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Your Pain Is Aging You

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“Researchers at Northwestern University in Chicago have discovered that patients suffering from Chronic Back Pain lose grey matter in their brain. A study of 26 long-suffering patients found that the loss amounts to about 1.3 cubic centimeters for each year of pain. The researchers estimate that this loss would correspond to about 10 to 20 years of aging. The loss is concentrated in the regions of the brain involved in emotional processing and behavioral control in the thalamus, which relays sensory information to the cortex (the part of the brain that is your consciousness). The researchers earlier reported people with chronic pain perform poorly in emotional decision making tasks”. – New Scientist, November 27, 2004

This is one of the most powerful studies on the effect that chronic pain has on our brains and bodies. The effects of chronic stress on the body has been studied for years before this study was published, but never before had anyone studied the effect that chronic pain had on the brain itself.

It’s obvious that stress can weaken your body, but now we know that it can weaken the function of your brain and nervous system itself. This has powerful effects on your aging process. Now we now that not only will spinal injuries cause physical damage to the joints and tissues of the spine, but long term, untreated pain can causes harm to the grey matter of the brain and 10-20 years of aging.

Let us repeat that. 10-20 years of aging!

It is imperative if you suffer from an injury to your body and especially the spine to have it treated as soon as possible. The longer that you leave it untreated, the more likely you will suffer with pain later in life. The more pain you suffer from can have damaging consequences to not only the health of your body, but to your brain and nervous system.

That’s why we focus on providing the safest and most effective techniques for relieving chronic spinal pain. For a FREE Consultation, call our office today. We look forward to helping you live pain-free.

Have a wonderful, healthy week!

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