Link between chronic pain and depression revealed

For many people, pain becomes a constant companion of life. When unpleasant sensations do not go away for months, it affects not only the body, but also the state of mind. It turns out that there is a close connection between chronic pain and depression, and the explanation is inflammatory processes inside the body.

Worldwide, almost a third of adults suffer from long-term pain syndromes – from lower back pain to migraines. It is not just one area that is often affected, but several: it is not uncommon for one person to have several sources of pain at once, which significantly increases the risk of moodiness, anxiety and apathy.

Fresh data published in the journal Science Advances show that the more places in the body covered by pain, the higher the likelihood of depression. Substances associated with inflammation play a particular role in this process. For example, C-reactive protein, which is produced by the liver in response to inflammation, has been shown to be a major marker linking physical and psychological states.

According to Prof. Dustin Shinost of the Yale School of Medicine, pain cannot be perceived as a purely physical phenomenon. He emphasizes that mental health is closely linked to the state of the body – and vice versa. This discovery raises an important question: can we treat the soul by affecting inflammatory processes in the body?

The authors analyzed data from more than 400,000 people collected as part of a UK biobank over 14 years. Participants described how long their pain lasted, which parts of the body were affected, how much it affected daily life, and whether they had experienced depression.

Both cases of long- and short-term pain were tested. In both cases, there was a link to worsening mental health, but it was the chronic symptoms that proved to be particularly dangerous. If it hurts in several places at once, the chances of developing depression increase significantly.

In addition to interviews, the researchers studied the blood composition of the participants. It turned out that certain inflammatory markers – especially C-reactive protein – were directly related to how much mental health is affected. This finding could be an important step toward new approaches in therapy – focusing on reducing inflammation as a way to prevent emotional burnout.

So far, most of the data has come from people with European roots. In the future, the team plans to test whether these findings are universal, and to address the topic of addiction to painkillers, because it too is closely linked to pain becoming chronic.

The study reinforces the realization that the body and mind are inseparable. And to truly treat, you need to look at the whole person.