to support mental health:

Mindfulness: Movement disciplines including tai chi and yoga, integrate both physical and mental health. These exercises can increase joint flexibility, attention, and stress reduction.

Heathy lifestyle choices: You can keep your joints healthy and your stress levels low by adopting lifestyle modifications including reaching and maintaining a healthy weight, stopping smoking or not smoking, and developing an exercise regimen that you can follow in the long run.

Go for therapy: Speak with a therapist or close friend if you discover that your stress, worry, or depression are keeping you from exercising on a regular basis. Easy walks that promote mental health with friends can benefit both your physical and emotional well-being.

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