I hurt my back six months ago and still haven't fully recovered. The doctor has put me on medication for depression even though I don't feel sad or depressed. How is this going to help me?
Studies have shown that depression and anxiety are strongly linked to many medical conditions, including back pain. Treating depression with medication seems to have a positive effect on back pain. Your "depression" may not be a change in mood, but rather a reaction of your nervous system to your injury.
After an injury, the nervous system can start to respond too quickly or strongly. This leads to chemical changes that increase pain and alter the ability to enter deep sleep. This can set up a cycle of more pain, less function, and less sleep.
Anti-depressants help in such cases. Sometimes sleep medication is also advised. Follow your doctor's advice on this, and give the medication plenty of time to work. Adjusting the dose can take six to eight weeks for a good result.
« Back
All content provided by eOrthopod® is a registered trademark of Mosaic Medical Group, L.L.C.. Content is the sole property of Mosaic Medical Group, LLC and used herein by permission. Alteration of these documents in any way is a violation of the copyright.