Chronic pain and depression.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: People presenting with chronic non-malignant pain provide the health practitioner with a therapeutic challenge. As medicine moves towards an emphasis on evidence based treatments, practitioners are reassessing approaches to chronic non-malignant pain. Depression is a common comorbidity that compounds the challenge, often going unrecognised. OBJECTIVE: To provide the reader with an insight into the current understanding of the comorbidity of chronic pain and depression, and an appreciation of the impact the two syndromes have upon each other. To assist the reader in understanding the biopsychosocial perspective, and to provide an introduction to various treatment approaches. DISCUSSION: It is a reality that general practitioners will carry the responsibility for the management of chronic pain sufferers as the multidisciplinary clinics continue to struggle with their unmanageable waiting lists. This article discusses the conceptual shift from the traditional medical model regarding the management of pain and pain related disorders.